Austin Home Home & Design Awards 2024

Inspiration For Your Space

THE 2024

THE 2024 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS

HOME & DESIGN

AWARDS Special Edition 2024 / Vol. 19 / No. 2

WINNING PROJECTS IN AUSTIN ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

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BUILD

Architect: Outward Architecture • Design: SLIC Design • Photos: Kimberly Wright

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Our team combines construction expertise with a design eye to create f inely crafted, one-of-a-kind homes and spaces.

STE SW T EAW N ADNC D O C. COO. CMO |M F |I NF D I NU D S UOS NO N

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Giada sectional with one arm and terminal end.

From stock, as shown, in taupe fabric/leather combination $6895.

Available in right or left configuration, or by custom order in a wide variety of leathers and fabrics.

www.copenhagenliving.com PHO ENI X | T U CSO N | G IL BE R T | SC O T T SD AL E | SAN AN T O N IO | AU ST IN | EL PA S O

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Experience the essence of Italian design.

Our Giada Sectional combines the best in Italian design, quality craftsmanship, and responsible value. Deep seat cushioning and firm shoulder support ensure a supremely comfortable seating position, whether you’re enjoying a good book, watching television, or simply unwinding with a little “me time.” Choose our in-stock model for quick delivery, or use your imagination to create the one-of-a-kind, custom piece of which you’ve always dreamed. This is your chance to satisfy your ego!

Made in Italy. Imported directly by Copenhagen.

furniture & accessories for your modern lifestyle AUSTIN 2236 West Braker Lane 512.451.1233

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SAN ANTONIO 18603 Blanco Road 210.545.4366

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CONTENTS 10 Editor’s Letter 12 Meet the Judges Best of Awards 14 Shopping

Find the best in accents, antiques, vintage and custom furniture, and retail design

20 Spaces

Source inspiration for your bedroom, kitchen, library, outdoor features, and more

34 Home

Explore exceptional ADU, apartment, architectural, and interior design

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Top Honors

A Parallel Architecture has built a thriving practice with an eye on the future BY HANNAH FRIEDLAND

50 General Excellence in Interior Design Emily Brown showcases the richness of a tone-on-tone palette BY SARAH ARCHER

52 Rising Star

6 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Cedar & Oak bring new meaning to design/build

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BY KIERNAN MCCORMICK

54 Legacy

Architect Chris Sanders’ love of nature lives on BY ANKITHA GATUPALLI

56 Final(ist) Look

Check out a light-filled loft in the Best Home Office category

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: LAUREN LOGAN PHOTOGRAPHY, LIKENESS STUDIO, MADELINE HARPER

48 General Excellence in Architecture

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AAF_AU

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Editorial Editor in Chief Karen Zabarsky Blashek Contributing Writers Sarah Archer, Annie Atherton, Hannah Friedland, Ankitha Gatupalli, Kiernan McCormick

Art Creative Director Becky Plante Contributing Photographers Chase Daniel, Madeline Harper, Avery Nicole Photography

Digital Digital Manager Abigail Stewart

Advertising Sales Director Molly Lochridge Account Director Mike McKee Senior Account Executive Dana Horner Sales Operations Manager Kiely Whelan

8 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Events

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Events Director Lauren Sposetta

Open Sky Media Inc. President Todd P. Paul Editorial Director Rebecca Fontenot Cord Sales Director Molly Lochridge Accounting Manager Sabina Jukovic

Circulation Audience Development Director Kerri Nolan Circulation Manager Julie Becker

Contact Mailing address 1712 Rio Grande St., Ste. 100 Austin, TX 78701 Phone 512-263-9133 Subscription inquiries 512-387-6234 or subscriptions@ austinhomemag.com Advertising inquiries advertising@austinmonthly.com Job inquiries jobs@austinmonthly.com Story ideas editor@austinhomemag.com Postmaster Send address changes to: 512 W. MLK Jr. Blvd., PMB 374 Austin, TX 78701-1231

© Copyright: Austin Home is published by Open Sky Media, Inc. The entire document of Austin Home is © 2023 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.

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Extraordinary Concert Experiences Step into an immersive journey of classical music and jazz, where breathtaking performances meet dynamic social experiences – a mirror of the vibrant energy that embodies Austin’s community.

APR 26

Hiromi’s Sonicwonder

7:30pm

Hiromi’s “Sonicwonder” electrifies audiences with a creative energy that encompasses and eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights.

APR 27

PREMIUM EXPERIENCE

2024

2024

7:30pm

THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE

An Evening with Hiromi THE PARKER JAZZ CLUB

Experience Hiromi, “One of jazz piano’s most brazenly virtuosic players,” while acclaimed Japanese whiskey expert, Ioanna Morelli, from Hokkaido, Japan, pours the finest Japanese whiskeys.

MAY 10

Words of Passion with Dover Quartet

7:30pm

Experience one of the greatest string quartets perform three deeply personal and vulnerable compositions exploring specific human stories and inner struggles in a luxurious evening of poetry and extraordinary music.

2024

THE MANSION

More information at atxmusic.com 1-13_FOB.indd 9

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Editor’s Letter 1-13_FOB.indd 10

It’s an honor to pen my first letter as the new editor of Austin Home.

This special issue is a fitting initiation. It paints in full color the reason I took this post in the first place: to celebrate the rarity of our local design and construction communities. It’s a type of collective I’ve yet to find anywhere else in the world. Globally renowned and constantly growing, yet at the same time supportive of each other and “in it” together, the combination is truly remarkable.

What you’ll see in the following pages is the result of this magic. Massive architectural forms that float lightly atop tree canopies, stagnant stucco walls that become animated, facades that seem to bend brick, and that’s just the beginning. In other words, it’s the type of next-level craft that can only be found here in Austin. Our innovation, our elegance, our proficiency, and yes—our weirdness.

My hope is to grow Austin Home as a platform that spins the flywheel of our homegrown design ecosystem, both for local opportunities and beyond.

More thought leadership, more boundary pushing, more collaboration, and, most importantly, more of that inimitable Austin spirit and soul.

Presenting the best-in-class firms and projects across our great city seems like the perfect place to start.

Cheers to the winners and to growth,

Karen Zabarsky Blashek, Editor-in-Chief kzb@austinhomemag.com @kzabarsky

BECKY PLANTE

10 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Dear Readers,

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JAKE HOLT PHOTOGRAPHY

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Panelists

Meet the Judges

Learn more about the distinguished panel of the 2024 Home & Design Awards

Nicholas Brinen

Terah Maher

Virginia-based Nicholas Brinen, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, NOMA, is a founding partner of Studio Figure. Brinen has taught architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design, University of Virginia, Pratt Institute, Parsons School of Design, and James Madison University.

Terah Maher is a designer, filmmaker, and Assistant Professor in architecture, who coordinates Design Fundamentals in the Huckabee College of Architecture at Texas Tech University.

Scott Colman

Kinley C. Puzey

Scott Colman is a historian, theorist, and critic of architecture and urbanism. He has taught architectural and urban history, theory, and design at the Rice University School of Architecture since 2010, where he oversaw the Master of Architecture design thesis program between 2011 and 2021. His professional experience in Australia and the United States ranges from an office of government architects to a firm engaged in heritage conservation and pro bono work for indigenous clients.

