Austin Family Home With a Cool Scandi Vibe

Architect Alice Arterberry of Arterberry Cooke puts a sophisticated Scandinavian spin on a '90s Austin home in need of a stylish upgrade.

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July 20, 2022

By: Kamron Sanders

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Photo By: Madeline Harper

A '90s Home Is Brought Into the 21st Century

The ‘90s and early aughts were filled with their fair share of cookie-cutter homes. Now two decades have passed and many of these homes are nearing their first renovation. As architect Alice Arterberry knows, a keen architectural eye and a strong vision are all it takes to transform a home from drab to fab. Her firm Arterberry Cooke, alongside interior designer Petra Rupp of Collected Interiors, recently brought a 1996 Austin home into the 21st century for a young couple with a growing family.

Painted Stucco and Black Accents Make for a Modern Exterior

The couple’s needs were simple: Add space and modernize the home — starting with the exterior. The new stucco was painted with Benjamin Moore’s Gray Mist, a subtle gray that beautifully contrasts with the black windows and door, as well as the stark standing-seam roof. “The owners wanted something stunning yet understated, and given the minimalist design, we wanted something that was warm and inviting,” notes Alice.

A Glass Front Door Connects the Home to the Outdoors

The home features a petite, narrow entryway that connects the front door to the completely open floor plan. While small in size, the entry makes a big impact on the overall design of the home. “Flow and privacy are the most important elements for maximizing this space. The glass door and window above provide light and enhance the modern feel of the home, but the biggest impact for this project is the connection to the outdoors and the heart of the home,” explains Alice. “The entry beckons you to head to the outdoor living space through a wall of glass at the rear of the home, but because it is set forward, it still feels private.”

Modern Finishes Combine to Create a Sophisticated Scandi Vibe

Stepping into the home reveals an interior that’s anything but cookie-cutter. Minimalistic decor, modern finishes and sleek two-toned cabinets lend the space a sophisticated Scandi vibe, while the rustic feel of the wide-plank white oak floors cozies up the big open space.

A Massive Island Is Hiding a Few Handy Secrets

The star of the kitchen and dining area is the massive white oak island, which features a sprawling Mont Blanc quartzite top. However, its most impressive features are hidden. Discretely tucked behind the white oak are two Miele dishwashers, a warming drawer and built-in trash and recycling areas, all ensuring the island is as practical as it is pretty.

Scandinavian-Inspired Kitchen Balances Pretty and Practical

Just like the island, the rest of the kitchen effortlessly balances practical and pretty with a series of clever material choices. The paneled refrigerator and freezer blend seamlessly into the upper cabinets, but the glass panel to the left allows a sneak peek into the wine cooler. A short section of white oak shelving creates cohesion between the sleek white upper cabinets and the warm wood below.

Materials Take Centerstage in This Minimalist Kitchen

In a minimalist kitchen like this, every detail counts. This is even more crucial in a home with such an open layout, as the space is visible from nearly every main living space. “Cabinetry was one of the most design-intensive parts of the project because it touches every room and is both highly aesthetic and highly functional,” says Alice. “We start with what we want to achieve, and as the design of the larger elements takes shape, we can hone in on materials and the details that emphasize our goals.”

Dark Wood and an Ornate Chandelier Give This Dining Room Moody Charm

Across from the kitchen, bridged by the built-in bar, is the home’s dining room. While the two spaces visually blend in the big picture, the dark wood of the live-edge acacia table, the unique leather dining chairs and the Hammerton Studios gem chandelier create an elegant and moody moment that makes the dining area feel decidedly separate.

Massive Windows Flood This Dining Room With Natural Light

Surrounding the dining table is one of Alice’s most impactful architectural choices. Wall-to-wall glass framed in black offers a panoramic view of the outdoor entertaining space and private backyard. The extensive wall of glass connects the indoors with the outdoors both visually and physically, as the glass opens to the outdoor living room.

Wall-to-Wall Glass Connects Indoor and Outdoor Living Spaces

The wall of glass continues across the main floor into the living room, where the endless supply of natural light bounces off the white walls and neutral fabrics of the sofa, chairs and rug. The formal living room mirrors the outdoor living room through the window, which enhances the continuity of the indoor-outdoor living experience.

