Chris Archer was enjoying a soak in his Austin cottage when the bathtub fell through the floor—a sure sign that it was time to renovate.

The Texan, who had previously lived in New York City and Houston, had looked at 20 homes before coming across the Lawson House in the historic district of Clarksville, a freedman’s town founded in 1871. It had been built by a formerly enslaved man from the neighboring Pease Mansion in 1909. “I knew it was special,” says Chris, who bought the property in 2011.

Over the years, former owners had updated the original two-room cottage, adding a dysfunctional back extension. Instead of doing another patchwork update of the home, which was admittedly in shambles, Chris hired architect David Webber in 2014 bring a clean, streamlined look to the dwelling and knock out the “jarringly incongruous addition, which didn’t connect to the yard,” says Webber.

They spent a couple months talking through ideas and sharing inspiration from Pinterest: Chris was looking for a muted, Australian-inspired sense of calm. In addition to a refurbished and more livable space, he requested a study, a guest bedroom and master suite, and a large indoor/outdoor space for grilling.

When the home was built, it had small rooms and low ceilings with single-wall construction, which was typical of the time. “It’s like building your house out of siding,” Webber says. “It’s amazing it didn’t get blown over by the windstorms we have here.” The previous renovations, however, had actually strengthened the original structure.

In the 1980s, an owner had put in new frame walls, closing off some of the interior footprint, but ultimately allowing moisture to seep in. Webber + Studio peeled off the battens and waterproofed the home with new siding sanctioned by the Historic Landmark Commission. “Realistically, the home will last another 100 years,” Webber says.

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Vaulted ceilings mimic the cottage’s original form. The team chose to enrich the space with white oak, a wood that might been used when it was first built. To bring light to the living room and a better sense of openness, Webber added an illuminating clerestory of jointed, frameless glass.

Interior designer Ann Tucker was brought in to elevate the home with simple furnishings and dark finishes like blackened-steel countertops and blue-black cabinetry.

When walking through the home, the layout opens up easily from the small, intimate main spaces to the airy back spaces. “It really allows you to be grounded in the house,” says Chris, who now enjoys spending time in the backyard with his girlfriend, hosting guests and relaxing near the grill.

More by Webber + Studio: Renovated Midcentury Home in Austin Doubles Square Footage

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Webber + Studio / @webberstudio

Builder/General Contractor: W+Inc

Structural Engineer: Scott Williamson

Landscape Design Studio: Garden Design Studio /@gardenstudiodesign

Interior Design: Studio A Group / @studioagroup

Cabinetry Design: Webber + Studio