Kinley C. Puzey, AIA, is a licensed architect and has worked in the design and construction industry for over 20 years. His project experience ranges from humanitarian efforts on the Navajo reservation to multimillion-dollar custom homes. In 2015 he founded Utah-based Onyx Design Collective, which specializes in high-end residential and one-of-a-kind commercial projects. His unique modern designs are conceived through a rigorous process that mixes analog techniques and cutting-edge software.

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Chad Dorsey

Lindsey Shook

Chad Dorsey creates refined interiors that balance tailored style with the spirit of modern living. His eponymous studio is based in Dallas with an outpost in Los Angeles and offers a full range of design services.

Dorsey has been featured in national publications including Architectural Digest and Elle Décor. In 2020 he also launched STRIKE, a bespoke fireplace line.

Lindsey Shook is a global content and brand strategist who serves as the editorial and brand director of California Home+Design media company. Splitting her time between Miami and San Francisco, Lindsey has worked with a multitude of companies to expand their global reach.

Sonja Helstad

Kim Spradlin Wolfe

Sonja Helstad is a designer, concentrating in custom residential architecture, currently working for Maugel DeStefano Architects in Portsmouth, NH. She started her career in Bozeman, MT, moved to Seattle, WA, and finally landed in the Seacoast area to apply her diverse interest in residential design to practice. She finds joy in designing space for those that inhabit it, creating the foundation for core memories.

Host of HGTV’s new hit show Why the Heck Did I Buy This House?, Kim Spradlin Wolfe designs spaces featured by Domino, Lonny, and Southern Living magazines.

Her expertise is in high demand as her clients look to her to create livable, one-of-a-kind spaces that are effortlessly hip. Wolfe is also known as a winner of the CBS reality series Survivor.

COURTESY KIM SPRADLIN WOLFE

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Shopping

SHOPPING ► Best Vintage Furniture

Joint Detail Joint Detail acts as the bridge between local high-end vintage furniture shops and thrift stores. Owners Maria Bergh and Brandon Dill have thoughtfully established a retail experience that appeals to designers, while being accessible and inviting to end-user collectors. The store’s inventory includes a variety of fine furniture, lighting, accessories and art from different eras, styles, and places.

The products are a mix of well-known, collectible mid-century pieces and handmade, bespoke designs. In addition to eclecticism, Joint Detail focuses on quality of craftsmanship and good design, embracing the uncommon and unexpected, being budget-inclusive, and presenting a warm, welcoming showroom that is not overly curated.

Throughout their store, Bergh and Dill aim to provide more than simply a shopping destination by sharing their knowledge on social media and in-person with clients.

JS Dwellings

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Shop JSD

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Through their online marketplace Shop JSD, interior design firm JS Dwellings aims to make interior styling more accessible. Shop JSD consists of unique home goods selected by JS Dwellings’ interior designers and stylists, including a range of pieces such as handmade ceramics, vintage mugs, and even the firm’s own ‘JS Smellings’ candle. Customers have the opportunity to peruse in person during Shop JSD’s occasional community shopping events at JS Dwellings’ Hyde Park office.

JOINT DETAIL: BRANDON DILL; JSD: LAUREN LOGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

◄ Best Accents/Decor

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Shopping

◄ Best Custom Furniture

Growler Domestics La Paseante Dining Table (The Rambler)

Jordan Goetz, owner of Growler Domestics, came home from a 2022 trip to Barcelona inspired by the city’s sculptural art. The result was a custom La Paseante Dining Table (The Rambler).

Crafted entirely of white oak, the piece’s top is finished with Rubio Monocoat Pure to accentuate its rich grain, and each divot in the base is hand-carved. As a bonus feature, the table expands from a 66-inch circle to a 86-inch pill shape.

Finalist: Waldo Furniture Co. | The Arcus Cabinet

▼ Best Home Furnishings

On what should have been a regular Monday morning in November of 2020 for Sandy Sieracki, owner of Objets, she received life-changing news: The entirety of her 19-year-old Burnet Road trade showroom had flooded. After dejectedly assessing the extent of the damage, the words of an insurance adjuster comforted Sieracki and eventually proved foretelling.

“He said, ‘You know what, try to remember this: sometimes really good things can happen from really bad things,’” Sieracki says. “And boy, was he right.”

Sieracki moved into a bigger and brighter space, a 7,000 square foot 1950s former warehouse on Burnet Lane. The business serves interior designers, architects, and specifiers.

Sieracki’s past experience in the interior design industry influences how she runs Objets. She strives to show the same warmth, hospitality, and quality customer service from her time as a designer to visitors of the showroom. This personal in-store experience can also be credited to the influence and involvement of Sieracki’s family.

Her mother was an interior designer and now her daughter is part of the Objets team.

The showroom carries lines such as Vanguard and Palecek furniture, Hancock & Moore leather upholstery, Arte wall coverings, and JF Fabrics.

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▲ Best Textiles

MK Workshop Geometry Collection—Color Contrast

Design studio MK Workshop brings an eye for quirky detail to both spaces and objects. Their latest rug line, aptly named the “Geometry— Color Contrast” collection, presents angular shapes in Textural and Color Contrast Patterns, inspired by the concepts of some of their recent interior design projects.

For Geometry 02, MK Workshop used 100% nettle in varying loop and cut piles, along with color contrast in the pattern. A dense blue-black New Zealand Wool Pile pattern compliments red Silk Pile accents in Geometry 07, both of which are woven into a Wool Kilim Base.

MK Workshop rugs are designed by their team in Austin and ethically handmade in India.

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TABLE: NICK CABRERA; OBJETS: WILLIAM GEISLER PHOTOGRAPHY; MK WORKSHOP: NICK BARNES

Objets

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Shopping

▲ Best Inspiration—Design of a Retail Space

Kasey McCarty Interior Design Studio An outdated split-level kitchen and bath showroom in Brentwood was transformed into a completely revived space for a new tenant, Alexander Marchant. This brand—a specialty architectural hardware, plumbing, and lighting design showroom—requested a thoughtful, curated space suited for their clientele that also reflects their roots as furniture finishers. To accommodate their vast inventory and construct a textured, layered, and interesting showroom, Kasey McCarty Interior Design Studio suggested enclosing the original space’s atrium area and expanding the upper level, making room for a complete office collaboration section.

Oversized, custom-rolling, sandblasted barn doors, which McCarty incorporated into the showroom’s new stucco façade, accentuate the newly pared-down window system. Each display area was carefully laid out for the vast range of manufacturer lines. McCarty also designed the showroom’s tables and custom display cases, some of which are crafted of walnut and steel.

Both levels of the space contain rustic oak floors. The ground floor ceiling kept its original and newly matched joist system that was exposed and white-washed. On the second level, new exposed joists were imitated but left natural, calling attention to new skylights. For a layered retail experience, Alexander Marchant’s plumbing, lighting, and hardware adorn the walls, floors and ceilings.

Finalist: Alyssa Rome Design | The Howard Social Club

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REAGEN TAYLOR

16 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Alexander Marchant Showroom

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Shopping

Clockwise from left: Big Frog with Spoon

by Patrick Quinn (2023), Woodbridge (VA) by Patrick Quinn (2023), Sulka by Jumian Juliano-Villani (2023).

► Best Art Gallery

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McLennon Pen Co. Gallery

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McLennon Pen Co. Gallery strives to present exciting, poignant and poetic contemporary art and put it in a historical context. Founded by Jill McLennon in March 2023 with a commitment to displaying the works of both budding and internationally established artists, the gallery put on six exhibitions in its first year.

