Light, Bright, & Airy
Some people are drawn to the drama. This particular client, in a vibrant South Austin neighborhood, definitely wanted their project to have a bit of drama. That was kept in mind while implementing the first phase of their home’s renovation. Once a duplex, this now two-story house was in need of more space and natural daylight. First on the must-have list was a bigger kitchen better suited for entertaining followed closely by the need for a strong indoor/outdoor connection.
Having once upon a time been a rental property, the original kitchen was disjointed and haphazard. The workspace was situated on one side under open shelving, but the sink, dishwasher, and stove were placed opposite creating a very messy workflow. Aesthetically, the cabinets and counters were dated and mismatched, and the checkered linoleum floor tile wasn’t exactly easy on the eye. Access to the backyard was limited, and only one door—inconveniently located between the sink and refrigerator—simultaneously cut off the back yard and further complicated the kitchen space. The client longed to entertain and interact with guests while cooking, but this was impossible given the current kitchen arrangement and the fact that the kitchen was a completely separate space from both the dining area and the living room.
Converting this old kitchen space into a new dining area was a logical first move. This freed up the front of the home to serve as a proper entry and even allowed the old living room to transform into a parlor or sitting room. Additional storage and a bar counter were built in to the side of the dining room to house some of the clients’ collectibles and to function as a bar or buffet as needed. To house the new kitchen and living room, a new 500 square foot addition was constructed at the back of the home giving the clients the space they so desperately needed. This two-story, open space looks onto the backyard with a wall of windows and new sliding glass door to bring the outside in and to fill the space with natural light. In the future, this sliding glass door will open onto a new pool deck and landscaped backyard, increasing the family’s functional living area even further.
The new kitchen was designed to entertain. Now, with a multi-tiered island clad with Calacatta Gold marble and a wrap-around butcher block dining table, guests can sit, eat and chat while the chef cooks. Knotty alder cabinets with a clear stain bring warmth and texture to the kitchen while the backsplash is a sleek combination of back-painted glass and a fixed window that captures a slice of nature.
New opportunities come with this new square footage, like adding a linear fireplace with accent bookshelf to the living space (remember the drama?). While not specifically dramatic, relocating the laundry room function downstairs was pivotal. Tucked behind the fireplace wall is a brand new laundry/mudroom which also houses the backup refrigerator and ample extra storage. Butcher block countertops, here, aesthetically tie this space to the kitchen. The homeowners now have a new daily entry point that is convenient and well-appointed but also out of the way and capable of being closed off for entertaining.
Exemplary craftsmanship can be seen not just in the tactfulness of the home’s finishes but in the intricate details overall. The linear fireplace, bookshelf, pocket door and mudroom niche space also required some extra attention given the strict planar nature of the wall and the sheer number of elements occupying the same square footage, a true 3-sided puzzle. Framing for this called for precise accounting of complex clearances and recesses. The ventless gas fireplace had to be supported from inside the wall by framing while its opening was sandwiched between steel plates, leaving no room for error. Yet, amid all this, a tactile familiarity appears in the stone: the stone used here was original to the house and was salvaged during demolition for use as a subtle, textural counterpoint to the stainless steel niche.
Finally, while it may look spare right now, the large second story interior wall in the living room is designed and has been prepped for the future second phase of the project. Now, cherished art work hangs, but in the future a new operable screen panel will open to connect the future second floor office to the living room while allowing the client to reach out and grab a book from the upper reaches of the living room bookshelf. On the other side above the kitchen, another screen will open from the future gameroom allowing views out the window wall and down to the kitchen, creating a true multi-level entertainment space.
With their new addition, these homeowners now have a space that subtly reflects their personality and is a tasteful environment in which to showcase their varied art and collectibles all while being finely tuned to host friends and family.
Having once upon a time been a rental property, the original kitchen was disjointed and haphazard. The workspace was situated on one side under open shelving, but the sink, dishwasher, and stove were placed opposite creating a very messy workflow. Aesthetically, the cabinets and counters were dated and mismatched, and the checkered linoleum floor tile wasn’t exactly easy on the eye. Access to the backyard was limited, and only one door—inconveniently located between the sink and refrigerator—simultaneously cut off the back yard and further complicated the kitchen space. The client longed to entertain and interact with guests while cooking, but this was impossible given the current kitchen arrangement and the fact that the kitchen was a completely separate space from both the dining area and the living room.
Converting this old kitchen space into a new dining area was a logical first move. This freed up the front of the home to serve as a proper entry and even allowed the old living room to transform into a parlor or sitting room. Additional storage and a bar counter were built in to the side of the dining room to house some of the clients’ collectibles and to function as a bar or buffet as needed. To house the new kitchen and living room, a new 500 square foot addition was constructed at the back of the home giving the clients the space they so desperately needed. This two-story, open space looks onto the backyard with a wall of windows and new sliding glass door to bring the outside in and to fill the space with natural light. In the future, this sliding glass door will open onto a new pool deck and landscaped backyard, increasing the family’s functional living area even further.
The new kitchen was designed to entertain. Now, with a multi-tiered island clad with Calacatta Gold marble and a wrap-around butcher block dining table, guests can sit, eat and chat while the chef cooks. Knotty alder cabinets with a clear stain bring warmth and texture to the kitchen while the backsplash is a sleek combination of back-painted glass and a fixed window that captures a slice of nature.
New opportunities come with this new square footage, like adding a linear fireplace with accent bookshelf to the living space (remember the drama?). While not specifically dramatic, relocating the laundry room function downstairs was pivotal. Tucked behind the fireplace wall is a brand new laundry/mudroom which also houses the backup refrigerator and ample extra storage. Butcher block countertops, here, aesthetically tie this space to the kitchen. The homeowners now have a new daily entry point that is convenient and well-appointed but also out of the way and capable of being closed off for entertaining.
Exemplary craftsmanship can be seen not just in the tactfulness of the home’s finishes but in the intricate details overall. The linear fireplace, bookshelf, pocket door and mudroom niche space also required some extra attention given the strict planar nature of the wall and the sheer number of elements occupying the same square footage, a true 3-sided puzzle. Framing for this called for precise accounting of complex clearances and recesses. The ventless gas fireplace had to be supported from inside the wall by framing while its opening was sandwiched between steel plates, leaving no room for error. Yet, amid all this, a tactile familiarity appears in the stone: the stone used here was original to the house and was salvaged during demolition for use as a subtle, textural counterpoint to the stainless steel niche.
Finally, while it may look spare right now, the large second story interior wall in the living room is designed and has been prepped for the future second phase of the project. Now, cherished art work hangs, but in the future a new operable screen panel will open to connect the future second floor office to the living room while allowing the client to reach out and grab a book from the upper reaches of the living room bookshelf. On the other side above the kitchen, another screen will open from the future gameroom allowing views out the window wall and down to the kitchen, creating a true multi-level entertainment space.
With their new addition, these homeowners now have a space that subtly reflects their personality and is a tasteful environment in which to showcase their varied art and collectibles all while being finely tuned to host friends and family.
Country: United States
Zip Code: 78704
