When Chioco Design founder Jamie Chioco moved into his first home two decades ago, he planned to eventually remodel and add another bedroom and bathroom. The original 750-square-foot, one-bedroom home was built in 1950 on a typical infill lot in East Austin.

Over the years, he worked on the design as a side project, and in 2016 he finally came up with four viable schemes. “All would be livable and affordable,” he says. “But, I wasn’t terribly thrilled with any of them.” So, he and his wife decided to relocate the existing home and build a new one.

“The schematic design is a direct response to what I disliked about the old house,” says Jamie. “The old house was dark with little access to natural light, and it had no visual connection to the backyard, which made it feel even smaller. It couldn’t open up on nice days—so we rarely spent time in the backyard, as it was out of sight, out of mind—and was difficult to keep cool.”

The new home couldn’t be more different. The light and breezy dwelling is essentially two staggered rectangular volumes that slide past each other, creating an entrance courtyard and a rear patio and pool area that are accessed through large glass-and-timber sliding doors. As a result, the entrance leads directly to the living space at the center of the house, from which both outdoor spaces can be experienced.

These two exterior areas are conceived as outdoor rooms that extend the interior. The use of custom steel corner windows allows the interior to expand out into the landscape, making the 2,000-square-foot house feel much larger. “Because the site is flat with no standout characteristics, the challenge was to come up with a design that was more insular,” says Jamie. “It needed to create its own moments.”

The two bedrooms are separated by an open-plan living area—which contains the living room, den, dining area, and kitchen—designed for entertaining both large and small groups. “We often have a few friends over for dinner, and using spaces that feel more intimate is desirable,” explains Jamie. “Feeling connected for large groups is also important, though—I’m the youngest of six children, so being able to host my extended family is a real triumph.”

Shop the Look

The simple material palette was chosen with a focus on durability and ease of maintenance. The majority of the house is clad in a light-earth-tone modular brick, and the entry courtyard is enclosed with ipe wood screening, which will turn silver as it ages. The rectilinear form of the exposed painted steel structure is softened by planters overflowing with greenery.

Inside, exposed aggregate concrete floors are paired with elegant, white marble countertops and backsplashes and vertical-grain white oak cabinetry and wall panelling. The concrete is a bespoke mix that incorporates white limestone to create a softer, warmer feeling. Crafted materials, such as porcelain tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen and Venetian plaster in the kitchen, imbue the interior with subtle texture.

“We wanted to keep the palette small and edited,” says Jamie. “I would describe the look of the home as warm and contemporary, reminiscent of midcentury modern homes with respect to its clean simplicity of form and composition.”

The home is defined by the way it relates to the exterior through a combination of large sliding doors, tall steel windows, and skylights. These windows and doors were also the costliest element of the design. “They are essential to how the house lives, and are integral to the way we experience the day and exterior spaces,” says Jamie. “Because of the abundance of natural light, we also rarely have to turn on any lights during the day.”

The four sets of 10-foot-tall sliding doors can completely open up, turning the entire living area, outdoor patio, and entrance courtyard into one space. This effect is further emphasized by the use of the same materials for the floor and ceiling, both inside and out.

“As the design developed, I felt liberated and fortunate that I knew the site so well, and knew what was most important to the program—typically, it takes a while to pull that information out of a client, which is an exhaustive process,” says Jamie.

“It wasn’t until the pandemic forced me to work from home that I truly appreciated how the home performs. The daylighting and the interior’s relation to the exterior spaces have been the most satisfying part of sheltering in place. Taking a swim at lunch isn’t so bad either.”

More from Chioco Design:

Before & After: A Dark Austin Loft Becomes a Light-Filled Haven

Project Credits:

Design Firm: Chioco Design / @chioco_design

Builder: Miars Construction

Structural Engineer: MJ Structures

Landscape Design: Spencer Landscape Company

Interior Design: Chioco Design

Cabinetry Installation (Millwork & Panelling): E.mc Interiors

Steel Fabricator: Drophouse Design

Photography: Casey Dunn

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A Designer Swaps His 1950s House for a Bright and Airy Home Built Around a Pool