Personal to McLennon, the gallery’s first exhibition—“Just Friends”—featured nine leading artists from her posse who experienced flourishing careers in New York from 20062022. One hundred and fifty-five artists engaged in the gallery’s second exhibition: “Open Call to Artists.”

“Choice is Sexy,” the gallery’s standout November show, raised money and awareness for Planned Parenthood through limited-edition signed prints by artists and photographers Marilyn Minter, Inez & Vinoodh, Huma Bhabha, Mika Rottenberg, and Ellen Birkenblit.

Finalist: Chris Cobb Architecture | Flatbed

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Spaces

SPACES ► Best Children’s Bedroom

JS Dwellings Small Drive Children's Room Design

With the goal of crafting a more sophisticated space for the homeowner’s 10-year-old son that he would enjoy long-term, JS Dwellings chose small, playful pieces that suit his age but could be replaced as he grows. The room features custom pillows and a built-in reading nook that was converted from one of the space’s two closets.

Finalists: 3 Fold Design Studio | Stonewall Residence, Daley Home | Hammerstone

◄ Best Custom Cabinetry

Chris Cobb Architecture

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Barton Residence

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The custom cabinetry for a Central Austin home remodel acts as the cornerstone of the abode. Crafted by a furniture maker out of pecan and hickory, the millwork starts at the home’s entrance and curls to the inside. Custom ribbed panels resemble the curvature of the home’s piano as well as its sweeping oak tree. Prioritizing both form and function, the cabinetry’s sliding panel and inset shelving provide convenience.

Rigid yet fluid in shape, it creates spatial definition and provides orientation.

Finalists: Cary Paul Studios | Fred, Kelle Contine | Barton Creek

BEDROOM: LAUREN LOGAN PHOTOGRAPHY; CABINETRY: PAUL BARDAGJY PHOTOGRAPHY

Children's Bunkroom

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Spaces

▼ Best Powder Room Bath

Cedar & Oak Homes Clawson Powder Bath

The vision for this powder bath was a moody, timeless, and sophisticated space hidden underneath a stairwell. Designer Lauren Williamson elevated the space by adding a scalloped vessel sink, dramatic green walls, and eclectic geometric tiles.

Finalists: BANDD/Design | Gilbert Powder Room, SLIC Design | Tulum Inspired Powder Bathroom

▲ Best Dining Room

Ashby Collective Hidden Oaks

Tasked with elevating a home’s design, Ashby Collective worked with the builder and architects to adapt what was originally planned as a spec home to best suit the homeowner's taste and lifestyle.

Inspired by their clients’ penchant for bright, bold colors, the Ashby Collective team introduced refined shades and modern silhouettes in the dining room to frame the striking works from their contemporary art collection. Philip Jeffries’ Coffered Wood wallcovering in Au Naturale complements the red lacquered Meridiani table and Cassina wood and leather dining chairs, both of which are set under a Philippe Malouin brass light fixture.

Finalists: Artberberry Cooke | Lost Creek Dining Room, Shannon Eddings Interiors | The Parlin

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CHASE DANIEL

House Dining Room

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Spaces

▼ Best Millwork

J. Fuller Interiors Meandering Millwork

Looking to add continuity to an open concept living space, Judi Fuller of J. Fuller Interiors turned to warm woods, finding walnut lap and gap millwork as her answer. In the kitchen, the design team installed the wood in the corner where the two walls meet, along with combined shelving which provides space for cookbooks, accessories, and some greenery. One of the island’s corners is wrapped in the same walnut lap used for the walls, providing fluidity.

Finalists: Restructure Studio | Zaza House, Skelly Build | South Lamar Millwork

▲ Best Full Bath

Skelly Build Hyde Park Haven Full Bath

Skelly Build executed a design by Emily Lauren Interiors for this bathroom renovation of a Hyde Park home. The old bathroom was demolished, the electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems upgraded, and enhanced insulation and weather-proofing measures added.

Finalists: Page Paul Architecture | Spa-Like Primary, RedOven Property Solutions | Shadow Mountain Full Bath

◄ Best Fireplace

Cuppett Kilpatrick

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The fireplace for a Hill Country multifamily compound Camp Frio was designed as a contemporary version of an Inglenook—a large welcoming recess anchored on a fireplace. The fireplace’s unusually open corner firebox provides room for seating on the hearth, creating an indoor/outdoor visceral experience. Featuring a neutral tone which complements the room’s color scheme, the walls and hearth are blonde firebrick with a plaster hood.

Finalists: Cuppett Kilpatrick | Fire in the Meadow, Furman Keil Architects | Vale House Fireplace Remodel

BATH, MILLWORK: MADELINE HARPER; FIREPLACE: WHIT PRESTON

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Camp Frio Fire

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Spaces

► Best Kitchen

Arete Kitchens Caddyshack

Arete Kitchens designed this space for active retirees who use the open plan area for comfortable living and entertaining. Indoors meets outdoors with a wide-ranging kinetic window wall, which provides extensive views of the Austin skyline, Hill Country, and beyond, and bathes the space in natural light.

The kitchen features dramatic slate black cabinetry

by Fenix and floor-to-ceiling paneling. Its central island with color-matched matte glass countertop grounds the layout. The maintenance-free glass countertops are stain-safe and withstand the rigors of the two-cook kitchen.

Finalists: North Arrow Studio | Sightline House, Urban Space Interiors | Independent Penthouse Kitchen

► Best Living Room/Great Room

Shannon Eddings Interiors

The historical Parlin House’s great room acts as the heart of the home. Shannon Eddings Interiors added arched built-ins that imitate the scale of the room’s existing doors. A combination of old and new, the room’s furniture includes unique pieces such as antique side tables from New York City and vintage swivel chairs reupholstered in velvet. These are paired with a new sofa, rug, and coffee table.

The design team also livened up the wet bar with pattern and color. Pierre Frey pattern paper and antique mirrored backsplash evokes the Art Deco aesthetic of the home’s architecture in a modern way.

Finalists: Ashby Collective | Hidden Oaks, CHU Interiors | Old Enfield Family Room

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LIVING ROOM: MOLLY CULVER; KITCHEN: JAKE HOLT

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The Parlin House Great Room

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Spaces

◄ Best Guest Suite

Christina Cruz Interiors Big View Casita

Acting as a temporary dwelling for homeowners while their main house undergoes a renovation, this guest suite contains several one-of-a-kind features designed to offer adaptable functionality.

Among these are the bunk room, which hosts four large blue maple beds made

by Siena Built, two of which are trundle beds—ideal for the ultimate sleepover. The calming blue creates a tranquil atmosphere, heightened by a selection of textural fabrics.

Finalists: CHU Interiors | Old Enfield Historical Guest Suite and Old Enfield Guest Suite

◄ Best Primary Suite

Shiflet Richardson Architects

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After repurposing this home’s primary bedroom as a gym and pool, Shiflet Richardson Architects had the opportunity to craft a new primary suite from the ground up. An entry gallery features a steel window wall to the north and stone veneer wall to the south, creating the feeling of walking outside in the garden as one approaches the bedroom.

This design element is repeated throughout the bedroom and bathroom, blurring the lines carrying the connection with nature throughout the experience of the suite.

