AUSTIN HOME Inspiration For Your Space
THE SHAPE OF WATER
This Curved Glenlake Home Makes Waves With Its Ocean Theme HOOP DREAMS
Austin & The Hill Country
A Spanish Oaks Dwelling Features An Underground Sports Court
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Conte 36
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Editor’s Letter
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Trending
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Fab Finds
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Indoors
Contributors Elements Local designer Mallary Carroll debuts her first home-centric store; the decorative pillows of designer Masha Osoianu
Ask An Expert Interior designer Allison Crawford names three things to consider when choosing wallpaper
Adorn your home in items from Pantone’s 2020 color of the year, classic blue
Interior designers choose their picks for the top outdoor bar cart
A family’s Steiner Ranch home was built to suit the needs of their children, who have autism
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Outdoors
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My Space
This diminutive cabana proves good things come in small packages
The youngest residents of a Tarrytown home enjoy its secret passageway
COURTESY CASEY WOODS, FOUR HANDS HOME, AND ABANTE PHOTOGRAPHY
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COURTESY RYAN DAVIS AND KATIE KIME
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Making Waves A water-loving couple worked closely with architects and builders to create a spectacular cliff-top house reminiscent of the ocean By Erin Quinn-Kong
Come Together How a builder and architecture team crafted an inviting, timeless design in Zilker By Chris Warren
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Book Smart This Balcones home features an epic library and secluded art studio By Lauren Jones
(Spring)
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Resource Guide and Ad Index
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Curtains
Space Jam A Spanish Oaks dwelling with a sunken sports court, gym, and lap pool suits a high-energy family of five By Lauren Jones
On the cover Photograph by Casey Dunn
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Austin & The Hill Country E DITOR IAL Editor-in-Chief Madeline Hollern Contributing Writers Mauri Elbel, Lauren Jones, Anna Mazurek, Laurel Miller, Erin Quinn-Kong, Chris Warren ART Creative Director Sara Marie D’Eugenio Art Director David Loyola Deputy Art Director Megan Bedford Contributing Photographers Paul Bardagjy, Andrea Calo, Casey Dunn, Ryann Ford, Jake Holt ADM INIS TR ATION Accounting Manager Cindy Kim
ADVE RTISING Publisher Stewart Ramser Associate Publisher Julie A. Kunkle Digital Sales Manager Misty Pennock Account Executives Mike McKee, Tina Mullins, Maxine Pittman Digital Advertising and Circulation Coordinator Abigail Stewart Ad Sales and Sponsorship Coordinator Jillian Clifton BUSINESS Mailing address 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100 Austin, TX 78701 Phone (512) 263-9133 Fax (512) 263-1370 Subscription inquiries (818) 286-3160 or subscriptions@austinhomemag.com Advertising inquiries advertising@austinmonthly.com Job inquiries jobs@austinmonthly.com Letters to the editor amhome@austinmonthly.com Story ideas ideas@austinmonthly.com Postmaster Send address changes to Austin Home; P.O. Box 15815; North Hollywood, CA 91615-5815
© Copyright: Austin Home is published by Open Sky Media, Inc. The entire document of AUSTIN HOME is © 2020 by Open Sky Media, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express written permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial or advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative. AUSTIN HOME is locally operated. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers, please advise us at AUSTIN HOME Attn: Opt-out; P.O. Box 15815; North Hollywood, CA 91615-5815. Please include your exact name and address as it appears on your subscriber label.
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Editor’s Letter
Living in such a creative city, it’s no surprise that I receive neardaily pitches
on visually stunning, impeccably designed homes
Madeline Hollern, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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MEGAN BEDFORD
across Austin and the Hill Country. With more content to choose from than I could ever use—a wonderful problem to have—it becomes an interesting curation process to decide which ones to select for publication. Beyond the shining photos and eye-catching designs, I’m always curious to know details of a project’s origin: in essence, why this home’s story deserves to be told versus that one’s. To kick off 2020, I dedicated this edition to the topic of innovation by selecting homes that have broken the mold in some novel or unconventional way. Take, for instance, the Steiner Ranch house of the Hartman family, which was built to suit the needs of their two children, who have autism. The sensory-driven home (page 42) includes highlights like a hair-washing station to accommodate head massages and grooming and an indoor theatre room for their son, who can’t always go to traditional movie theatres. Or look at the Tarrytown home of the Blair family (page 50), which includes a secret passageway into a hidden room for their children. In this issue, we also feature a home with a built-in sunken sports court, a dwelling with a kitchen flanked by dramatic circular concrete dome walls, a diminutive pool house built for sleepovers as well as parties, and an abode with an ocean-inspired theme. I hope the magazine inspires you to add a little innovation to your own home this year—even if you’re just venturing into the world of wallpaper for the first time (page 36). After all, the new decade calls for something fresh—and stories worth telling.
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Lauren Jones,
Anna Mazurek,
Ryann Ford,
Writer
Writer
Photographer
A California native, Lauren Jones has lived in Austin for nearly four years and has come to love the city’s wacky charm, creative freedom, and undeniable Southern hospitality. The full-time freelancer has a passion for art, architecture, and interiors coverage and contributes to publications including Architectural Digest, Dwell, Domino, and Martha Stewart Living. In this issue, she sat down with architect Jay Corder to learn about an incredible 12,000-square-foot home with an underground basketball court (page 78). “I love the imaginative design of this family home and the way Corder conceptualized a contemporary plan that is the perfect fit for the way the clients live,” Jones says.
For the past seven years, vagabond writer and photographer Anna Mazurek has called Austin home in between her travels. She’s been to 52 countries and lived in five. Her work has appeared in AFAR, The Wall Street Journal, Southern Living, and Rolling Stone. For this issue, she wrote about Good Company Home and Masha Osoianu Design for Home (page 30). “Since my father makes furniture for a living, I loved hearing about the inspiration behind Good Company Home and how Mallary sources her items,” she says. The South Carolina native spends the winters in Thailand to avoid cedar season in Austin but loves spending springtime in the capital city.
