Collection by Jo Sellers
Corten® steel provides a modest, low-maintenance exterior (it will never need painting) that will eventually weather to blend into the natural setting.
The back of the house nestles into the woods.
The kitchen cabinets are custom-made from 100-year-old wood purchased at Sliverado Salvage. There’s a breakfast nook and a nine-foot island finished in Tadelakt, a waterproof plaster often used in Moroccan architecture, creating a communal and open space that flows into the living room. "Tadelakt is such a beautiful material and provides an old-world, earthy feeling, but using it is very labor-intensive," says Elaine.
The couple added a coat of black paint and cedar siding to give the home a cleaner, more modern look. "The house already had wide and low eaves, providing protection from the sun, and we added new spray-foam insulation, so the black exterior actually does not pose too much of an issue with the desert heat," she says. A new Cor-Ten steel fence blocks the view of the neighbor's roof, but doesn't interfere with the landscape.
Designed in 1950 by A.D. Stenger, this three-bedroom, three-bath residence was remodeled by Chioco Design in 2012—which was inspired by the original Stenger architecture, but ended up becoming a completely new work of art. The flat-roofed structure is constructed with metal siding and wood, and adds a dynamic component to the original materials of the home's exterior.
When the husband-and-wife team behind Austin-based Co(X)ist Studio set out to remodel their 1962 ranch-style house, they wanted to update it to suit their modern lifestyles—as well as demonstrate the design sensibilities of their young firm. Tucked in South Austin’s Sherwood Oaks neighborhood, the original home was dim, compartmentalized, and disconnected from the outdoors. Architects Frank and Megan Lin opened up the floor plan, created an addition, and built an expansive back porch, using several reclaimed materials in the process.
When Austin-based firm Matt Fajkus Architecture was tasked with renovating this classic midcentury home, they sought to open up the interior—not only by unifying the common areas into an open-plan layout, but also by literally raising the home's roof. This strategy increased the ceiling height on three sides of the home, allowing for the insertion of clerestory windows to create a bright and airy open living space. "The raised ceiling maintains the original pitched roof geometry to stay harmonious with the existing gabled roof in the private zone," explain the architects in a statement.
Designed to comfortably accommodate three to five employees, the 1,000-square-foot home office by Matt Fajkus Architecture complements an existing midcentury abode. The addition includes two individual office spaces, a conference room, a studio, a bathroom, and storage space. An operable wall divides the main space as needed. The wood-and-stucco addition features a pitched metal roof that jives with the existing home's midcentury style.
Originally designed by locally renowned architect Arthur Dallas Stenger, this 1960s home featured an unusual awning that was maintained during a 21st-century upgrade by architects Rick and Cindy Black. The architects partially reconfigured the interior layout, updated the kitchen, and added new doors to the porch, all the while making sure the adjustments to the house honored its midcentury provenance while still avoiding creating a time capsule.
The Fairhills Eichlers were built using six different floor plans designed by Claude Oakland and Jones & Emmons, and the neighborhood features underground utilities to preserve the homes' clean, midcentury lines.