This Santa Fe Landmark is a masterful example of authentic Pueblo-Style Architecture.
Expansive Mexican stone pathways connect the dwellings and the carefully designed landscape, which features multiple life-size sculptures and this meandering, stone-lined stream. An adobe perimeter wall ensures privacy.
Thick adobe walls create a long hallway leading to a romantic southwestern-style guest suite.
The beautiful master bedroom showcases excellent craftsmanship and color pairings.
A seemingly endless hallway paved with Arizona flagstone features formal Spanish furnishings and custom wrought-iron chandeliers. White plaster walls with illuminated art alcoves showcase western sculptures and museum-worthy paintings.
A fireplace with an oversized slab base anchors this room with floor to ceiling masonry. The rustic wood ceiling is a traditional southwest style utilizing vigas (the large beams) and latillas (smaller, rustic sticks) artfully placed in between. Wrought-iron candelabras flank the hearth, providing symmetry and a Spanish flair.
A sophisticated sun room adds elegance with its tumbled travertine floor and vaulted boveda ceiling. The black granite floor inset is fashioned after famed potter Maria Martinez.
Inspiration for the Cantina, called La Tinaja (watering hole), came from a rustic 300 year- old Spanish cowboy bar.
The dining room’s massive dark ceiling beams create a formal feel against creamy plaster walls. A tin chandelier was custom designed for the space.
Walls of stacked Anasazi stonework are inspired by Chaco Canyon, a nearby archeological site. Arched doorways, mystical lighting, and a corner kiva fireplace evoke feelings of being inside a sacred pyramid. The tiled Roman tub, multiple freestanding shower pedestals, and convenient seating keep this spa-like retreat fully functional. Both the walls and the floor feature radiant heat, to offset the natural chill of extensive stonework and keep the space cozy and comfortable.
Rancho Alegre’s sanctuario is a non-denominational chapel which also features a drop down movie screen and wiring for use as a media room/home theatre. Its hand-carved doors, imported from Spain, have welcomed guests for memorable dinner parties, business meetings, and musical performances.
Photography by Robert Reck.
Architecture by William F. Tull.
(Originally published in the September/October 2010 issue of Cowgirl Magazine).
