New Mexico-based artist Johnny DeFeo lives by a distinct motto: “The more seriously you take a silly idea, the more silly it can be.”
His boldest realization of that philosophy stands in the desert outside Taos: a rentable guest house shaped like a giant coyote head. “It’s a place to recharge and not worry about your Wi-Fi, and just have a quiet time in a place that is visually novel and beautiful,” said DeFeo, who was named a Wallpaper* US400 honoree.
The idea came from a dream six years ago. While DeFeo and his girlfriend were considering a move from Denver to New Mexico, he envisioned five animal-head-shaped houses surrounding a black pond near Vallecitos. Though he immediately sketched the idea, it sat dormant until June 2022.
One of 100 Winners
That month, DeFeo spotted an ad for Airbnb’s $100,000 “OMG! Fund” competition, which sought unique rental property concepts. He submitted a description, sketches, budget proposal, and construction timeline. His project, named “The Trickster” — also known as “Coyote Casita” — was chosen as one of 100 winners.
Turning the sketch into reality proved challenging. After interviewing several local architects and general contractors in Arroyo Hondo who struggled to grasp the vision, DeFeo partnered with Jacob Tobar of Mas Rústico. The San Antonio-based sculptor specializes in faux-bois concrete and large-scale public art.
The pair scaled up DeFeo’s small model into a 30-foot-tall structure. They framed the building using standard residential construction methods before applying and shaping layer after layer of concrete over the frame.
The process used more than 30 tons of concrete alongside extensive rebar reinforcement.
Build ‘Something Weird’
The resulting structure features sharp-toothed jaws that form an arched entrance, leading into a small foyer and an enclosed bathroom lined with stones and pebbles. Past the hallway, the double-height living area includes a small kitchenette with terrazzo counters, a walnut dining set, and seating.
A loft bedroom with a king-size bed opens to a balcony set atop the coyote’s nose. From there, guests can view the surrounding mountains. They can also look out through openings sculpted to resemble nostrils.
While the exterior is dramatic, the interior mirrors traditional New Mexico adobe architecture, featuring rounded corners and soft, mud-plaster-style textures. “I love the softness of the architecture,” DeFeo said. “You don’t do 90-degree angles out here.”
DeFeo is continuing to refine the decor, adding custom cast-iron drawer handles molded from taxidermy coyote paws, along with his own original paintings of coyotes in Southwestern landscapes.
“The Trickster” is intended as the first of five planned animal-themed rentals, with future plans for rabbit-, doe-, bear-, and fox-shaped designs as funding allows. “You don’t have to build a box for a house,” DeFeo said. “You can just make something weird.”