Raised in a Southern California mountain town so small it didn’t even have a stoplight, Ford had the freedom to explore and observe from a young age. Now, the photographer shoots for clients such as Southern Living, Traditional Home, and Country Living. In this issue, she shot a North University pool house at night (page 46). “Twilight shoots are always fun—it was a beautiful night and was magical watching the sun go down and the house light up like a little lantern and reflect perfectly in the pool,” she says. When Ford isn’t behind the camera, she can be found hunting for vintage treasures or styling her shop, Townsend Provisions, in Round Top with her husband and their two pups.
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JONES, COURTNEY RUNN; MAZUREK, COURTESY MAZUREK; FORD, LISA WOODS
Contributors
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ACCENTS AUS TIN DES IGN NOW
THE RAMONA CHAIR ($1,550) AT FOUR HANDS HOME
Feel the blues with Pantone’s color of the year, classic blue. (page 38)
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Accents Elements
HOME RUN
Local fashion designer debuts her first homecentric store For boutique owner Mallary Carroll, a literal sign doubled as a figurative one. Last April, Carroll noticed a “for lease” sign in a building near her clothing shop, Good Company, on West 12th Street and Lamar Boulevard. Inspired to open a spinoff store, she rented the space to create a new retail concept, Good Company Home. “Home for me is like a creative outlet,” Carroll says. “It’s always been my first love. I love decorating. I love all the fabrics and found objects. I love the hunt of finding the objects.” Opened in August, the home goods and furniture store features both vintage and new furniture sourced from her recent cross-country travels, as well as handmade custom tables from vintage and reclaimed wood. The shop also carries 100 percent cotton pajamas, robes, tea towels, throws, and slipcovered pillows from Carroll’s Good Company brand. Other exclusive items include local pottery made by Austin artist Isabel Glatthorn of Soul Matter Studio and an apothecary line with all-natural products including deodorant, hand soap, and lip balm. Visit the store at 904-D W. 12th St. or browse for select home products at goodcompany.shop/collections/gift-home. —Anna Mazurek
In Living Color around the style industry. Now, more than a decade after launching her own apparel brand, the Austin designer has expanded into home goods with Masha Osoianu Design for Home. Her line, which debuted in November, features vibrant handmade silk pillows made with materials such as hand-painted batik silk, hand-knit viscose yarn, and mother-of-pearl buttons. “Creating a cohesive collection of pillows that are a one-ofa-kind piece of art and complementing them with monotone handmade color pillows is the ultimate fun for me as a fashion designer, as the shapes are simple and clean and the colors aren’t restricted by apparel standards,” she says. Each pillow takes three to 10 days to craft. Shop the decorative pieces ($270 and up) at mashaosoianudesign.com/ home-goods. —A. Mazurek
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STORE, ABANTE PHOTOGRAPHY; PILLOW, MASHA OSOIANU
The daughter of a fashion designer, Moldova-born Masha Osoianu grew up
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Accents Ask An Expert
GOOD COVER
Three things to consider when choosing wallpaper
THE EXPERT
Allison Crawford ALLISON CRAWFORD DESIGN From mellow motifs to punchy patterns, wallpaper has been making a slow-but-steady comeback over the past several years, and its popularity across the Austin design scene is due in no small part to amazing resources like Supply and James showrooms. Whether you gravitate toward traditional or eclectic designs, wallpaper should be a part of your next design upgrade. Here are a few tips to get it right.
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Embrace the Unexpected Despite the name, wallpaper is not just for walls. Use wallpaper on your ceilings, bookshelves, and cabinet interiors; adorn small spaces, like powder or mudrooms, to create an unexpected pop of personality and dimension. Imagine walking into a powder room or closet filled with tiger faces such as Gucci Tiger Face Wallpaper ($170, gucci.com)—wow-factor guaranteed.
Go Bold
Leave It to Pros
Selecting wallpaper can be tricky and intimidating. But I prefer to think of it as a form of art and self-expression. Don’t hold back: be daring, whether it’s with Katie Kime Marfa Toile Wallpaper ($188, katiekime .com) or Ashley Woodson Bailey Fay Red Wallpaper ($15.60 per square foot, awblove.com). Enjoy the selection process and know it doesn’t have to be a permanent commitment—it’s wallpaper, not a tattoo!
Unless it’s specifically designed for DIY—like peel and stick—leave installation to the professionals. Not only will this save you time, but you’ll avoid the headache of looking at mismatched panels of wallpapers like Taylor Murphy Nomad Wallpaper ($200, taylorwmurphy.com) or Stone Textile Studio Mosaic Wallpaper ($300, stonetextilestudio .com). Your designer or vendor will have great recs for pro installers.
CRAWFORD, NICOLE MLAKAR; MARFA, KATIE KIME; FAY RED, RUSTIC WHITE; NOMAD, NOMAD
Clockwise from left: Marfa Toile; Nomad; Fay Red.
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©Trent Lee Photography
Family owned Flooring boutique Hardwood / Carpet / Area rugs
704 South lamar
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Accents Trending Libra Blue and White Vase CB2, $14.95
Geode Glass Art Print Sonder Living, $1,595
Deep End Diptych Four Hands Home, $1,490
Make a (sea) change with Pantone’s color of the year, classic blue
Mercer 41 Demers Barrel Chair in Navy Wayfair, $416.75
Monaco Blue Sheer Double Shade Double Gourd Table Lamp Lamps Plus, $159.98
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Indigo Flags Square Feathers, $262.50
GEODE GLASS ART PRINT, COURTESY SONDER LIVING; VASE, COURTESY CB2; DIPTYCH, COURTESY FOUR HANDS HOMES; BARREL CHAIR, COURTESY WAYFAIR; LAMP, COURTESY LAMPS PLUS; PILLOW, COURTESY BLU BUNTON
O C E A N S P R AY
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Accents Fab Finds BOTTLE SERVICE
These outdoor bar carts will leave you shaken and stirred
“I’m super into the rattan look for outdoor spaces. The Carlo bar cart brings a nice texture to your patio, plus it’s weather resistant, so it looks better with age. You can find this model at any price point. Here’s a mid-range cart I’m in love with—it even has convenient wheels.”
Mark Cravotta CRAVOTTA INTERIORS Wheel Barrow Buffet, Pastel and Wood Rolling Bar Cart 2016, $8,500, 1stdibs.com “The search for a beautiful, well-crafted, and functional outdoor bar cart is a lonely one. That said, I really like the playfulness of this sleek, minimalist outdoor design by architect Jonathan Gonzalez. This would make an easy and elegant addition to any modern poolside or terrace composition.”