Finalists: Suzanna Santostefano Design | Spiller Lane Primary, Urban Space Interiors | Independent Penthouse

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PRIMARY SUITE: JULIE SOEFER PHOTOGRAPHY; GUEST SUITE: MELINDA ORTLEY

Hill View Primary Suite

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Spaces

▼ Best Residential Swimming Pool or Water Feature

Davey McEathron Architecture Oak Park

This home’s design revolves around a central courtyard featuring a sparkling pool and spa. Most of the rooms in the residence provide views of the pool, and the primary suite opens directly onto the south side pool deck. An adjacent office on the opposite side of the pool possesses access to its own private deck, which is connected to the main deck by a walking bridge. The dining room also fosters easy access to the spa.

Finalists: 3 Fold Design Studio | Stonewall Residence, Land Water Light | Swedish Hill

▲ Best Residential Landscape Design

Eden Garden Design

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This custom home’s landscape along the Camp Mabry greenbelt offered a timeless, elegant slate for Eden Garden Design to work their magic. For this property, both homeowner and designer shared a vision of embracing native and natural elements, prioritizing low-maintenance features, and creating an environment that welcomes pollinators and supports habitat.

To accommodate the clients’ lifestyle, the design team added elements such as a private outdoor sanctuary next to the primary bedroom for morning coffee and a small trail below the yard for taking evening walks and enjoying the garden together. Additionally, Eden Garden Design crafted separate tiered levels to accommodate the sloped site, giving the homeowners and their dog easy access to the yard.

The landscape features a roughback limestone ribbon driveway and matching stepping stones leading to the front door and its limestone lueder landing pad, adding continuity. Limestone stepping stones are also included on the sides and back of the house, along with mulch pathways.

Finalists: B. Jane Gardens | Swedish Hill, Land Water Light | Safari Ranch Landscape

LANDSCAPE: WHITNEY RUNYON; POOL: LEONID FURMANSKY

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Edgemont Residence

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Spaces

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Spaces

► Best Library/Study/Home Office

Davey McEathron Architecture Wilshire Writer's Studio

For an author homeowner, this serene Writer’s Studio evokes a sense of tranquility and inspiration, providing a sanctuary where he can escape the distractions of everyday life and immerse himself fully in his creative endeavors.

The studio is connected to the main house by a dog trot porch, separating the workspace from the presence of young children at play. At the heart of the space sits an exquisite custom walnut desk, positioned to capture views overlooking a tranquil creek and majestic cedar trees. For added convenience, the studio features a private restroom, while a cozy reading or sleeping loft, accessible via a charming library ladder, infuses the space with an enchanting touch of literary allure.

Finalists: Ben Newman Studios | Woodland Loft,

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LEONID FURMANSKY

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Melinda James Interiors | Melinda James Home Office

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Spaces

▲ Best Deck/Patio/Porch/Outdoor Kitchen

Matt Fajkus Architecture

▲ Best Speciality Room (Gym, Music, Billiards, Crafts, Etc.)

Cathryn Lindsey Design Storybook Inspired Playroom

This children’s playroom achieves the seemingly impossible: creating a whimsical, pint-sized world of imagination for little ones enveloped in a supremely chic, curated interior. The walls come alive with botanical wallcovering and vintage Paris prints, transporting young minds to far-off places.

Matt Fajkus Architecture crafted a dock that traverses land, water, and sky by creating an experience above, beside, and in the water. The dock, which sits at a base of a steeply sloping ravine with leads to a dwelling raised above the water, is purposefully made to be an incorporated part of the overall site conditions. Designed to supply the perfect amount of sun, shade, shelter, and breezes, the dock’s perforated screen and roof geometry meets the client’s request of fifty percent sun and fifty percent shade throughout the year.

As the seasons change, the dock supplies more shade during the summer and brings in additional sun during the winter. The structure contains a mild steel roof made of two triangular planes utilized for articulating views to and from the site and regulating direct sunlight exposure.

In addition to filtering sun, breezes, and views, the dock’s perforated stainless steel screens on the north and south facades act as the frame’s structural reinforcement.

Finalists: B. Jane Gardens | Swedish Hill, Daley Home | Hammerstone Outdoor Oasis

Finalists: J. Fuller Interiors | Moody Media Library, Modern Hippie Design Studio | Falcon Head Renovation

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DOCK: LEONID FURMANSKY; PLAYROOM: MADELINE HARPER PHOTOGRAPHY

Filtered Frame Dock

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Spaces

▲ Best Use of a Collection, Antiques, or Art

Love County Design

Rose Quartz, a stone representing healing energy and unconditional love, set the tone for this project. Inspired pairings of vintage furnishings and curated artworks go beyond creating aesthetic points of delight throughout this house; they tell the story of family memories and cultural significance.

One example is the entry and dining area of this bungalow, anchored by a 1970s Rosa Portogallo marble Italian dining table, with a distinctive, y-shaped base. The rosy table is paired with more masculine, cane back chairs by Edward Wormley for Dunbar—a vintage choice sourced in Dallas.

Finalists: 3 Fold Design Studio | Barton Hills Residence, Ashby Collective | Hidden Oaks

► Best Wall Treatment

LMZ Studio 30 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Every Moment Is New

This project began with a vision by the homeowner to create a custom art installation for her entryway rotunda representing the flora found in the natural setting of her home on Lake Austin. Sixteen different flora species were collected from the property, which were identified by a master gardener. In eight months, over 400 handmade ceramic replicas of the specimens were crafted, adorning the 100 square foot curved wall.

Finalists: M. Elliott Studio | English Influence in the Hill Country, Aidan Lane Designs | Gaines Court

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COLLECTION: LINDSAY BROWN; WALL TREATMENT: AVERY NICOLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Intentional Vintage

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H OM E FU RN ISH I N GS | H OM E D ÉCO R | O U TD O O R LIVI N G | D ESI GN SERVI CES

TOMMY BAHA M A HOME DOM AIN NORTHSIDE Next to Perry’s Steakhouse 512.782.4255 | tbfurnitureaustin.com

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Spaces

▲ Best Use of Accents/Decor

Audrey Scheck Design

Finalists: Audrey Scheck Design | Pearson Ranch Remodel and Spicewood New Construction

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Audrey Scheck Design

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Spicewood New Construction

This custom built home in Spicewood sits on a beautiful lot that offers stunning views of the Hill Country. Utilizing a mix of new and vintage pieces, this home's design plan came to life by layering pops of color among natural elements. By pairing new pieces by RH, Arhaus, Wisteria, World Market and others with curated vintage furniture and decor, this well-layered home perfectly marries the family's aesthetic and cherished heirlooms.

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VINTAGE FURNITURE: ERIC POHL; COLOR: KARISSA WIDDER

In Westlake, a kitchen and primary bath were modernized to create lighter, more livable spaces. In the kitchen, a larger, squared-off island was matched with a built-in wine fridge, brightened cabinets, updated quartz countertops and white ceramic tile backsplash to create a light-filled, eat-in space. The primary bathroom was completely gutted and revived with a freestanding tub, walk-in shower, and updated hardware, light fixtures, and plumbing.

HOME FURNISHINGS AND ACCENTS: KARISSA WIDDER; WINE CAVE: DROR BALDINGER, FAIA

Westlake Remodel

◄ Best Wine Room/Bar

Britt Design Group Fiore Residence Wine Cave

This custom wine storage room marries rugged authenticity with refined luxury. The gray Leuders stone walls impart a sense of timelessness and imbue the space with a rustic elegance. Their rough-hewn texture provides a captivating backdrop, allowing the curated collection of wines to take center stage, and a hidden walnut-paneled door adds an element of intrigue to the space.