The Glow From the Interior Adds Ambiance to This Outdoor Living Room

The wall of glass has a similar effect when viewed from the outside, which is only exaggerated at night. The warm glow from inside creates a captivating coziness that makes the outdoor living space feel like an extension of the home’s sophisticated interior while maintaining its own personality. “We incorporate elements to tie them together, but it's not important to me that the outdoors perfectly reflect the interiors because they’re two very different environments,” says Alice. “I love to use natural materials outside and make it a comfortable space where families will want to spend time together.”

A Powder Room Is the Perfect Place to Make a Design Statement

The design team designated the powder room as a unique design moment that strays from the home’s minimalist Scandi vibe. They lined the walls and ceiling with detailed patterned wallpaper and installed a curvy gold mirror and a teardrop light fixture for visual impact. Statement-making powder rooms are becoming more and more on-trend. “It’s a way to show some of your unique style and make a statement without committing to it throughout the whole house. I personally love it!” says Alice.

A Gorgeous Mudroom Is a Must-Have for Austin's Unpredictable Weather

Just inside the home's back entrance is a moody mudroom with gray built-ins, brass coat hooks and a bench to boot. The space is a must-have for the active family. "It’s an attractive place for the family to hang their coats and take their shoes off after coming in from outside. Mudrooms are important in Austin to provide for active lives and our unpredictable weather," explains Alice.

A Neutral Backdrop Allows Colorful Art to Pop

The main bedroom rounds out the wall of glass that surrounds the outdoor living area. The design team opted for a neutral base in each of the home’s bedrooms, which allows the subtle bits of color to shine. “This is something that the homeowners requested. It’s a great way to tie all the rooms together and to highlight color with decor and art. I really love color, but sometimes I prefer to use it more subtly,” Alice explains. “In the end, the effect is the same.”

A Custom Mirror Is Cut to Feature Side-by-Side Sconces

Following suit with a neutral color palette, the main bathroom feels simple yet elegant. The white backdrop of the walls, vanity, marble top and tile allows the sleek hardware to stand out, but the real showstopper is the mirror, which has been custom cut to have brass vanity lights mounted directly to it.

A Cool Gray Palette Makes This Guest Bedroom Calming and Cozy

The guest bedroom continues the neutral aesthetic but leans heavily into the gray side of things, making it feel similar but not without personality. Sheer linen curtains soften the flood of light through the bay window while a multicolored art piece ushers in the crucial pop of color.

Little Details Give Bathrooms Personality

In a home with multiple bathrooms, giving each one a distinguished personality while maintaining a common design theme can be difficult. Alice says, “It’s all in the little details, but the key is to start with a color palette or style that is unique to each individual bathroom. Next, adding personality to each space with different hardware, tile and countertops throughout the bathrooms makes the bathrooms feel unique but connected.” In the Austin home, she says, “The homeowner also incorporated plants, decor and art that complemented the spaces and added warmth, charm and sophistication.”

This Young Girls' Bedroom Is Sophisticated But Fun

The girls’ bedroom is whimsical and fun. Soft blush hues intertwined with beige and white create a surprisingly sophisticated vibe, while vibrant rainbow paintings above each bed remind you that it’s still a room for children. True to form, the design team's artwork choices are always very intentional. “Balance is definitely key. Design elements in a bedroom require more balance as that helps them feel calmer and more peaceful,” Alice advises. "I try to use natural materials, add bright pops of color in the decor and get a sense of the specific interests and preferences of the children when designing their rooms."

Clever Storage Is a Must in Children's Bedrooms

To help keep your little one’s bedroom looking beautiful (or at least presentable), Alice recommends “adding built-ins, shelving that can be used as seating with baskets to conceal the jumble of toys and other storage that looks like furniture. It may not stay perfect, but it certainly helps!”

A Designer Spin Is Put on This Baby Boy's Nursery

With a baby boy on the way, a nursery was on the couple's must-have list. Rather than take the worn-out path of the basic blue nursery, the design team opted to create a space that is an effortless extension of the home. "We wanted it to be a cozy and calm area. It also needed to be big enough to transition into a bedroom to prepare for the future," says Alice.

A Second-Story Addition Makes Room for a Fun Office Space

One of the biggest changes made to the home was the addition of office space above the garage, which Alice adds is a common request given the growing trend of remote working. "In addition, adding space in this neighborhood is a good investment as it is very desirable, given its central location and great schools," she adds.