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Murphy Moon MURPHY MOON DESIGN Blackened Steel, Cast-Concrete, and Solid Walnut Wood Handsome Bar Cart, $5,000, stefanrurak.com “Custom made by artist-fabricator Stefan Rurak in his Brooklyn studio, this indoor-outdoor bar cart conveys modern, elegantly restrained style. The simplicity of the materials married with the fine craftsmanship and balanced profile makes this bar cart perfect for any swank condo or urban deck. Another round, please!”
CRAVOTTA BAR CART, COURTESY SIKA-DESIGN; HARPER BAR CART, COURTESY TILE BLUSH; MOON BAR CART, JOHNNY FOGG
Kristen Harper REMODEL BOUTIQUE Sika Design Carlo Bar Cart/Trolley, $495, 2modern.com
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Accents Indoors
HEARTH AND SOUL
A family’s Steiner Ranch home was built with their children’s needs in mind When Kim and Tom Hartman moved to Austin almost a decade ago, they found plenty of houses they liked, but not a single home that would suit their family. “We have two children who have autism, and their needs are very different,” says Kim of their son, now 17, and daughter, now 19. “We ultimately determined that we needed to build a sensory-driven home because we couldn’t find anything that could meet all of our needs.” After an extensive interview process with multiple builders, the Hartmans found Kelly Wunsch of Capital Construction Company, who helped them build a home that improved the way they lived and provided them with a newfound sense of freedom. “When it came to finding a builder, trust was the No. 1 priority for us because we
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were going to ask for some unconventional things,” Kim says. “We knew he would bring our vision to life to create our destination home, knowing that our children may be living with us for many years to come.” Throughout the building process of their five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom house, which is a four-starrated green home designed by Barley Pfeiffer Architecture, Wunsch not only understood the concepts that the Hartmans brought forth, but he was able to elaborate on them. In the laundry room, the builder had the idea of converting a typical utility sink into a hair-washing station complete with a reclining chair to accommodate sensory head massages and grooming. For the Hartmans’ son, who can have difficulties at traditional movie theatres, there’s an indoor
Acoustics and light throughout the home are sensory-driven, preventing noise from traveling from one space to the next and filling the home with natural light without any direct beams or glare.
CASEY WOODS
By Mauri Elbel
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Accents Indoors
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From top left: a pool has now replaced the temporary sod in the backyard, and the screened and unscreened porches create lots of options for seating and entertaining guests; the laundry room has a hair-washing station with a reclining chair for sensory head massages and grooming; the screened porch captures lovely breezes while keeping bugs out of the house.
CASEY WOODS
theatre room. Their daughter, who loves to be outside but can’t always tolerate direct sunlight, enjoys sitting out on the screened porch or adjacent covered porch. Prior to moving to Austin, the Hartmans lived in Washington, D.C., and Michigan, so they wanted their new home to have a combination of the best features from each house. Wunsch was able to replicate everything from the ebony-stained white oak hardwood floors and dark wood ceiling beams to the wainscoting on the walls and handcrafted wood features found in the older homes, which helped ease the transition of another move for the kids. Acoustics and light throughout the home are sensory-driven, preventing noise from traveling from one space to the next and filling the home with natural light without any direct beams or glare. Everything about the design—from the open-concept pantry in the kitchen that accommodates grab-and-go food for the children to the large swimming pool and spa where they can swim freely in the privacy of their own home—has made life more comfortable for the Hartmans. “It’s not so much that each individual space is all that unique, but together, it really does check all the boxes for the kids,” Wunsch says. The children have full reign of the upstairs with their own individual full bedroom suites while the flow of the downstairs allows Kim and Tom to be readily available to the kids while creating private sensory destinations for them. “I’ve never lived in a house where I’ve been able to stand in the kitchen and see every single room in the downstairs,” Kim says, “This house will always be a part of our family’s fabric.”
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Accents Outdoors
MAKING A SPLASH
This diminutive cabana proves good things come in small packages By Lauren Jones The exterior of the University Hills pool house, which was converted from a garage apartment.
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RYANN FORD
When Eric and Michele Starkloff asked architect Chris Sanders of Sanders Architecture to transform the dingy apartment space on the edge of their North University property into a fully functioning poolside entertainment area, he was able to deliver the ultimate hangout spot in less than 400 square feet. The backyard already featured a large pool that the homeowners had built just a few years before, as well as a garage with two deteriorating accessory dwelling units above it, which faced the couple’s driveway instead of the pool. “We had a tough time even envisioning if [what we wanted] was possible,” Eric says. The Starkloffs desired a cabana that walked the line of modernism but still respected the Colonial Revival style of the main house, which was built in the mid-1920s. From the start, the architect and his team were met with design difficulties. Although the ADUs were built in the 1990s, they were made to match the home’s ’20s-style architecture, so “it took peeling back layers of construction to realize the units were as new as they were,” Sanders says. And while he had built cabanas before, this one was unique because it’s located on a historic piece of property and utilized an existing building. With that in mind, Sanders began drafting a plan to revitalize the structure that would optimize verticality and provide plenty of functionality within a small footprint. To maximize space, he created a tall ceiling for the loft (a prime spot for Eric and Michele’s teenage daughters to host sleepovers) and installed plenty of windows for natural light. The Starkloff family did all of the interiors themselves, resulting in a minimalist look with a navy-painted kitchenette, a dining nook, a powder bath, brown-and-white tile, bohemian pillows, and plenty of greenery.
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From top: The pool house has an open floor plan with doors that open to the pool, painted shiplap and venetian plaster walls, and a loft that can be used as a bedroom or a children’s play area; the house, including the powder bath, features brown-andwhite tile.
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For builders Christian Bingham and David Wilkes of David Wilkes Builders, challenges came in the way of running new electrical wiring and also waterproofing, as the original pine-clad building had started to decay. They used HardiePlank, a low-maintenance siding, to give the cabana a shiplap look. “Fitting everything into such a small space and making it work takes really great design, which Sanders brought to the table, and an extremely high level of detail,” Wilkes says. Since its completion, the cabana has become a place that the Starkloff family can escape to for any occasion. “We just had a 50th birthday for a friend out there,” Eric says. “The large-screen TV in the cabana is angled, so you can watch it from inside or from the pool.” Sanders adds: “It’s a tiny space—only about 350 square feet—so we designed everything to be able to co-exist. It can go from being a kid’s space to somewhere for parties and family get-togethers, so everything had to be buttoned up and serve a variety of functions.”
