16 Best Midcentury Renovations in Austin Celebrating Their Retro Roots

Plagued by dim rooms and low ceilings, a typical midcentury bungalow in Austin, Texas, is remodeled into a contemporary, light-filled living space for an editor and her filmmaker husband. The desire to uphold the discreet architectural character of the Austin setting, while being able to create open and modern spaces, led to a study in how materials, space, and light could interplay with simple construction means. Murray Legge Architecture removed a maze of small rooms and raised the ceiling height to create a single volume for dining, cooking, and living. Working with the existing building components, the new design continues the use of traditional stick frame construction, yet accentuates its simple beauty by using the open structure as a finished product that adds shape and warmth to the interior.