Hurtado Home Design

Hurtado Home Design Resilient Design, Non-Toxic Materials, Human-Scale Living • TX

03/29/2026

Resilient sanctuary made with beautiful earth blocks by 😍

Happy Winter Solstice 🌒The longest night of the year reminds us that rest is part of the work. In design, in building, a...
12/21/2025

Happy Winter Solstice 🌒

The longest night of the year reminds us that rest is part of the work. In design, in building, and in life, quiet seasons create the conditions for what comes next. Here’s to slower days, deeper warmth, and light returning.

Mighty Tiny House 💚🏠🤎Modest in form yet deeply capable at heart, this backyard ADU focuses on doing more with less. The ...
12/18/2025

Mighty Tiny House 💚🏠🤎

Modest in form yet deeply capable at heart, this backyard ADU focuses on doing more with less. The design is compact, affordable, and DIY friendly; featuring eco-conscious materials chosen for performance and efficiency. Compressed earth block walls provide mass and stability that help regulate indoor temperatures year round. Hempcrete insulation and lime plaster finishes contribute to seasonal comfort while preserving breathability.

The result is a space that feels calm, grounded, and secure. Fire resistant. Wind resilient. Built to endure. A humble little home that quietly does a lot.

There's something about late summer blooms in Texas... Officially fall, but you'd never know it lol. Thankfully, today w...
09/27/2025

There's something about late summer blooms in Texas... Officially fall, but you'd never know it lol. Thankfully, today was an ideal day, weather-wise. 🐾

09/24/2025

Conservation today for water security tomorrow! Transform your yard and save money with the Turf Buy-Back rebate. The Turf Buy-Back rebate is a minimum of 400 square feet and will pay you $5.00 per square foot for the first 2,500 square feet converted. Then $3.50 per

What makes a home feel secure? 🏠 Recently, someone asked me about natural building options, and it opened up a bigger re...
09/17/2025

What makes a home feel secure? 🏠

Recently, someone asked me about natural building options, and it opened up a bigger reflection on what it means for a home to feel secure and lasting.

Earth has always drawn me in for that reason. The weight of it, the feeling that it could sit quietly for generations without losing its strength. A wall built from earth (earth block, earth bag, rammed earth, etc.) feels like part of the land itself, steady and permanent.

At the same time, I know that every material carries its own spirit. Some homes invite change more easily, while others seem to say, “I am here to stay.” If built well, neither is better or worse, they simply express different values.

For me, choosing earth is about grounding life in something solid. A reminder that home can be more than shelter, it can be a place that endures, rooted in the same soil that holds us up every day. 🌱

What makes a home feel lasting and secure to you?

Lately I’ve been reflecting on how building a home is as much about patience and steady progress as it is about creativi...
09/05/2025

Lately I’ve been reflecting on how building a home is as much about patience and steady progress as it is about creativity. Each design choice, each material, adds up to something greater than the sum of its parts. 🧩

One of the reasons I love working with earth block is that it feels timeless, reliable, solid, and enduring. It’s a material that doesn’t rush, yet when the light hits it, it shines with a beauty all its own. ✨

I’m reminded that good design is about showing up with consistency, and letting the work speak for itself in the right moment. ⏳

Can Thermal Mass keep you cool in the Texas heat? ☀️ A client once asked me if earth block walls really work in Texas, w...
08/19/2025

Can Thermal Mass keep you cool in the Texas heat? ☀️

A client once asked me if earth block walls really work in Texas, where the forecast usually reads hot, hotter, or hottest. It’s a great question!

The reality is that thermal mass only works when the design is done right. In places with hot days and cool nights, thick walls absorb heat during the day and release it after sunset, keeping interiors comfortable. But in climates like much of Texas, where summer nights stay warm and humidity lingers, mass walls can backfire and act like an oven, slowly cooking the inside of your home. 🧱

Here are 3 smart design tips to keep thermal mass working for you in hot texas climates:

1. Add exterior insulation so the walls work for you - Mass walls work best when they store heat in winter and block it in summer. A breathable insulation layer like rockwool or hemp-lime keeps hot air out and winter warmth in, while still allowing the walls to stabilize daily temperature swings. 🌡️

2. Be strategic with windows and shade – South facing windows can overheat interiors so they need overhangs designed to block equinox-to-equinox warm season sun, while letting in winter sun. West windows, which receive the hottest sun of the day, are best protected with porches, pergolas, or trees. 🌳

3. Plan for ventilation and mechanical cooling – On hot, humid, or cold days, mechanical systems like ERVs keep fresh air circulating while balancing temperature and humidity. Pairing ventilation with mechanical cooling in summer (and supplementary heat in winter) ensures interiors stay consistently comfortable. 💨

With the right details, earth block walls can keep you cool instead of cooked in hot climates!

Visit my website for more tips, link in bio. 🔍



Photos from my personal collection: West, Central, East and North Texas ⭐️

07/23/2025

Drooling over this! Gorgeous! 😍 (ps. not my house or deign).

WHAT YOU DON’T SEE IN THE DRAWINGS 👀There’s a lot that goes into design that never makes it onto the page; behind every ...
07/14/2025

WHAT YOU DON’T SEE IN THE DRAWINGS 👀

There’s a lot that goes into design that never makes it onto the page; behind every set of plans is research, problem-solving, and layer after layer of quiet revision.

Good design takes time, and not just for layout. It’s thinking through structure, learning how materials behave, double-checking code, and catching the little things before they turn into big problems.

Experience has taught me not to rush this process. A thoughtful pace takes more time up front, but it often leads to fewer headaches and better results for everyone involved.

A plan that works, and holds up over time, is what you get when you take the time to do it right.









Curb appeal matters, but it’s only part of the story.A beautiful home can lift the spirit. Thoughtful proportions, mater...
06/26/2025

Curb appeal matters, but it’s only part of the story.

A beautiful home can lift the spirit. Thoughtful proportions, material choices, and exterior details all contribute to a sense of place and pride. But what’s truly nourishing is how a house performs:

- Is it comfortable throughout the seasons; temperature, humidity, and airflow all in balance?

- Does the layout support your daily rhythms and routines?

- Is it built with healthy, non-toxic materials?

- Is it energy efficient and designed to conserve resources?

These are the things that make a home livable, efficient, and lasting. Because if a house doesn’t meet your needs or support your well-being, its beauty is only skin deep.

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Denton, TX

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