RYANN FORD
Accents Outdoors
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Accents My Space A L L I N T H E F A M I LY
This Tarrytown home boasts a secret passageway for the little ones
Aaron and Nadia Blair had no intention of selling their 1941 Deep Eddy craftsman-style home, especially after an extensive renovation was completed in 2014 to accommodate their growing family. The couple met in Austin in 2011, and within a year they married and moved into Nadia’s Deep Eddy cottage; by 2015, they had a toddler, a newborn son, and a daughter on the way. Around that time, the Blairs were logging many hours in Tarrytown, socializing with friends and driving their boys to and from preschool. Nadia, an avid runner, had noticed a dilapidated pink midcentury stucco for sale on her favorite street in the neighborhood, which had big trees and a nearby park. Unbeknownst to her, Aaron loved the same thoroughfare, and a serendipitous conversation revealed they were both enamored of the pink house. On a whim, the Blairs set up an appointment to view the property. “We had no plans to buy it,” Nadia says, “But as soon as Aaron saw there was
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a creek running through the backyard—the rest of which was entirely covered with brick—he wanted to live there. He grew up with a creek in his neighborhood.” Although the home had five offers, the owner accepted their bid, and in March 2017, the Blairs became owners of their dream property. The plan was to renovate the existing 1,690-square-foot house and add a second floor, but a more thorough inspection by CG&S Design-Build revealed that the home required more work than a renovation could remedy. The Blairs decided to tear down the house, and Nadia used her experience working with young children to design an intuitive, organized home that would adapt to her family’s changing needs. She brought a first-floor layout in the existing footprint to CG&S project designer Sara Hadden that included the master bedroom and one-and-a-half baths. Together, they developed a full, two-story scheme that brought the home to just more than 2,900 square feet.
RYAN DAVIS
By Laurel Miller
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Accents My Space
“We don’t have a specific style,” says Nadia of the house’s interior. “I just want people to feel comfortable. I always go back to my New England roots. I like light colors, and a soft, cozy, beachy vibe that invites you to take your shoes off, but everything in this house has multiple purposes. I maximized every square inch.” During construction, Nadia discovered she was pregnant with twin girls, so Hadden—also the mother of twins—turned one of the four upstairs bedrooms into a nursery, while the older kids’ playroom now doubles as a guest room. There’s a dedicated downstairs playroom for the toddlers, with decor that includes a chalk paint mural by Nadia and two cobalt row seats from the old Houston Astrodome (a nod to Aaron’s childhood). A “secret room” beneath the stairs has been converted to a place where the girls play dress-up; a child-sized passageway connects it to Nadia’s crafts and cleaning closet. For the kids’ bedrooms, Nadia wanted each child to have input. “I don’t want to take away from them; you only get to be 6 or 7 once, and if you really want dinosaurs all over your room, have at it,” she says. The mudroom is Nadia’s favorite area, and it exemplifies her talent for multi-use, space-conscious design. The room has a built-in with high cabinets, cubbies, and coat hooks for every child, and its plaid, black-
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and-white Clé Checkmate concrete tile floor complements the whimsical “Dog Park” wallpaper from Hygge & West. The kitchen is also a special space, designed in tandem with Hadden. “I wanted an open, airy space, and for the kids to be in here with me and not cut off from the kitchen, but Aaron and I hate island feeding because it takes up useful space and they can climb on it. So, I designed a nook with a half-wall and banquette seating so the kids can help me with baking, or we can do crafts,” Nadia says. The durable, easy-to-clean tabletop is high-grade quartz by Caesarstone, with an iron base from Eastside Custom Works. The nook separates the kitchen from a more formal dining room, which has acacia hardwood floors and quirky wallpaper designed by Mike D of the Beastie Boys. His “Brooklyn Toile” by Flavor Paper depicts scenes of borough life, from hipsters and F-trains to portraits of Biggie Smalls and Hasidic Jews. “It reminds me of growing up in New York,” Nadia says. In the backyard—the space that had ultimately led the family to put down roots here—the bricks were replaced by grass, and now the kids have a leafy oasis in which to play and grow. “This house finally feels like a real embodiment of our family. It’s more than just the structure itself; it’s the location, yard, neighbors, street, and community,” Nadia says. “Getting all of that right, all at once—that’s what makes this home.”
RYAN DAVIS
This page, clockwise from left: Nadia chose a blush pink paint and white trim for the baby girls’ room; she selected Clé Checkmate concrete tile floor for the mudroom; the kitchen nook, with a halfwall and banquette seating, is the perfect space for kids to do crafts and help with cooking.
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Making Waves page 56
Come Together page 64
Book Smart page 72
Space Jam page 78
JAKE HOLT
This Zilker home by coXist Studio features a warm, earthy kitchen space. Page 64
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E R I N Q U I N N - KO N G
P h o t o g ra p h y b y
CASEY DUNN
M a k i n g Wave s A WATER-LOVING COUPLE WORKED C LOS E LY W ITH A RC H ITE C T S A N D B U I LD E R S TO CREATE A SPECTACULAR CLIFF-TOP HOUSE REMINISCENT OF THE OCEAN
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When an entrepreneur, John, and his wife, Susan, went to Jackson & McElhaney Architects in 2013 to talk about building a brand-new home on a bluff overlooking Lake Austin in the Glenlake neighborhood, they had one notso-simple request: a house with as few right angles as possible. “They described what they wanted as having sinuous walls the shape of nature,” says Michael McElhaney, president of the firm. “It was an exciting challenge.” John and Susan, who have two grown children as well as several grandchildren, were inspired by their favorite place in the world: the ocean. “We spend a lot of time in and on the water,” John says. “We’re divers, so every vacation we go on is in the water.” And since he is an award-winning underwater photographer, showcasing his work in an environment reminiscent of the ocean was another goal of the couple. The curved walls weren’t the only challenging aspect of the 5,000-squarefoot home. Since it was situated along the ridge of a bluff, it required quite the feat of structural engineering. “There was a steep drop-off, so we used several types of steel and a number of techniques to convert the rugged sloping grade into a flat horizontal plane in the air with S-shaped curves,” says David Dalgleish,
This page: Custommade LED back-lit panels are recessed into the hallway walls, illuminating the owner’s underwater photographs in a gallery setting. Next page: Clean white walls and rift-sawn bleached white oak floors create a modern aesthetic.