Finalists: Skelly Build | Barton Creek Canyons Home and Independent Modern Glamour

▲ Best Use of Vintage Furniture

M. Elliot Studio A One of a Kind Moment

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◄ Best Use of Color

Audrey Scheck Design Park West Remodel

While this renovation included a revamp of both kitchen and bathroom, the hero of the color story was the guest bathroom. With four boys in their growing family, the client wanted to embrace the color blue. The navy arches in the wallpaper perfectly complement the arched shower opening, which was highlighted with a neutral Zellige tile. The terracotta floor tiles were another fun way to incorporate personality, blending color and shape in a way that felt true to the other decisions made throughout the space.

Finalists: Daley Home | Hammerstone Colorful Pool Bathroom, Suzanna Santostefano Design | Spiller Lane

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VINTAGE FURNITURE: ERIC POHL; COLOR: KARISSA WIDDER

As a firm, M. Elliott Studio strives to incorporate traces of the past, using one-of-a-kind items that tell a distinctive story. In this home, the traditional base required a grounded design language to unify the interior. Featured here is an Asian antique screen, gold and lacquered, sourced from Round Top, paired with refinished birds eye maple end tables, circa early 1900’s, donning their original hardware. The cream and ivory bedding adds a subdued element, while the gold tones in the screen enchantingly reflect light.

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Home

◄ Best ADU (Casita/Garage Apartment)

Side Angle Side Harvey ADU

When this project began, Side Angle Side was commissioned to take on the renovation of a 100-year old bungalow and build a ground up accessory dwelling unit (ADU) alongside it. However, when the owners decided they would construct the ADU first and move into it while the renovation was being executed, goals began to shift. Rather than a simple guesthouse, this structure would need to function as a comfortable main residence for the couple and two young kids for quite some time.

The result for this family was a serene, light-filled home.

Measuring 1,100 square feet, the ADU dons a monolithic gray stucco wall that faces the main house and de-emphasizes the building from the street. A patio and hidden carport are placed between the wall and a taut, two-story structure clad in vertical cedar planks that will patina with age. The building’s pitched roof encases an airy primary bedroom suite with an outdoor deck and fireplace, and a skylit bathroom. A combined kitchen and living area make up a ground floor that opens to the outdoor patio.

This supremely efficient design, maximizing natural light and connection with the outdoors, nearly makes you forget you’re not in the primary house after all.

HOME

Finalists: McKinney York Architects | Backyard Art Studio, North Arrow Studio | Birdhouse

►

Best Apartment/Loft/Condo Aidan Lane Designs

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Austin’s rich art culture was at the heart of the renovation of this short-term rental condominium. Confronted with a 650 square foot space that had seen no updates since the 1970s, Aidan Lane Designs took a surgical approach to plumbing alterations and finish and furniture selections.

At the core of the design is a canvas of black, a color that Austin’s cultural scene has embraced to symbolize the convergence of luxury and modernity. Layered on top are camel leather textiles paired with soft, woven textures and natural wooden elements to introduce depth and character.

Finalists: Spaces Designed Interior Design Studio, LLC | Downtown Eclectic Condo, Urban Space Interiors | Independent Penthouse

CONDO: MADELINE HARPER PHOTO; ADU: LIKENESS STUDIO

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Hartford Residence

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HU NG IN

THE

BALANCE A cantilevered house on the Bouldin Creek Greenbelt seamlessly blends competing priorities.

► Best Architecture

Michael Hsu Greenbelt Residence

Finding balance is an essential part of life. Choosing between work and leisure, solo time versus bonding with friends, or the aesthetic direction for one’s home, a happy medium often produces the best outcome. Such was the mindset of architect Michael Hsu as he worked with his client—a young professional in the automotive manufacturing industry—to design a house in Austin’s Bouldin Creek neighborhood. Arriving at the property, chosen for its location and potential to set back construction from the street, Hsu found a narrow, 50-foot-wide lot that abuts the lush greenbelt.

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By Rachel Gallaher

Photos by Chase Daniel

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“My client values his privacy,” Hsu says. “One of the challenges with smaller, urban lots is designing a home that feels connected to this cozy, vibrant, walkable neighborhood, but also a place where the client can retreat. We were trying to think of the house as a lens through which he could view and engage with the greenbelt.”

According to Hsu, the homeowner wanted a contemporary, finely detailed home that was not lacking in warmth or texture. He wanted cozy and relaxed spaces, without the pretension of contemporary architecture. To achieve this equilibrium, the design team implemented a clean, neutral material palette and simple forms. The intersection of sharp lines with curved elements—and details such as the assemblage of materials to create subtle patterning— softens the home’s angular modernism.

Working around several protected oak trees, Hsu situated the house at the back of the lot to best take advantage of the forested views and give his client privacy. “Having a huge curb presence wasn’t important to him,” the architect notes. “He preferred discretion and subtlety.”

The 3,447 square foot residence consists of two forms. The first is a long rectangular ground level that holds the kitchen, living room, and guest bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows connect the interiors to the greenbelt, sliding open between the living room and covered patio and pool to create an indoor-outdoor entertaining space in seconds. The kitchen sits next to the living area, and a hidden laundry room is tucked behind the stairs.

The second form is a top-floor holding a primary suite, office, and lounge, cantilevered over the patio below to provide shade in dramatic fashion. “The upstairs lounge is a little glass box that looks out onto the trees and feels like it’s floating above the landscape,” Hsu says, noting the ceilings here are a foot shorter than those on the first floor, creating a subtle feeling of compression as one ascends.

“The rest of the second level feels heavier and more grounded; it really serves as an ‘end of the day’ space where you can go to unwind and relax before bed.”

At the front of the house is the garage, which reads more like a gallery. A large square of glass in the hemlock siding puts the owner’s car on display like art. “The garage uses the same materials as the rest of the ground floor,” Hsu says. “It doesn’t look like an afterthought or an add-on space. The homeowner does a lot of side projects and has a passion for automobiles, so we didn’t want to hide that away.”

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Home

Through the visual curving of hard materials, a symbiotic relationship with changing natural light, and simple yet organic architectural forms, Hsu’s design effectively floats in the tree canopy of the Bouldin Creek Greenbelt.

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Finalists: Alterstudio Architecture, LLC | Alta Vista Residence and Falcon Ledge Residence

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According to Hsu, the material palette—hemlock wood siding and locally-sourced Leuders limestone brick for the exterior, and concrete and white oak inside—was a response to the client’s affinity for stone. “He loved the natural beauty of the material,” he says, “but stone buildings in Texas tend to go in two directions: they look rustic or formal. We wanted to investigate stone in a more modern way.” Using custom-designed Leuders approximating a Roman brick, Hsu crafted the house’s upper volume as a rectilinear form, but with unexpected swooping contours appearing around the windows and above the patio. “I’m always thinking about taking a hard material like stone and making it look soft,” he says, explaining that curved details help counter the hard edge of modern architecture. “It’s like someone shaped the windows out of a clay mass.”

At the front of the upper form, where a stairwell runs between levels, a section of stacked brick creates a screening element that allows light to stream in, producing a unique geometric pattern on the walls as the sun moves through the sky each day. “Skylighting was very important,” Hsu says. “With lots like this one, the opportunity for side windows is limited, so we try to bring in light from multiple directions.”

