concrete counter tops

Alexia, Achilleas, and friend Fotini prepare lunch in the kitchen, outfitted with cabinets by Zeyko.

A tight construction budget informed the choices Sean Guess made as he designed a house for a couple in Austin, Texas. Budget-minded materials, like the James Hardie fiber-cement siding, helped hold construction costs to $130 per square foot. Sherwin-Williams’s Cyberspace hue colors the exterior and Parakeet coats the custom kitchen cabinets by Austin Wood Works. The planter is made from Cor-Ten steel.

Many of the culinary craft projects are an extension of Ben’s work as an artist and dealer of antiquarian books about food and wine.

The minimalist interiors showcase the simple material palette.

“The client wanted an interior space where you could read the materiality of the building elements like understanding the ingredients in a recipe,” principal architect Elizabeth Webster explains. The extension features distinctly textured materials: an exposed timber ceiling, painted brick walls, and polished concrete floors. Warm lighting by Brinklicht unifies the space.

In the new kitchen, oak timber veneer joinery unites concrete floors and counters.

A steel mesh balustrade lines the stairway, which leads to the rooftop deck.

White subway tiles and a large window over the sink brighten the kitchen.

Kitchen detail

An Arteriors Wahlburg Chandelier hangs over the kitchen countertop.

The kitchen has only the essentials. “It’s not a house in which you’re supposed to live 365 days a year—it’s set up as a place to get away and relax,” says Claudio.

The kitchen cabinetry conceals two doors—one to a walk-in pantry and another to a small addition—housing a coat room, laundry, and powder room—that connects to the back yard.

The trusses were made by the building team from solid Australian hardwood and are critical in supporting the roof structure where the mezzanine level previously sat.

The architect integrated a dining table into the kitchen island, embracing the common Australian practice of gathering informally in the kitchen.

The angled joinery reflects light down the hallway and offers functional storage. It also naturally directs people from the living area toward the kitchen.

The service corridor emphasizes axial circulation and austerity of materials, with concrete countertops and wood cabinetry.