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For the design of their dwelling, the homeowners had a not-sosimple request: a house with as few right angles as possible.
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The curved walls weren’t the only challenging aspect of the home. Since it was situated along the ridge of a bluff, it required quite the feat of structural engineering.
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The sleek, uninterrupted floor plan enhances the panoramic view through floor-to-ceiling windows facing the river valley. The Knoll sofa mimics the sinuous curves of the home.
president of Dalgleish Construction Company. “Some places were 30 feet above the ground while others were 5 feet, so we had to calculate from every point.” The end result was a steel sub-structure projecting out from the hillside, perched on 23 steel columns set on concrete piers. “When you see the house from the other side of the lake, it blends in with the hillside, as unobtrusive as possible, working with nature,” McElhaney says. The stellar deck, which features a solid glass handrail all the way around, also works beautifully with the landscape and the curved home. “The owners wanted something very contemporary, and they didn’t want to block the view,” says Ben Dalgleish, the project manager on the house. “That was a special detail.” As the house became a reality, there continued to be difficulties along the way, including figuring out how to install a 3,800-pound solid black granite bathtub in the master bathroom. (The solution: Add an extra beam below it so that the house could support the weight, leave the section of the roof above the bathroom open, and then carefully lower the bathtub in.) Another challenge was working out how to install large, straight windows and blinds into curved walls. (The answer: Finding a window manufacturer that could make faceted windows and recessing the blinds into the ceiling to give them the illusion of being curved—even though they weren’t.) “A house like this, the geometry, requires problem-solving along the way,” says Reed Critendon, the senior associate architect on the house. “The contractor and the owners were remarkably engaged from day one.”
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In fact, the homeowners met with the architects, builders, and designer Alix Knauth of Alix Design Studio every week for two-and-a-half years. “I can’t say enough about our team,” John says. “They did the hard work to make sure everything was perfect. It exceeded my professional expectations—and I have high expectations.” Perfection was indeed the name of the game for this home. Every detail was fixated upon until the exact right solution was found. To create the long, curving walls, the builders used manufactured materials instead of solid wood, even adding a black toe-kick at the bottom of the walls to give the impression of floating walls and keep them looking pristine. Six versions of the master bathroom were laid out until the owners settled upon the ideal setup. And too-dark pieces of flooring were separated out of the lot until every piece had the same light wood and grain look. The end goal of the two-bedroom, three-bathroom house was for there to be no surprises waiting for the owners when they moved in. “They knew exactly what they would get,”
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“To get to start every day with this beautiful expanse is wonderful. With the fog and the sunrises, each day is different,” Susan says. Previous page: The master bedroom has the option of beautiful views or privacy from the recessed sliding drapery. This page, from top: The entertainment deck protrudes from the home to give breathtaking views of the river through the glass railings; the master bath features a 3,800-pound granite tub and black marble flooring.
Ben says. “The house was custom-built to what they wanted and how they lived.” The couple knew exactly what show-stopping pieces they wanted to feature, including a 7-and-a-half-foot-tall humpback whale that greets visitors just outside the front door in a courtyard. It’s made of stainless steel and weighs 1,000 pounds. There’s also a bold blue curved couch by German brand Knoll that mimics the curves of the house, though it was bought years ago before they finished this project. And in the kitchen, every appliance and fixture was put in a cabinet or concealed, when possible, maintaining that same sleek look. All of those choices make the 14 custom-made LED back-lit lightboxes installed along the home’s gallery walls even more jaw-dropping. Each recessed lightbox displays one of John’s underwater photographs, such as a frenzy of sharks and an up-close clown fish. Although the design team worked hard to make sure John and Susan had no surprises when they moved in, they have had a few—but they’ve been nothing short of magical. “In two of the bathrooms, rainbows form at the intersections of the glass doors and the walls,” Susan says. “And when it’s really windy outside, we hear these harmonic tones that we think has to do with the steel lateral bracing under the house that catches the wind.” These days, the couple and their dogs, Malia and Pono, are enjoying waking up to their gorgeous panoramic view every morning. “To get to start every day with this beautiful expanse is wonderful. With the fog and the sunrises, each day is different,” Susan says. “And at night, with all the lights reflected over the water, it looks like a fairyland.” The project feels like a fairytale to all involved. Says David, “It had what the best quality projects have: great builders and architects and also clients.” Adds Ben, “They were enthusiastic until the very end.”
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By
C H R I S WA R R E N
Co m e To g e t h e r
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P h o tog ra p h y b y
J A K E H O LT
HOW A BUILDER AND ARCHITECTURE TEAM CRAFTED AN INVITING, TIMELESS DESIGN IN ZILKER
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The main living space opens up through a series of sliding doors that provide a seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces.
the lot he purchased in the leafy Zilker neighborhood a couple of years ago. Simply finding a large lot in such a desirable part of Austin made it immediately unique. But it was when Fannin, a custom homebuilder and owner of FIA Homes, rented a cherry picker and got an aerial view of the lot’s surroundings that he truly appreciated how distinctive it was. “Downtown views are rare,” Fannin says. “When you see the view from 32 feet up, that began dictating some of the design choices, like having a large outdoor deck that serves as an extension of the outdoor area.” The fact that Fannin wanted to immerse himself in the nuances of the lot he purchased long before he enlisted the help of an architect says a lot about his approach to projects. Put another way, he’s not the type of spec homebuilder who seeks only to get a high-end project finished and on the market as fast as possible. “Architecturally interesting projects are what I want to do,” Fannin says. “My aesthetic leans more midcentury because it’s timeless and remains timeless. I want to make sure that when I do a project, nobody can see you built a house in 2010, and it was influenced by whatever trend people were trying to pull off. I want to build houses that 50, 60, 100 years from now still look fresh.” For Fannin, part of that recipe is letting the unique contours of a lot drive the floor plan and design approach. While the builder stays involved in the design of homes he eventually builds, he knows it’s also critical to pick architects with interesting ideas and the willingness to keep exploring when things aren’t exactly right.