Even here, it all comes back to balance. Hsu says that using creative methods such as screening and strategically placed windows ensures that just the right amount of light enters the house. “You don’t want to bring in too much heat,” he explains, “otherwise the client won’t use certain areas.” Hsu keenly understands how people interact with their homes and that it will likely change with time. “Even over the course of one day, we want to experience different types of spaces,” he says. “That could mean different lighting or wanting things to feel cozier and dimmer at a certain time. It all comes down to how the architecture responds to a whole day in a house.”

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Home

▼ Best Home in the Hill Country

North Arrow Studio Heritage House

Nestled among the trees on a steep site in Dripping Springs sits Heritage House. The home is simple and restrained, allowing it to complement, rather than compete with, the surrounding landscape. Drawing inspiration from the traditional buildings of Texas hill country, North Arrow Studio brought this home into modern day.

Throughout the design process, the team prioritized natural materials and colors, including integral colored stucco as the primary exterior material.

Responding to challenging site conditions, the design turned obstacles into opportunities and evolved a board-formed concrete foundation into a

textural statement wall. Limestone from the site was revitalized throughout the new landscape design. The beautiful trowel pattern across the simple massing adds to the handmade quality of the home.

The 2,500 square foot house was arranged around intentionally framed views, with the L-shaped plan engaging a central pool courtyard.

A custom cantilevered steel window looks out into the grove of trees, while a matching inset window mirrored across the living room opens to the pool beyond. Abundant natural light permeates the interior spaces through these large, framed openings, as well as through several strategically placed skylights. Dark interior finishes provide a dramatic contrast, and terra cotta tile floors flow to exterior patios and courtyards, further linking the home to the outdoors. With a thoughtful nod to the past and emphasis on celebrating the local landscape, the Heritage House is at home in the Texas hill country.

Finalists: Cedar & Oak Homes | Wimberley

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REAGEN TAYLOR

40 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Ranch Project, cwA+D | Florence

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WWG

Wa l ly W or km a n G a l l e ry

PRISCILLA ROBINSON Wally Workman Gallery 1202 W. 6th St. Austin, TX 78703 wallyworkmangallery.com 512.472.7428 Beyond, acrylic on abaca, 50 x 40 inches

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Home

▼ Best Historical Renovation (50 Years and Older)

A Parallel Architecture West Lynn Residence

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shifts the focus to the outdoors with glass walls, deep overhangs, and indeterminate thresholds.

The physical connection between the old and new is acknowledged and celebrated.

The juxtaposition of the two eras is not only an exterior consideration but also painstakingly followed through on the interiors of the project. Passing through the heavy perimeter walls of the original structure, sleek and planar finishes subtly give way to textured and articulated details. Original moldings, doors, and hardware have been restored, and a new helical central stair stands as a modern homage to a non-salvageable original feature.

Finalists: Cary Paul Studios | Clarksville Chic, Furman Keil Architects | Oak Creek Court

CASEY DUNN

42 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

The chance to add a significant addition to a historic house affords the unique opportunity to reflect on the evolution and progress of a culture over time. Faced with designing the addition to a Georgian-revival home, the project team began a new process of design exploration, community engagement, and historical education. The approach was straightforward: identify, preserve, and enhance the original portions of the structure while introducing a complementary but contrasting modern language to serve the requirements of the new, functional program.

The original home, immediately recognizable for its symmetry in plan, thickened walls, and introverted spaces, was married with an organic and open-plan addition whose massing

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Home 44 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Creature Comforts

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A Barton Creek residence provides a welcoming abode for foster puppies—and the home’s other inhabitants.

▲ Best Interior Design

Urbane Design Barton Creek Residence

Jessica Love, the principal at interiors firm Urbane Design, delights in crafting hyper-customized homes.

So when a former client approached her with a unique vision, she jumped at the challenge. The home, located in Austin’s picturesque Barton Creek neighborhood, would not only need to fit the client’s aesthetic and comfortably house three children, it would also need to accommodate a half-dozen rescue dogs and cats, with room for even more foster dogs in the future.

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By Annie Atherton

Photos by Avery Nicole Photography

Home

Finalists: Audrey Scheck Design | Loma Vista Remodel, Britt Design Group | Red Oak Residence

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The finished product, completed in late 2023, is a sleek, modern space that’s as functional as it is elegant. With its open-concept layout, the home has an airy and fluid feel; it’s not hard to imagine energetic kids and pets moving freely through the space. At a stunning Opus Quartzite countertop, there are enough stools for everyone to gather. But the real secret to the home’s clean design lies in the details, such as the paneled refrigerators, tucked away behind black millwork. There is also a built-in, under-counter beverage center and stainless steel refrigerator drawers in the pantry.

In the living room, a soaring white ceiling contributes to the light, open atmosphere, while floor-to-ceiling windows fill the space with natural light, creating a seamless connection with the outdoors. A white fireplace is flanked by stately bookcases enclosed in custom steel and glass doors.

Installing the heavy doors wasn’t easy—an engineer was called in to make it work—but they make for a striking frame for the art collection within.

Elsewhere, pops of color brighten up smaller rooms; the client’s dressing area features baby blue walls contrasted with a cherry red accent chair. The children were invited to give input on their rooms and bathrooms, such as playful, patterned shower tiles in hexagonal shapes.

As for the furry friends, they have their own designated spaces. One of the client’s goals is to rescue expecting dogs and raise the puppies for adoption, so there’s an entire, insulated garage built for this purpose. And the laundry room includes a shower just for dogs.

Core to Love’s philosophy is sustainable design, sourcing durable materials built to last, and supporting local businesses. All the millwork in this house was built locally, and the furnishings were all manufactured domestically. The floor evokes wood, but is actually porcelain tile, which has no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and is known for its longevity. “You can trace installs that still exist to the 1700s,” says Love.

In floor plan, finishes, and construction methods, this home exudes a deep appreciation for the natural world—for our environment, for animals, and for loved ones. It’s luxury that’s meant to be lived in, not just looked at, and every detail reflects that principle.

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Home

▲ Best Remodel

Furman Keil Architects Nestled among a ring of beautiful oaks and a streaming creek is a mid-century treasure: a house built in 1966 by notable local architect, Barton Riley AIA. The provenance and bones of this home made it worth keeping, but it lacked a connection to the surrounding nature. The design team’s goal in this renovation was to create a long-term family home for the owner: one that is warm and inviting, quiet and unassuming, hearty, and comfortable. They focused on reusing as much of the existing structure as possible, while dramatically opening it up for flow, daylight, and connection to the outdoors.

These goals are most clearly visible in the new heart of the house: a large eat-in kitchen with oversized windows that open to an oak-shaded yard, re-graded to flow with the interiors. A small sitting room addition expands this kitchen core to accommodate a seating area and fireplace. This part of the house was formerly closed-off guest rooms, which were moved to a new structure over the garage.

Materials, including oxidized wood, local brick, steel, and stone, were chosen for their unassuming timelessness and ability to weather gracefully. Deep eaves, one of the standout feature of the original design, continue to protect the home from the elements. The house was updated with improved energy performance measures, designed to last for generations. Interiors by the Renner Project, and landscaping by David Wilson Garden Design, rounded out the new life of this house.

