River House

“We take houses built in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s, and we make them look like the 1870s or 1880s or 1890s,” explains Jack Alessio Pretto of Retroject Projects.

A vintage apron front sink now anchors the kitchen, with new cabinetry, drawer pulls by Linnea, and honed granite countertops.

Scott Specht of Specht Novak Architects designed a 1,200-square-foot home in Austin for him and his wife, Shiraz Bakshai. The house features 2 bedrooms, 2 bathroom, and, notably, no exterior-facing windows.

The windows direct views all the way through the front facade through to the western exposure.

The new kitchen includes plenty of cabinet space for Alicia’s baking tools.

A hand-carved bird from Slow Roads hangs in the primary bedroom.

Lizz's parents—architect Louis Wasserman and landscape architect Caren Connolly—designed the house to take advantage of its hillside setting.

The kitchen is from Classic Kitchens Direct, with the cabinetry colour matched with Farrow & Ball’s Duck Pond green paint which has been used on the living room walls.

Davis used the same material to build furniture, including beds for his master bedroom.

Conceived more similar to a loft space rather than a traditional single family home, the homeowner was seeking to challenge a normal arrangement of rooms in favor of spaces that are dynamic in all 3 dimensions, interact with the yard, and capture the movement of light and air.

The spacious, covered deck is ready for anything. “From snowstorms to eclipse, we can play here,” says Adair. It’s turned into a big gathering space for their community; sometimes the family hosts film screenings en plein air.

Eva designed new, curved stairs with a smooth plaster surface that contrasts with the roughness of some of the exposed stones. A few of her ceramics fill the niche under them, and skylights bring in sunshine from above. The table, bought locally for about 20 euros at a garage sale, is made of olive wood.

“Being perched on the hilltop at Spyon Cop is like nothing else,” says client Siobhan Turner. “My favourite experience of the house is sitting in my Ercol chair or, in nice weather, out on the deck, coffee in hand, watching the sun rise over the valley.”

Natural materials such as concrete, stone, and wood give the architecture a rugged honesty.

Next to the entrance is an area map etched in aluminum by Black Mountain Marking.

The kitchen almost blends into the background of the home, thanks to the all-over use of plywood across the cabinetry, appliances, and ceiling.

The kitchen area has room for eating, and plenty of storage.