ARCHITECT TIM BROWN, AND LINDSAY TODD, AN interior designer, met while working on a developer’s project about five years ago. It became immediately apparent to both of them, the benefits of working on a house together throughout the entire process.
A few years later, they co-founded Blair Austin Studio, which filled a gap in the residential home building industry by combining forces and offering comprehensive design services, from the bones of the house on down to the cabinet pulls.
“Historically, a homeowner hires the interior designer after the architectural design is completed, which if the designer has a different language than I do, it can be a contradiction,” explained Tim. “Lindsay’s and my aesthetic aligned really well. We have the same tastes. We found that more people were wanting an all-inclusive design team rather than hiring two different companies, so we made it an integral thing and joined our companies.”
“Now it’s so much more rewarding from inception for both of us. We’re able to consider all aspects of the home from start to finish,” added Lindsay. However, in this case, the charming modern farmhouse located in Tarrytown was designed by Tim before Lindsay and he had partnered together. In fact, all of the furnishings are from the homeowners’ favorite furniture company, Restoration Hardware.
The homeowners had fallen in love with another modern farmhouse Tim had designed in Westlake and so chose him for the project. According to Tim, it’s something he’s become known for but his skillset far exceeds this sole style, which he explains is more accurately called Victorian Stick. You might well call it a cottage. It still has notable features such as the gables, but is proportionately scaled down and less ornate than a traditional Victorian home.
After first considering a remodel for the homeowners, a mature couple without children, they agreed pretty quickly that a new build would best suit their needs. They wanted a home that felt cozy but still had a lot of space and was open and full of light, which happens to be right up Tim’s alley, who designs homes to utilize not only natural light, but natural ventilation as well.
The focus of this house was on creating welcoming spaces that foster the activities the homeowners love, such as cooking, entertaining and collecting wine. With that in mind, Tim designed an open floor plan that connects the kitchen and living room. “Everyone stands around the island in the kitchen, pours wine and conversations happen.
This way no one gets left out,” Tim noted. Additionally, the house features a primary bedroom, dining area next to the front door, office space, gym, custom wine closet and two decks in the backyard along with an outdoor shower that the homeowner enjoys using for a morning shower or after working with her plants and honeybee hives.
One of the aspects that Tim appreciates most about this home is the landscaping, which was performed by West Shop Studio, also based in Austin. “Instead of planter boxes, they used board form concrete. What’s unique is that it gets knots and figures from the wood that bleeds through and gets transcribed on the concrete, so it’s so much more organic and looks like a landscaped installation, adding to the cottage feel,” shared Tim.
When asked what he loved most about the home, Tim raved about the homeowners — their kindness and positivity. “They’re very open and neighborly people and the house reflects that for them. If you look at the gate, for example, it’s not even a gate, it’s more of a decorative monument that you can walk around. It implies privacy but they’re still vulnerable, in a good way,” said Tim. “When you drive by and the lights are pouring out of the house it looks like a beacon of dignity. I really like what we did for that corner of
the neighborhood, and I’m very proud of it.”
BLAIR AUSTIN STUDIO
512-637-0400 | BlairAustinStudio.com