Finalists: Shiflet Richardson Architects | Hill View Remodel, Side Angle Side | Reynolds Remodel

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DROR BALDINGER

46 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Oak Creek Court

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featuring Ray Wylie Hubbard, Chase Bryant, Sean McConnell, Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall, Liz Rose, and Holly Williams!

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General Excellence Architecture 48 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

TOP HONORS

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Rooted in the Future Two grounded Texans have built a thriving practice with an eye on the horizon.

A lake house lies before you, perched on the water’s edge.

Despite vast windows and sharp lines, this home exudes warmth. Limestone, steel, mahogany, and dark Italian brick somehow converge to create a soft geometry. The quiet intention in every deep overhang and thoughtfully placed stone of the house extends to the tasteful boat dock and pool.

The creative and pragmatic minds behind A Parallel Architecture brought the award-winning Water’s Edge Residence into being with their unique design ethos. But they’d be the first to tell you how instrumental the homeowner is to their process. “The client’s influence is always there,” says Eric Barth, co-founder of A Parallel Architecture. “We really embrace it as a way to infuse our projects with character.”

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By Hannah Friedland

Photos by Chase Daniel

General Excellence | Architecture

A Parallel Architecture Finalists: Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Miró Rivera Architects

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of the United States, including recent projects in Washington, Montana, and Florida, they remain committed to a sensitive contextual design philosophy.

As more clients turn to them for architecture that can weather increasing climate extremes, they embrace cross-pollination between their projects. For example, they’ve applied their learnings from designing for deep freezes in Montana and to an increasingly freezing Texas.

“We have a deep respect and fear of the climate here that’s healthy,” says Barth. That’s an asset to their clients, fueling work that aesthetically and physically endures.

While they embrace the full spectrum of new materials and technology, their first rule is to have a common sense approach to sustainability measures, which they describe as: “Don’t do anything stupid.” This starts with their trademark immersive listening to both client and place, always asking themselves, “What would I do if this were my own house?” With an eye towards durability and longevity, they don’t want to build something beautiful if it’s going to be a liability on day one. Their Northstar? Creating something that feels like it belongs there.

A Parallel Architecture is shaping Texas and the world beyond as the firm explores new global projects. Anything is possible with two humble architects at the helm, grounded in Lone Star soil but with a gaze towards the horizon. Or, as Barth says with a twinkle in his eye, “It’s fun to kind of go out and say: Okay, I want to find a new set of problems to solve.”

Architecture General Excellence

Water’s Edge is no exception, crafted with Cartesian geometry and arithmetic Easter eggs to delight their mathematician client and his family. Before becoming what it is today, the highly exposed lot faced prime western views and unrelenting Texas sun and heat. Barth and his co-founder, Ryan Burke, transformed these challenges into opportunities, designing a house that protects itself from the sun (and neighbors) year-round. A private twostory wing covers the courtyard and entertaining space with effortless shade.

At the heart of A Parallel’s work is the steadfast belief that obstacles are assets in disguise. Take the award-winning Retama House. For years, a split-trunk live oak tree perplexed real estate developers, unable to proceed despite stunning views and downtown proximity. Here as always, they embraced their namesake philosophy of approaching architecture, interiors, and landscape in parallel. The result is a small-footprint house that embraces the outdoors to maximize livable space, embodied by the permeable 360-degree ground floor envelope and the swim-through lap pool connecting the front and back patios. A double-height central atrium frames the ancient oak, affording treehouse-like views with expansive windows nestled into the canopy.

Barth and Burke are Texas boys, born and raised. The two met on the first day of architecture school at the University of Texas and hit it off, collaborating through school and becoming close friends. They sojourned to California, where they immersed themselves in the high-end residential worlds of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Fortuitously, they both moved back to Austin in 2007, and decided to go out on their own. The rest flowed organically. Austin was itself transforming, as was its residential architecture scene. The sense of collective inspiration still reminds Barth of the ‘90s Seattle grunge music scene. “All these groups are not directly competing with each other, but encouraging each other to get to the next level,” he says.

“We’re lucky to be part of that group. We’re all kind of in this together, and we’re creating momentum.”

A shared responsiveness and appreciation for Texas is no small part of A Parallel’s magic. While Barth is the first to say they’re not Texas regionalists by any stretch, he acknowledges that their work honors an appreciation for regional things: “a simple, rural, dog-trot farmhouse or a beautiful piece of limestone.” As he puts it, “These are things that tend to show up in our projects, but maybe in a more modern way than you’re used to seeing.” They take California modernity and Texas simplicity and “put the best of those two things together while In Water’s Edge Residence, overhangs and operable making something relevant, deep window wall systems foster seamlessly indoor/outdoor important, and functional for living areas. this climate.” As their portfolio grows to include every corner

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Photos by Madeline Harper

General Excellence Interior Design

By Sarah Archer

Hues of Harmony

50 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Emily Brown’s mastery of tone-on-tone palettes and complementary finishes graduates the Rising Star.

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Imagine a natural setting, blending an array of whites and soft grays, some deep greens that range from bluish to reddish, browns and blacks, and a slightly muted brass that glimmers in the light. Now imagine that this was the entire color palette you had to work with. This is the chromatic world of Emily Brown, the Austin-based designer who launched her practice Emily Lauren Interiors in 2018, and won our Rising Star Award last year.

Born in Toronto and raised in different parts of the southeastern United States, Brown studied art and art history as an undergrad in Chicago, before spending five years in New York working as a graphic designer and in UX (user experience) design before it had a name. Though she excelled as a graphic designer, she was developing a sense that she wanted to work in three dimensions. When she moved with her husband from New York to a mid-century

bungalow in Austin, she made the creative leap to interior design. Putting down roots in Texas made her very aware of the colors and textures of her new home: “Summers [in Austin] are like east coast winters,” she says. “Everything is yellow and brown. Wildflower season in the spring is beautiful: native plants grow everywhere.” And winter, she says, is when the lush greens are in full bloom.

Inspired by the work of a firm she admired on Instagram, Brown met with the principal for coffee one afternoon and was unexpectedly offered a job on top of the advice and encouragement she had been hoping for. She worked happily with this established designer for five years before going solo, and learned every aspect of the business—both beautiful and practical—from the ground up. Today, her projects dot the landscape of Austin and environs, offering clients serene spaces crafted from impeccable materials.

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General Excellence Interior Design

General Excellence | Interior Design

Emily Lauren Interiors Finalists: Audrey Scheck Design, Kristen Nix Interiors

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Clockwise from left: Geometric lines are softened by honest materials in a home office. A dark accent chair and lamp create a rich vignette.

Thickly veined marble in a primary bath creates a striking focal point.

Peruse her portfolio and you’ll notice a few themes. “I love earthy, moody colors: browns and warm tones, and that’s partly so that objects and works of art can shine through,” she says. She wants all the hard finishes to feel timeless. “I don’t want someone to say ‘I’m sick of red’ in a few years,” she says, noting that a client who wants to make a splash with some unusually vivid tile may live to regret the move, while softer elements like textiles and furniture are much easier to change. The only downside to adhering to a subtle palette? “There’s nowhere to hide,” Brown says. There are no distractions in a spare interior, so every element—texture, contrast, and material quality—must shine.

