Arterberry Cooke Architecture Renovates Home for Austin Family of Five
The design team powered through supply chain issues, material cost increases and shutdowns to complete the home on time
Creating a home for a growing family, where they will create precious memories for years to come, is a huge undertaking that comes with both pressure to meet the family’s expectations and satisfaction when they are met. Austin-based architect and design firm Arterberry Cooke just undertook such a project for two Austin natives and high school sweethearts who now have two daughters and a baby boy.
The family had purchased a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath house in Austin’s Treemont neighborhood, nestled on the southwest outskirts of downtown. They hired Arterberry Cooke to make it a home. Prior to the renovation, the original floor plan was cramped and dysfunctional, with a 1990s-era blocky design. Arterberry Cooke set out to completely gut and renovate the house, to give the space a new life for the family.
“The main goal of the project was to create a modern and functional home for this family of five,” says principal architect Alice Arterberry. “The home was dated, and the homeowners needed additional square footage for their growing family. They had one main inspiration image, which was a wall of glass.”
Alice worked with Danny Spears from Captex Construction to bring their vision to life. Both Alice and Danny collaborated with the couple throughout the design and construction. Alice showed them many design iterations via schematic plans and 3-D modeling. She also collaborated with designer Petra Rupp of Collected Interiors.
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“Our collaborative approach allows us to truly create dream homes for our clients,” says Alice. “We also worked with our clients on the technical pieces of the construction documents, along with engineering and permitting for the space,” adds Danny. He and Alice collaborated on material selections including door and window specifications, countertops, tiles, light fixtures, flooring, paint colors and cabinetry. They had many on-site meetings throughout the process from initial design all the way to move-in.
Danny made a new floor plan that highlights the features of the lot and house, prioritizing natural light and functionality. It included an additional second-floor office suite, a modern kitchen, a living space that connects to a new covered patio, and a freshly landscaped yard. New doors, windows and exterior cladding were added, which came together to create a feeling of luxury throughout the entire home.
Arterberry Cooke works with Captex Construction for all new builds and renovations in the Austin area, so this strong partnership provides both efficiencies and synergies.
“We were able to seamlessly deliver the project from design to construction completion in eighteen months. Captex — with in-house trades, crews, project management and vast knowledge of the construction industry — offers a dramatically faster construction timeframe,” explains Alice.
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“Partnered with Arterberry Cooke, our team systematically specifies, designs and finalizes material selections based on material lead times and/or construction sequence,” adds Danny. “This helps to facilitate a reduced construction schedule.”
It didn’t come without challenges. This project was amid COVID and then the unprecedented ice storm in February 2021 — both of which contributed to supply chain issues, dramatic cost increases in materials and general work shutdowns. Still, they finished on time and with breathtaking results. The final renovation offers a simple and elegant design with a natural earthy palette, all catered to the homeowners’ specific needs.
“Since the home now has a tonal palette, clean lines and bright and airy spaces,” says Alice, “the family can grow with the home and make it their own for generations to come.”
They did end up executing the glass wall that was in the owner’s original inspiration. The expansive windows cover the entirety of the wall in the main area that backs up to the newly expanded backyard area.
“The wall of glass is my favorite design element of the home because it beautifully connects the indoors with the outdoors,” says Alice. The family was thrilled with the open, modern aesthetic as well as the backyard that Danny says “is the perfect place for the family to gather, entertain and relax.”
Both Alice and Danny agree that creating a home for young parents to raise their children is the ultimate task, and transforming their dreams into reality brings joy to all.
“There is nothing more meaningful in our work than building a home that serves as a foundation for a family to enjoy and experience life,” says Alice.