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“When we talk about the human experience, it’s about the senses. So when we pick materials, we try to find a contrast of texture and smoothness to help give a sense of place and earthiness,” Frank says.
This page: The rough texture of the exterior materials contrasts the refined earthy interior elements to bring warmth and depth to the space; high windows cast natural light through the living and dining room while maintaining privacy. Next page: The second-level family room overlooks the roof deck.
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That’s why Fannin decided to work with Frank and Megan Lin, the owners of coXist Studio, an Austin-based architecture firm that specializes in residential and commercial projects. Fannin and coXist have collaborated in the past, and Megan says one of the main objectives with this project was to craft their design in a way that acknowledged both the spectacular views as well as the presence of a large pecan tree on the property—something evident in the home’s U-shape and balance between openness and privacy. “We wanted to react to the tree in a way that acknowledges it and embraces it. The second level hugs the tree and the upstairs bedroom looks into the canopy, so it feels like you’re in a tree house,” Megan says. “The backyard feels private but also is so close to downtown. It’s private, but at the same time we were designing the rooms so that all the rooms in the house interconnect and there’s a view to the activity of the house and what’s going on.” The visual connection and openness of the home is particularly apparent downstairs, where the kitchen, living room, and dining room are joined and visible from both upstairs and the outdoor pool. But throughout the house, the design creates both connection and separation of one space to another. The idea behind this approach is to create what the Lins call “frame-by-frame moments,” and a storyline as people walk through the house. For instance, the glass corridor that connects the second-story master wing and guest wing is a prompt for people to stop and look around. “What we try to do for the sake of the moment is we want you to pause when you enter a special space,” Frank says. “At the door to the master wing, it opens up with a view towards the street and a tree in front. That is a moment when we bring natural light in and artwork to help you pause before you go into the master wing.” Another moment that encourages contemplation comes when people enter the large oak front door and see both the sculpture-like main stairway and views through to the backyard.
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“We want these to be homes and not objects,” Megan says. “We want them to be experienced and loved and lived in. We aren’t designing for ourselves.”
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Previous page: The roof deck curves in response to the tree canopy and provides a view to Austin’s skyline. This page: This modern residence was designed as a grouping of small intimate stone pavilions, linked by a glass entryway to reflect the scale of the neighboring context.
The choice of materials that make up the 4,300-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath house was also an exercise in contrast and balance. The materials used are meant to trigger at least one of the senses. “When we talk about the human experience, it’s about the senses. So when we pick materials, we try to find a contrast of texture and smoothness to help give a sense of place and earthiness.” This took some extra effort. The stonework for the house is a rough cut of limestone called cave stone, which Fannin and the Lins chose after numerous trips to the stone yard. “The limestone itself and the way it is dry stacked means you don’t see the molding itself, you see the tactile roughness of the stone,” Frank says. “We want it to feel like it’s coming out of the ground. The texture is rough and in contrast with the steel panels above the windows, so they have a dialogue with one another.” Though there are countless tasks and considerations involved with designing and constructing a house, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the ultimate purpose is to create a place where
real people live. That idea was never far from Megan’s mind. “What it boils down to is we want these to be homes and not objects,” she says. “We want them to be experienced and loved and lived in. We aren’t designing for ourselves.” If that was the aim, Fannin and the Lins certainly succeeded. After a little over a month living in the house, the homeowner already had a strong connection to his new dwelling. It was a connection that began to be forged the very first time Fannin walked him through the house, when it was close to completion. “What I appreciated most was the attention to detail and the craftsmanship of the home,” he says. “When we left, we wanted to make it happen.” The homeowner especially appreciates the mix of public and private spaces, nature and the indoor environment, as well as sleek design and the welcoming comfort of home. “Very clean design can sometimes feel not as warm,” the homeowner says. “But the trees and the natural light and the materials give it just the right balance. We fell in love with it, and it has a vibe where we want to invite people to experience it.”
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By
L AU R E N J O N E S
P h o t o g ra ph y b y
A N D R E A C A LO
Book Smart THIS BALCONES HOME FEATURES AN EPIC LIBRARY AND SECLUDED ART STUDIO
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For
Rick and Ginger Geyer, their recently completed Central Texas home is more than just a work of contemporary architecture. To the couple, the dwelling represents the next chapter in their lives. The Geyers came to Austin from Dallas in 1988 when their children were just 1 and 3 years old, moving into a two-story, 3,800-square-foot 1960s home in the Balcones neighborhood. It was only one of two homes the fans of modern architecture could find with a style that truly appealed to them. Now, more than 30 years later, the empty nesters felt it was time to downsize and rethink their current floorplan. Thus, they reached out to architects Jennifer Vrazel and Robert Steinbomer of Studio Steinbomer. “They had a budget, and ultimately the contractor came back and said we could build a new house for what we would spend on renovations,” Vrazel says. The land had a couple of easements that made sighting tricky, and the home was also in disrepair with a cracked foundation, something that would be extremely expensive to fix. The couple considered selling the home, but in the end agreed that a new build would be the best decision. After creating so many memories in the neighborhood, they were hesitant to move. “We are very fond of the site,” Rick says. “If we moved, we didn’t know where we’d find a piece of land as nice, so it didn’t really make sense.” Over the years, they had also researched the history of the home and felt a connection to its past. For instance, they found out that New York Times–bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert, who had worked at Texas State, once lived there. “She made the cement fish ponds out back,” Ginger recalls. “When we first moved in, we filled them in since our kids were little and turned them into planters.” They also discovered that a UT student who had been killed during the tragic 1966 tower shooting once resided there. After the decision to start fresh was made, the couple began working with Studio Steinbomer and RisherMartin Fine Homes to make their new home a reality, asking for a slightly smaller one-story floorplan with plenty of flexible entertaining space, views of the nearby forest, and a larger art studio with ample ventilation. Although the couple is semi-retired, Ginger is a porcelain sculptor and part-time museum consultant, while Rick provides strategic fundraising consulting for nonprofits including AIA Austin and the Austin Foundation for Architecture. When it came to the look, the couple came through with a handful of inspiration images, all of Scandinavian-style homes with clean, simple exteriors. But achieving this “Nordic farmhouse” aesthetic would be expensive. “We had to find a happy medium,” Vrazel says. “Having no visible joinery takes a lot of effort and construction time.” Ultimately, the exterior
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The couple wanted a floorplan with plenty of entertaining space, views of the nearby forest, and a larger art studio with ample ventilation.
