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The cantilevered addition was kept, and another bedroom added to the second floor over the existing house. Parks collaborated with Fort Structures to ensure that the third addition would sync with the rest of the house, replicating the window placement to make them sit between the roof beams, while still meeting current code and insulating the ceiling.

Bedroom with a view.

BEFORE: The original home was built on a wooded lot in 1919. It had many additions and remodels throughout its life before Best Practice got involved.

Ceramic pendants by Courtney Duncan and a yellow sculpture by Antonio join a Hay sectional in the living room. Antonio crafted the stained glass panel at left.

Architect Ana Smud’s residence in the Vicente López suburb of Buenos Aires is surrounded by gardens and wrapped in timber, concrete, and glass.

A highlight of the overhaul is the floor-to-ceiling glass on the north side, which includes a five-panel bifold door. The door opens to the couple’s favorite area of the house, the backyard. The deck is shaded by the cantilevered roof, and Ren planted drought-resistant brush amid the existing oak trees.

Double Duty marks the first time that the AIA Austin Homes Tour has featured an ADU as a primary residence. Located in East Austin and designed by Pollen Architecture & Design, the dwelling accommodates modern urban Austinites working from home. Tall ceilings and outdoor views make the less than 900-square-foot home feels expansive, while foldaway cabinetry and multifunctional furniture ensures the rooms transform seamlessly from living to working mode. In lieu of a garage, an expansive screened porch brings the outside in.

OFFBeat by Nick Deaver Jes Deaver Architecture is one of nine cleverly designed homes featured in the 2024 AIA Austin Home Tours lineup.

"The forest outside our windows brings us joy from the moment we wake up in the morning," says Jonah, "while we watch the hawks and birds and drink our coffee to the period of dusk when the deer pass through on their evening foraging and the fox come out of hiding."

In the dining room, the original steel window mullions were painted Farrow and Ball's Radicchio red, along with the railings and stairs below. The dining table is vintage David Naylor, and the chairs are vintage Danish modern with custom upholstery in Ghanaian textiles.

Floor Plan of Chicago Coach House by Studio Becker Xu

White laminate and wood veneer helped the partition stay within budget, and create a clean backdrop for the couple's eclectic display of folk and outsider art, much of which was collected on their travels around the world.

“I believe in simplicity and natural materials,” says Steph. “In our home, what really pops is our things: our furniture, art, and books. And in my [Tiny Grocer] store in the same way what really pops is our products.

The steel windows were crafted by a local fabricator rather than a brand-name manufacturer to help cut down on costs.

Steph and Margaret passed on buying new furniture for the home, save for one coffee table. Consulted by their friend and interior designer Mark Ashby, that decision allowed them to spend slightly more on high-end finishes like soapstone counters, brass cabinet pulls, faucets, and tile. Overall they spent $103K on finishes, which includes drywall and painting.

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One of the couple’s favorite new details is the built-in, L-shaped bookcase in the den.

The architects at Side Angle Side added five pairs of skylights during the renovation: two pairs in the kitchen and three in the living room.