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Annette Patterson r e s i d e n t i a l r e a l e s tat e ag e n t at r e a lt y a u s t i n “I’m a north-of-the-river girl,”
says Annette Patter-
pears in the form of an arrangement of vintage lunch
son, who moved to Austin 20 years ago, in 1984, and
boxes on her son's wall. Prine, Patterson's nine-
has lived in the Hyde Park and North Loop neighbor-
year-old, is named after musician John Prine (who
hoods ever since. Patterson is a collector of things, and
played in Austin the night Patterson went into labor,
she has an eye for putting disparate pieces together. Her
prompting Prine's father to buy a onesie at the con-
house is a 2,200-square-foot box of treasures in North
cert and have it signed; that garment now hangs in a
Loop, originally a 900-square-foot bungalow that Pat-
frame on the younger Prine's wall).
terson renovated herself. Every room features surpris-
Music has been at the heart of Patterson’s Austin ex-
ing juxtapositions of old and new layered together in
perience since she arrived in the city. After college at
creative and delightful ways.
UT, she embarked on a 16-year career with the Austin
Nearby secondhand stores feed Patterson's appetite
Chronicle, which, she explains, "shaped me culturally."
for all things vintage. She cites Blue Velvet and Room
While working at the Chronicle, she developed a so-
Service among her go-to local retail outlets. Of the
phisticated knowledge of, and passion for, music and
found objects she has integrated into her decor, one of
film. These affinities are prominently featured through-
Patterson's favorites (mine, too) is the door that leads
out her house—a commissioned painting based on the
to her family's game room, a wood-and-glass piece that
movie poster for Steve McQueen's Bullitt in the game
reads "Private" at eye level, a relic from another era.
room, a photograph of Texas-born folk legend Townes
Several of Patterson's found-object displays are
Van Zandt above the fireplace.
worthy of a gallery. At the top of the stairs hangs a
A few years ago, her passion for interior design in-
grid of white boxes protruding from the wall, each
spired her to pursue a career in residential real estate
topped with a different bird’s nest that Patterson
at Realty Austin. Patterson embraces the growth that
(her friends call her Nettie) has found while walking
is coming to Austin, and with it the influx of new res-
around the neighborhood. Each one is intricate and
taurants taking up residence among old favorites, all
beautiful and worthy of study. By elevating them in
within walking distance of her front door: Foreign &
this way, Patterson brings attention to these often-
Domestic, Phara's, Drink.Well, Workhorse, the Tigress
overlooked wonders from nature.
Pub, and Northloop House & Yard, a new collective
Two rows of feathers—unadorned except for the
of food trucks on 53rd Street. She recognizes that her
material that fastens them to the wall—are installed
neighborhood is rapidly changing, but maintains that
above a bed upstairs. Patterson explains that there
North Loop remains distinctively old-school Austin in
was once a third row below the other two, but it
its ethos: “People who live here really love its funky/
proved irresistible to their cat. Another fun grid ap-
eclectic side.”
P h oto g r a p h y by j u l i e co p e
d. azim
tribeza.com july 2014
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