From top: The exterior of the onestory home; Rick conceptualized an 8-by-8-by-2-foot moveable wall that would close off the small office space and open up the living room for parties as needed.
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Similar to the outside of the house, they wanted the same clean, cost-conscious finish inside with little things that would have a meaningful impact.
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This page, clockwise from top left: The dining room has large windows with views of the verdant outdoors; the home has a 90-footlong library that the owners call “the book spine”; the kitchen features a cobalt blue backsplash.
would consist of painted HardiePlank board, a rot-resistant and durable man-made material, a flat metal roof, Anderson 100 windows, and a red front door. Similar to the outside of the house, they wanted the same clean, cost-conscious finish inside with little things that would have a meaningful impact. All of the floors are concrete, except in the master shower, and the couple made judicious selections, choosing to spend more money in certain areas like on the “gorgeous cobalt blue backsplash in the kitchen,” Vrazel says, “It makes the most interesting pop of color and a surprise when you turn the corner.” Other examples include a 90-foot-long library that they lovingly call “the book spine,” which was a clever way to give the couple storage and take advantage of the home’s long hallways. In the living room, Rick, who has a fascination with architecture, conceptualized an 8-by-8-by-2-foot moveable wall, inspired by the years Ginger spent working at Fort Worth’s Kimbell Art Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art, that would close off the small office space and open up the living room for parties as needed. “He didn’t need a dedicated full-time office, so he created this wall that could be moved out of the way and worked directly with the builder,” Vrazel says. The couple also did all of the interior design themselves, pulling in pieces they found over the years like the $49 tiered midcentury table Ginger spotted at Goodwill and a Scandinavian drop-leaf dining room table. In the bedrooms and bathrooms, the couple kept things simple with a focus on maximizing the square footage and getting as much storage as possible. In the master bedroom closet, for example, they worked one on one with the design team to make sure that every inch served a purpose. The final part of the brief was building a larger, lightfilled studio and kiln area. “Because of the nature of what Ginger does, it tends to generate a lot of dust, so we wanted to seal the room off as best as possible,” Vrazel says. They added exhaust fans, a designated mini split air conditioning system, and lined the walls with a waterproofing material. The new build achieves a stunning modern aesthetic thanks to smart architectural choices, skilled builders, and the willingness of the Geyers to think outside the box for the next phase of their life. “Everything just works,” Rick says.
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By
L AU R E N J O N E S
Space Jam
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P h o t o g ra p hy b y
PAU L B A R DAG J Y
A WEST AUSTIN HOME WITH A SUNKEN SPORTS COURT, GYM, AND LAP POOL SUITS A HIGHE N E RGY FA M I LY O F F I V E
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“Build me a work of art.” That was the directive one Spanish Oaks couple had when they hired architect Jay Corder. “I found a spec architectural drawing that Jay had out there, and I absolutely loved his style, and so I reached out to him,” the homeowner says. The couple was drawn to his modern sensibilities but also found that Corder understood their competing desires for a contemporary abode that was still practical enough for a big family. They have three boys, ages 7, 9, and 11, and wanted a home that would make sense for the long-term. Corder, who has run his own practice, Jay Corder Architect, for the last 15 years, specializes in designing large, high-end custom residential properties. For this project, he aimed for a design that spoke quietly from the street, maximized the lot’s views, and had plenty of indoor/outdoor connections and natural light. Clean stucco, natural concrete, glass, and mahogany would be the perfect contemporary palette from which to draw. Besides an exterior that would be nothing short of a modern masterpiece, the homeowners had another imperative for the home: a larger-than-life sports court. The catch? It had to be indoors. “People think the weather is perfect in Austin, but in the summer, it can be 106 degrees, and an outdoor sports court would hardly get used,” the homeowner says. “In the winter, it can be too cold, and two out of three of our kids have bad allergies, so being outside in the spring is also an issue.”
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Corder understood the homeowners’ competing desires for a contemporary abode that was still practical enough for a big family. Previous page: A continuous clerestory unifies the living spaces. This page, clockwise from top left: A cantilevered breezeway delineates the entry courtyard and connects the garage to a separate owner’s entry near the kitchen; the steel-and-glass staircase; the wine room has a fireplace and walk-in wine storage.
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This page: Skylights bring ample daylight to the underground gymnasium, which is the activity center of the house. Next page: A fully appointed workout room situated on the lower level of the residence overlooks the underground gymnasium.
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Built underground, the sports court has become the favorite spot in the home. Today, the boys can be found picking up a game or two after school, while Mom and Dad watch overhead from the elevated gym.
The solution was to build an underground court decked out with skylights. From the street, it’s completely hidden beneath the slope of the property line. “There was no way the HOA was going to let him have an indoor basketball court separate from the house, so we thought, why not bury it?” Corder says. When the 40-foot hole for the court was first being dug, both the architect and homeowner believed that there was a low possibility it was actually going to be built. Not only did the project succeed, but it’s become the favorite spot in the home. Today, the boys can be found picking up a game or two after school, while Mom and Dad watch overhead from the elevated gym. To suit the high-energy family, Corder went even further with their sports complex by installing a 25-meter pool with a designated lap lane. “It’s half an Olympic length,” the homeowner says. “My wife is into triathlons.” In addition to its practical purpose, the boys use the pool every day when the weather is nice. It’s also a design element that juxtaposes the concreteand-glass home. Another unusual ask was for a sound-proofed jam room. The family is quite musical, and it would also serve as another space the boys could turn to when they wanted to have friends over—or have more privacy as they reach high school and college age. The entire lower portion of the home acts as the main amenity hub and is the ultimate relaxation spot for swimming, for summertime gatherings, or to enjoy a full-court game. Moving inside, the home has been thoughtfully laid out to take full advantage of its oversized floor plan. “Despite its size, it’s very much a functional family home,” the homeowner says. As the family plans to make the 12,000-square-foot house their permanent residence, Corder also considered how their lives will change over time during the original design process. He decided to organize the space in a “linear way, so each connects both horizontally and vertically and there’s a centrality to it,” he says. The homeowners have their master bedroom on one side, opposite of the boys’ domain, but can easily get downstairs to their bedrooms when necessary. The main family room is adjacent to the pool, and there’s an outdoor casita for guests and in-laws. Another evolution in the design was creating a wine room in lieu of a formal dining room. While the family are big entertainers, the dining room at their former Bee Caves home was rarely used. “A house this size certainly needs a formal dining room, but we have designed an experience that is a compromise,” Corder says. They decided to create a wine room with a double-sided fireplace and club chairs, the ideal spot to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail or leisurely conversation with friends. “If someone wanted to sit in there for dinner and make it a formal space, they could. But, like the rest of the house, it has some flexibility in terms of its functioning,” he says. In addition to the wine room, Corder built the family a sunken fire pit as another area they could host guests on evenings when the weather allowed. “It’s a great place for socializing,” the homeowner says. “I threw the idea out there to Jay, and the team came up with the idea of a linear slot fire pit. You sit at the ground level and then dangle your feet down. We fully trusted him in executing our artistic vision.” And that trust paid off, as Corder delivered on the family’s request: building a home that is, indeed, a work of art.