When they first moved to Texas, Brown and her husband, a fellow art student, made it a point to visit key modern and contemporary art landmarks in the Southwest, from the Georgia O’Keeffe museum in Santa Fe, to the Donald Judd Foundation in Marfa. The visual culture of the place and its distinctive landscape continues to inspire her. Going forward, she’s excited to start working on larger projects that need a distinctive design narrative and point of view: hotels, cafes, and shops, which is an area where her graphic and UX design background could really help a story take shape in three dimensions. She’s even been getting inquiries and started to take on projects as far afield as Florida and New York City.

Living in Texas has come with some surprises and a new way of living (“You have to watch out for snakes and scorpions,” she says), but the collegial quality of the design community in Austin has won her heart. “Austin’s design culture has an extraordinary sense of unity,” says Brown.

“Here, you won’t find cutthroat competition, but rather a collaborative network where designers, architects, and builders cheer each other on and build each other up.”

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Photos by Chase Daniel

Rising Star

By Kiernan McCormick

52 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS 2024 •

Rising Star: Cedar & Oak Homes

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After the birth of their first child, Holt and Lauren Williamson, founders of design-build firm Cedar & Oak, moved from Starkville, Mississippi to Holt’s hometown of Austin.

Dissatisfied with his corporate job, Holt pivoted careers, trying out a variety of side hustles with Lauren. One proved to be their favorite: building and designing homes.

Holt and Lauren noticed a lack of high-end homes available to Austin’s growing population. There were either upscale custom homes that required three years and a large team to build, or flips and developer builds.

They tackled the gap with Cedar & Oak. “We wanted to offer custom finished homes to the general market,” Holt Williamson says. “Homes that

were beautiful in both function and design. Homes that were built to last and leave a positive impact on the city, neighborhood, and families that inhabited them.”

Holt and Lauren understand the sometimes grueling process of both assembling and managing the multiple parties that are involved in building a custom home.

When the couple started their business, they set out to make it a one-stop shop, offering clients a single point of communication.

“When you come to Cedar & Oak for a home, you are not building a new team, you are tapping into one that has worked with each other for years,” Holt says.

“Clients are able to put their trust in a group that not only

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Rising Star

The Clawson Project, shown in the primary bedroom (left), living space (above), and portrait of Holt and Lauren Williamson (below), was recently featured as the cover story in the Spring Issue of Austin Home.

Rising Star Award | Less than 5 Years

Cedar & Oak Homes Finalists: Jenna Barton Interiors, Modern Hippie Design Studio

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designs beautiful homes, but also has the team in place to bring those plans to life.”

Holt and Lauren’s prioritization of their clients’ needs is particularly evident in the way they work during the design phase. Having owned several homes themselves since they got married, the Williamsons have tested the materials and ideas they recommend to clients firsthand.

They strive to design the types of homes they would love to live in.

For spec homes without clients during the design phase, the Cedar & Oak team designs each detail as if they are the future homeowner. When working with a client, they hold several kickoff meetings during which they ask questions around use, function, design, aesthetic, and flow.

“Our design team’s goal is to imagine a day in the life of our client and design a home that can grow with them over time, meeting the current and future needs of each person and family we work with,” Holt says.

As believers in the collaboration between design and construction, Holt and Lauren feel that designers and builders need to spend more time together.

“The willingness to learn and grow on both sides produces better houses, better firms, and better partnerships in our industry,” Holt says. “There is more than enough to go around in this city and we have found that the more ideas we share, the farther we can go together.”

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Photo by Grace Carter

Legacy Award

By Ankitha Gattupalli

A Natural Leader in Design Chris Sanders, one of Austin’s preeminent sustainabilityfocused architects, leaves a legacy of collaboration and care.

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This past year, Austin lost a beloved fixture of our design community: Architect Chris Sanders.

In many ways, Sanders’ work embodies the values we hold dear as a city: a deep respect for the natural world, an empathetic understanding of our place in it, and an uplifting approach of collaboration with all around him.

A Lufkin native, Sanders grew up camping in the piney woods of East Texas, canoeing, hunting, and fishing. He nurtured an intimate relationship with the outdoors that first led him to understand what it means to be a thoughtful steward of his environment.

Sanders studied at Texas A&M University, earning a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree and a Master of Architecture degree, which included an internship at Leo A. Daly Architects in Washington, D.C. As an Edward J. Romieniec Traveling Scholar, Sanders traveled through South Asia, studying the colonial influence on local architecture and city planning. In 2003, Sanders served as an intern for the U.S. National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites at the Mediterranean Centre for Built Heritage in Split, Croatia. After school, Sanders served in project architect roles for Andersson Wise Architects in Austin, Texas; Ann Beha Architects in Boston, Massachusetts; and Baum, Freytag & Leesch in Weimar, Germany.

In 2009, Chris founded Sanders Architecture with an emphasis on constant client engagement throughout design and construction. This personal approach stemmed from his M.Arch thesis that studied the profound need for user participation in the design process, which he believed would lead to a greater sense of ownership of the project.

“Chris was driven by the discovery inherent in collaboration, constantly striving to truly understand his clients

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In many ways, Sanders’ work embodies the values we hold dear as a city.

and treating them in a manner that conveyed his genuine appreciation,” shares a colleague. In 2023, long-time team architects Catherine Craig, Jena Hammond Nichols, and Emily Kettlewell joined Chris as partners in the firm.

The firm became known for design that responds to organic site conditions, as opposed to ignoring or erasing them. They employ locally-sourced materials, prioritize opportunities for natural light, and ensure seamless indoor-outdoor connections. Sanders advocated, in his words, for “architecture that transcends generations,” demanding a step away from fleeting trends and towards a more ecological approach rooted in place and longevity. Work with organizations like the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the Houston Zoo highlight his commitment to public-facing, environmentally-sensitive design that allows the public to enjoy the type of close connection with nature that he knew so well.

This ethos translated beyond projects and into the culture he cultivated at his firm: a close-knit team of professionals with a shared passion for sustainability and design excellence. Sanders was equally admired for his design prowess as for his devotion to fostering his team’s growth. As noted by partner Catherine Craig, “Chris’ humility and dedication ensured every member of Sanders Architecture felt heard and valued.” Team member Allison Osbourn agrees with the sentiment. “His inclusive ‘come as you are’ approach empowered colleagues and clients alike, building an environment conducive to creativity and exploration.”

To this day, the office is shaped by Sanders’ lens of the built world, his hand-sketches telling stories and breathing life into intricate design proposals. Amidst echoes of his contagious laughter, the team at Sanders Architecture works towards infusing projects with charm and personality, and the understanding of the greater surrounding ecosystem.

Sanders’ legacy extends far beyond the structures he designed, touching lives through his past mentorship, collaborative spirit, and deep passion for nature. His cherished presence within Austin’s design community continues to inspire environmental stewardship, as his extraordinary contributions to architecture resonate through his firm and beyond.

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Final(ist) Look

Height of Serenity This light-filled loft, designed by Ben Newman Studios, is an outstanding finalist for Best Home Office.

ANDREA CALO

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To see more impressive finalists from the Home & Design Awards, visit austinhomemag.com.

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BUYING OR SELLING A HOME? LET'S WORK TOGETHER! From coordinating movers & unpacking to managing a second property, we cater to both realtors and homeowners, ensuring a stress-free experience every step of the way.

GET IN TOUCH WITH US TODAY

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Inspiration For Your Space THE 2024 HOME & DESIGN AWARDS

Elevated Designs, Close to Home

Special Edition 2024 / Vol. 19 / No. 2

Find the perfect pieces at our South Austin flagship.

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