For this targeted renovation on a limited budget, the homeowners had the following needs: gut renovations of a large guest bathroom and a laundry room, improvements to address ergonomically or visually awkward elements throughout the home's interior, new window treatments and privacy controls throughout.
In dialogue with the clients about other changes to further improve quality of life in the home within their budget, I also designed a circulation passthrough to eliminate a dead-end hallway, a large new skylight to illuminate an open living room from the center outwards, a targeted rework of a compact powder room, and smart lighting controls to simplify an overly complicated switch layout.
Location: Austin, TX
Project type: partial renovation
Contractor: Stephen Thomas Construction
Project consultants: Hurley Frey Structural Engineers
Services provided: programming, FF&E, design, permitting, and construction administration
Project size: 3,400 SF
A large, predominantly north-facing skylight softly illuminates an open kitchen / living / dining room from the center outwards, brightening a large and previously dark space, as well as articulating the living room as an anchor within it.
Creating a larger opening in the ceiling below the skylight allowed for the expression of previously concealed roof geometry and structure.
The skylight itself is double-glazed with insulated, impact-resistant glass for superior energy efficiency and weather protection.
This gut renovation of an existing bathroom added a spacious walk-in shower, new lighting, new fixtures, a floating vanity, and a large frameless mirror with product shelf and integrated power outlets.
New finishes included blue & white ceramic wall tile, porcelain floor tile, and a corian surround for the glass shower door and product niche within.
An akwardly large proportion of the existing bathroom presented an opportunity for a bank of custom millwork cabinetry, with maple interiors and a solid surface sitting bench, turning the bathroom into a dual purpose dressing room.
Cutting a new passthrough opened up a previously dimly-lit dead hallway, inviting in natural light to both ends and using circulation to better stitch the house together. A large pocket door allows for privacy to be maintained when desired.
European double-soft-close track hardware allows the pocket door to glide with minimal pull force despite the large size of the door.
A budget-conscious rework of an existing powder room provided new finishes to match the guest bathroom, while more compact fixtures and visually minimal new sliding glass tub doors help the small room feel more spacious and serene.
An efficient and space-saving millwork design (including integration of the washer & dryer units) maximizes countertop area while allowing for a generous circulation corridor despite the small footprint of the room.
A new wood-clad window brightens the space and serves as a natural point of visual focus. New finishes include ceramic wall tile, corian solid surface countertops and backsplash, and a sustainable natural linoleum floor.
Motorized shades were installed throughout the house, with a wireless smart control system that allows for both keypad operation (without hardwiring) as well as remote control via phone and automatic daylight-based scheduling that adjusts based on sunrise and sunset throughout the year.
Shade fabric was selected for the client's preferred mix of color, weight, privacy, and translucency.
To address an overly complicated layout of light switches scattered awkwardly throughout the large open kitchen / living / dining room, but avoid the substantial cost of rewiring, existing switches were replaced-in-place with smart switches that are wirelessly controlled by scene keypads.
This system also includes remote control via phone app, so that lights can be easily turned on and off or have their level of brightness adjusted from the comfort of a couch.
Questions about this project? Contact me at (646) 883-1012 or info@cdelarchitect.com to chat more in depth