Texas Hill Country Meets Midcentury Modern Home Tour
This energy star certified mid-century modern custom home, with hints of Texas Hill Country inspiration, features simplicity and an integration with nature. The home was custom designed and built for a couple at the peak of their second career as Real Estate agents on the North Shore of Lake Travis, after retiring from their first career as United States Air Force pilots. Our team met the family's needs, by maximizing the extraordinary lake view from the two-acre property, provided privacy upon entry, and increased connectivity to the land so the active family could enjoy the site as much as possible. The quality of the structure was also paramount to the family who places a high regard on, sustainability, energy efficiency, and “bullet-proof bones”. Focusing on these values allowed our clients to realize over $2,100.00 in annual energy savings as compared to a standard built new home.
As you approach the home nestled in natural oak and cedar groves, down the meandering circle drive, you notice it tucked away on a flat ridge that dramatically drops into a cove of Lake Travis. The home was sited strategically to save hardwood trees for landscaping use and privacy. The metal standing seam sloped roof and cantilevered entry, immediately creates a mid-century modern aura and elevates The Hollows community in which the house is situated. Exterior finishes are balanced with local linear limestone to contribute to the hill-country vibe, contrasted with concrete-look stucco to nod to the modern style. The garage was angled specifically to fit the site and avail the view for the main house, while working around trees provided desired privacy. The wood tone steel C.H.I. garage door aesthetically blends with the home and surroundings, while the 9.65 R-Value insulation provides a year-round comfortability in this 3-car garage.
Drawing you into the home, a v-groove wood wrapped front entry and outdoor ceilings, wood-look garage doors and siding provide warmth and tie in the mid-century style. To tie in modern elements to the home’s exterior, the clients choose a Cantera custom manufactured pivoting hinge steel front door with streamlined Rejuvenation and Schoolhouse lighting and Andersen Low-E Windows.
Another goal was to minimize the presence of the home from the street to make it nearly invisible to the public. Therefore, turning the axis of the home sideways to the lot not only maximized the view but also helped achieve privacy. With both parents occasionally working from home, the front office is for the father as “protector of the family” and the mother uses the hobby room as her office for a visual hub of the home, with a sight-line straight into the family room, then onto the outdoor patio, and backyard lake-view.
The overall design of this mid-century modern home is simple with private spaces “ringing” the central, perfectly proportioned family space which includes the kitchen, dining, and family rooms. The connectivity to the site is achieved with a 24 foot Fleetwood sliding glass door, and by daylighting with transoms over the entire family area, inclusive of the kitchen. The expansive glass used in the main living areas seamlessly invites nature and the exceptional lake view into the home.
The 2:12 roof slope gives perfect proportions for the family space, and is highlighted with exposed wood beams on the ceiling in the main living area and the master bedroom to create texture, warmth and a wow factor that draws you into the space as soon as you enter the front door, and perfectly complements the medium tone white oak wood floors. Lastly, dark cabinets in the kitchen and family room ground each end of the large common area creating focal points and balance.
In the kitchen, Sherwin Williams Iron Ore painted woodwork creates a focal point, and strong contrast against the white marble-like quartz countertop. Slab front cabinet doors drive the modern design, and the clean, barely-there hardware design, offers up a fresh, minimal style. Ceaserstone Emperia White quartz sits on top of the dark cabinets and wraps up the wall as backsplash to provide continuity of space. Paired with the dark cabinets, the dramatic veins in the quartz pop to create its own moment as an art piece on surfaces and walls.
Wood paneling accents on the island, along with thin profile custom built floating shelves were chosen as a nod to realistic mid-century finishes. Simple, custom length lighting, inspired by mid-century architecture retains a delicate, sculptural quality that illuminates a room even when unlit. These Schoolhouse Luna Pendant's milky finish imparts a moon-like glow, adding to the organic feel of nature surrounding the main indoor living area.
As you walk into the master bedroom and ensuite, you will notice it is intentionally situated at the rear of the home for separation from the three growing boys, whose bedrooms are in the middle area of the design with their own “boy’s area” nearer the garage. The medium-toned hardwood floors and exposed wood beams on the ceiling in the master bedroom draw you in to the space and your eyes out the oversized casement windows overlooking Lake Travis. Client-specific custom features in the master suite are the direct access to the feminine laundry from her walk-in closet, with an impressive Rejuvenation oversized pendant atop her custom built-in desk.
The master bathroom feels intentionally designed by pulling exterior materials indoors. Upon entry to the bath, your eyes are immediately drawn to the oversized glass-enclosed streamlined modern shower. This linear and bright stacked tile, mimics white limestone on the exterior, and allows natural light in from the transom above. Dual controls with a rain-head shower and cantilevered quartz bench create a clean spa-like atmosphere.
The clients chose a dark tone modern vertical paneling, with slim profile custom made framed metal mirrors, that added a truly mid-century element to this space. A touch of femininity was added with the contrasting polished nickel Kohler Purist line plumbing fixtures and Shades of Light light fixtures. Floating rift sawn oak wood cabinets and custom made wooden cabinet pulls, create an organic and truly custom space for both the husband and wife.
The concrete look oversized floor-tile was intentionally chosen to compliment the concrete look exterior stucco and will transition well to the outdoor space adjacent to the master bath. Perhaps the most custom component of the entire home is the direct access to an outdoor shower area, created by a perfectly hidden, but secure custom made exterior door. This simple, seamless integration with nature, is a keystone element to mid-century modern architecture.
This project would not have been possible without the dedication of our Client's and the expertise of our Younger Homes® Team, our Architect, Donovan Davis with Danze and Davis Architects, and our Designer, Haley Manning with Haley Manning Design. To put a cherry on top of this project, the home is currently a finalist in the Austin Home Builders Association MAX Awards, and truly deserving.
If you are interested in a detailed features list for this home, please email us at hello@younger-homes.com. For more photos of this property and other Younger Homes® projects, join us on Houzz or Instagram.
Photographers: Craig Washburn + Jenna McElroy
