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A screened porch is located at the junction of the home’s two circulation axes. Nakamoto Forestry Gendai Linseed Black yakisugi cladding wraps the interior walls while a natural wood ceiling adds warmth overhead. “In the summertime the screened porch is where we love to have family dinners and unwind in the evenings,” says homeowner, Joe.

A generous covered entry porch provides a sheltered connection between the main house and a small garage and workshop. The warm-toned wood soffit creates a striking contrast against the charred Japanese cedar cladding, while the open breezeway beyond frames a view through to the woods.

Now, built-in sofas line the perimeter of the room and utilize the room’s shape better.

The fireplace and hearth are clad in soapstone, which the team liked for the contrast and movement in the veining. The new window above the sliding door provides "a view of the sky and then just a flood of daylight coming in," says Fowler.

Ann Sacks terrazzo tile covers the floor and backsplash. The sinks were fabricated by a local artisan, Cement Elegance.

In the main bath, Arto tile from Tempest Tileworks in turquoise was combined with Benjamin Moore paint in the color Boca Raton.

The entry has an open feel, with no doors into the living space or the garage area.

Architect Michael Campbell renovated an upstate New York retreat for a Brooklyn family. The garage was separate and had an illegal ADU upstairs, so Campbell built a foyer that connects it with the home.

In the kitchen, a striking central island is large enough for the boys to do their homework, while Bhavani and her mother cook dinner. The granite is from AAA Countertops, the stove is BlueStar, and the fridge is Sub-Zero. A flex space (which holds workout gear and Bhavani's office) sits just off the kitchen.

For her parents' bathroom, Bhavani pushed them towards this orange tile, noting that "usually [they] love all white." Adaptive measures—a curb-less shower, grab bars, and a built-in bench—allow for independence while aging in place. The floor and wainscoting are porcelain terrazzo.

An outdoor shower features two tones of tile from Clay Imports. The smaller, blue squares are the same ones used for the pool's trim.

A two-sided fireplace between the living and dining rooms provides separation while maintaining subtle connection. The terra-cotta tiles (from Clay Imports) are a nod to traditional Indian and Portuguese design. The dining room isn't directly near any windows, so Bhavani carved a deep light well above it to bring in natural light.

Bhavani describes the boys' playroom as "another periscope moment." Perched at the northwest corner of the house, it looks over the backyard, framing a large oak tree in two sets of stacked windows.

While Bhavani's older son swims as a sport, the entire family—including Lollipop the Pit Bull mix—loves an afternoon in the pool. The architect and her husband chose gravel and hardscape for the backyard, so they didn't have to constantly water a lawn in the Austin heat.

Blue tile is a visual through-line in all aspects of the project, as seen here in the ADU's backsplash.

A utilitarian entryway featuring birch cabinetry is softened with an earthenware vase and an ornate mirror. White oak flooring spans the home.

A covered walkway connects the main house (at left) with a flexible-use ADU. The smaller structure was initially offered to Bhavani's parents, but they opted to live under the same roof as the rest of the family.

The impactful entry cladding—made from combed Alaskan Yellow Pine—and the custom front door were splurges in the project’s budget. Bhavani calls the back addition a "periscope" because of how it rises above the original home’s footprint.

The hearth is made with stones one of the owners collected at the beach.