Our Story
You know it when you walk in.
There have only been a few homes that impacted me when I walked in and that I still remember. These special homes really resonated with me and it's what I set out to create.
My husband and I spent years looking for our next home. When our kids were close to moving out, we went to open houses most weekends for several years, looking for the home we'd downsize into. We met lots of great realtors, but we never found our house. The new builds all felt very similar, so if that's not a style you like, you are left with older homes or the option to build a custom home. The style we love, mid-century modern, is rare in Austin. What we wanted, a house with great architecture that didn't require a custom budget, seemed difficult to find.
So I decided to build it myself.
Mid-century, reinterpreted
I bought a house in my own neighborhood thinking I'd remodel it as a way of dipping my toe into the world of building. Six months in, I realized the best option for that home and lot was to start over. It was a hard decision to make, but it opened up the opportunity to build my dream home. I told my friends, only half joking, that if somebody else wants to buy it, great. I'll just build another one.
The house is mid-century in inspiration but built for how people live today. We kept everything we love about the era including the low rooflines, the indoor-outdoor living, walls of glass, and light everywhere. I wanted a home that would accommodate many seasons of life. Most of the living happens on one level but there is also some flex space for kids (either young or returning young adults), aging parents or simply guest space. The floorplan doesn't look like other new builds and for certain buyers, that's a good thing.
We designed the home around the trees. The site came with mature oaks, and in Texas, shade is everything. Rather than clear the lot, we shaped the house to save most of the trees (notice the primary suite wing). There's a kitchen patio tucked beside one stand of trees, and a beautiful old oak on the opposite wing. If you walk the property, you can see the intention.
Honest materials and spaces
Whenever we can, we use authentic materials like quartzite over quartz and terrazzo over porcelain. Every builder works within a budget and we do too, so we understand there's a place for these materials. But in the surfaces you touch and live with every day, our priority is authentic materials that are made to age well. We also wanted to build a home where every space can be used every day and even support multiple uses. There are no 'show' rooms here, no excess square footage, but instead very livably sized rooms you actually use.
More than houses
I was inspired to start this business to build a different kind of home with a different set of priorities. We are building for people who prioritize design, intentional use of space, and beautiful materials.
Our first home is under construction now in Austin. I hope you get a chance to walk through it and feel the difference.