History in Architecture
Here in the Las Cruces, Mesilla, and Fairacres areas, being part of Southern New Mexico, we are shaped by the architecture of the indigenous Pueblo settlements, the Spanish settlers, and the Anglos that arrived later from the east. Buildings were made with adobe (an early building technique), when wet mud, clay, and straw were molded onto bricks to “glue” everything together and make it excellently weatherproofed and insulated. Houses were constructed with multiple rooms to house several generations of family members, often leading to a shared space in the center of the home used for entertainment.
Old Town Mesilla is a perfect local example of an area in New Mexico that resembles its past self. Known for its rich historical past, Mesilla is preserved through architecture. It is notable for its adobe buildings, coppery brick walkways, and the ruins of past Pueblo houses. The streets and buildings are a glimpse into the past. Many of the houses in this area are older and have more land and trees.
Today, homes are influenced by a modernized version of this mixture of styles. If you are new to the area, thinking about making the desert your home, and looking for a custom home builder in Las Cruces, look around for inspiration to see how history has remained within the town’s architecture.
Honoring the Landscape that Inspires our Builds
At Macias Custom Homes, we value the landscape of the southwest. The desert is our home. The organ mountains are our constant backdrop. The red dirt, cacti, and mesquite trees are staples of the terrain. We customize our homes with modernity, comfort, and quality in mind, designing the interior with colors accompanying each other, stone and tile amplifying the space, classy granite countertops, and custom cabinets. Each build has a touch of a modernized version of the southwest style—swapping adobe for stucco and, often, flat roofs for Gabled roofs.
With that in mind, the aim of our company is not to create cookie-cutter houses but to take our client’s desire for a home and translate that into reality—to decorate the southwest with homes that stand out against the harshness of the landscape, adding depth, dimension, and beauty. Your home is not just the structure but the location and environment. The home below, with its white walls and flooring contrasted with black stone and brown accents, is a contemporary take on the southwest/Hispanic style. The ceiling is adorned with dark wooden rafters, or vigas, that recall the Pueblo homes they descend from. Once used for structural purposes, these vigas now provide a decorative element that adds texture to any room. The modernized style of this home almost evokes a southwest ranch-style home design.
We are well adept at building any style of home. But we wanted to highlight the beauty of the New Mexican atmosphere. Living in the southwest means living on land steeped in Hispanic and Indigenous influences and visually seeing its mark on the architecture around us.
For more information on the area, check out Visit Las Cruces. Ready to build your dream home in Las Cruces? Contact Macias Custom Homes today and view our portfolio of builds and renovations.