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Resource Guide Elements, Pg. 34 Good Company Home, goodcompany.shop Masha Osoianu Design for Home mashaosoianudesign.com/ home-goods Ask An Expert, Pg. 36 Allison Crawford Design allisoncrawforddesign.com Ashley Woodson Bailey awblove.com Gucci gucci.com Katie Kime katiekime.com Taylor Murphy Design Studio taylorwmurphy.com Stone Textile Studio stonetextilestudio.com Trending, Pg. 38 CB2 cb2.com Four Hands Home fourhands.com Lamps Plus lampsplus.com Sonder Living sonderliving.com Square Feathers squarefeathers.com Wayfair wayfair.com Fab Finds, Pg. 40 Cravotta Interiors cravottainteriors.com 1stdibs 1stdibs.com
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Murphy Moon Design murphymoondesign.com Stefan Rurak stefanrurak.com Remodel Boutique remodelboutique.com 2Modern 2modern.com Indoors, Pgs. 42 and 44 Barley Pfeiffer Architecture barleypfeiffer.com Capital Construction Company capconaustin.com Outdoors, Pgs. 46 and 48 Sanders Architecture sanders-architecture.com David Wilkes Builders davidwilkesbuilders.com My Space, Pgs. 50 and 52 CG&S Design-Build cgsdb.com
Indoors, page 42
FIA Homes fiahomes.com
Austin Auditors, Pg. 53 austinauditors.com
Book Smart, Pg. 72 Studio Steinbomer steinbomer.com RisherMartin Fine Homes rishermartin.com
B. Jane Gardens, Pg. 31 bjanegardens.com
Space Jam, Pg. 78 Jay Corder Architect jaycorder.com
Cantera Doors, Pg. 29 canteradoors.com
Burnish & Plumb, Pg. 14 burnishandplumb.com
FEATURES
Making Waves, Pg. 56 Jackson & McElhaney Architects jacksonmcelhaney.com Dalgleish Construction Company dalgleish.net Alix Design Studio alixdesignstudio.com
Curtains, Pg. 88 CG&S Design-Build cgsdb.com
AD INDEX Come Together, Pg. 64 coXist Studio coxiststudio.com
Arete Kitchens, Pg. 27 aretekitchens.com
CDC Carpets & Interiors, Pg. 85 cdccarpets.com CG&S Design-Build, Pg. 7 cgsdb.com CountertopSmart, Pg. 28 countertopsmart.com Dalgleish Construction Company, Pg. 23 dalgleish.net
COURTESY CASEY WOODS
ACCENTS
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My Space, page 50
Louis Shanks, Pgs. 12-13 louisshanksfurniture.com
Plush Fabric-Home Interiors, Pg. 39 plushhomefabric.com
Four Hands Home, Pg. 17 fourhands.com
Moreland Properties-Diane Humphreys, Pg. 51 moreland.com
RisherMartin Fine Homes, Pg. 1 rishermartin.com
Ferguson, back cover ferguson.com
NARI, Pg. 49 nari.org
Heather Scott Home & Design, Pg. 8 heatherscotthome.com
Olson Defendorf Custom Homes, Pgs. 4-5 odcustomhomes.com
Incanto Interiors, Pgs. 2-3 incanto-interiors.com
Pacific Shore Stones, Pg. 41 pacificshorestones.com
Jauregui Architect, Pg. 16 jaureguiarchitect.com
Paper Moon Painting, Pg. 24 papermoonpainting.com
Kuchenalia, Pg. 15 kuchenalia.com
Pilgrim Building Company, Pg. 25 pilgrimbuilding.com
Levesque & Co., inside back cover levesqueco.com
The Platinum Group-Krystle Copulos, Pg. 87 platinumrealtyaustin.com
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Shoal Creek Nursery, Pg. 43 shoalcreeknursery.com Skandinavia, Pg. 6 skandinaviatexas.com Schroeder Carpet, Pg. 37 schroedercarpet.com SWING Door Company, Pg. 54 swingdoorcompany.com SWNG Productions, Pg. 35 swngproductions.com Texas Sun & Shade, Pg. 41 txsunandshade.com The Natural Gardener, Pg. 47 tngaustin.com
Tim Cuppett Architecture + Interiors, Pg. 11 cuppettarchitects.com Urbanspace Interiors, Pg. 20 urbanspaceinteriorscom Wally Workman Gallery, Pg. 45 wallyworkmangallery.com Wilson & Goldrick Realtors, Pg. 9 wilsongoldrick.com Wimberley Glassworks, inside front cover wgw.com World Interiors, Pg. 21 worldinteriors.com Zach Savage Homes, Pg. 32 zachsavagehomes.com COURTESY RYAN DAVIS
David Wilson Garden Design, Pg. 10 dwgd.com
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Curtains
Curves Ahead
COURTESY RYAN DAVIS
When CG&S Design-Build renovated a Westlake kitchen originally designed in the 1970s, they added a quartz island and Arete cabinetry to modernize the space. But one element they didn’t change was a pair of concrete dome walls connecting the kitchen to the front entrance, living room, and dining wing. The domes’ cutouts open to floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a waterfall built into a natural grotto.
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AUSTIN HOME Inspiration For Your Space THE INNOVATION ISSUE
SPRING 2020 / Vol. 15 / No. 1
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