Houzz Tour: Visit a Forward Thinking Family Complex
Four planned structures on a double lot smartly make room for the whole family or future renters
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
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When two parents with nine kids needed a home base in Austin, Texas, they decided to create their own. They scooped up a double lot in up-and-coming East Austin and hired architect and builder Finn Sigurdsson, an Icelandic transplant and owner of the design-build firm ísARK Studio. Working together, Sigurdsson and the clients created a master plan complete with different units that the children could potentially rent from them as their lifestyles changed and their families grew. The plans also look to the future, keeping appeal for nonfamily renters and future resale in mind.
The master plan is for a small development that will include two duplexes, a single-family home and a small cottage. "With the population of Austin expanding, it makes sense to create more dense housing," says project manager Taryn Hall. "Though the family tends toward more traditional style, we designed a style we like to call urban ranch. We believe it fits in with the eclectic and edgy neighborhood, and focused on a design for the units that could be easily rented and/or sold in the future."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: One of the grown sons, his wife and four children rent one duplex; one of the daughters, a nursing school student, and some of her friends rent the other.
Location: Central East Austin, Texas
Size: Unit A: 1,875 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms; unit B: 1,650 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms; about 1,050 square feet of built outdoor spaces. Other units are still in the planning stages.
The master plan is for a small development that will include two duplexes, a single-family home and a small cottage. "With the population of Austin expanding, it makes sense to create more dense housing," says project manager Taryn Hall. "Though the family tends toward more traditional style, we designed a style we like to call urban ranch. We believe it fits in with the eclectic and edgy neighborhood, and focused on a design for the units that could be easily rented and/or sold in the future."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: One of the grown sons, his wife and four children rent one duplex; one of the daughters, a nursing school student, and some of her friends rent the other.
Location: Central East Austin, Texas
Size: Unit A: 1,875 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms; unit B: 1,650 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms; about 1,050 square feet of built outdoor spaces. Other units are still in the planning stages.
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| Saving existing trees on the lot was a priority. "We built the units on piers instead of a poured slab, out of sensitivity toward the environment," project manager Hall says. The units embrace the trees as part of the design, which gives them a tree house feel. |
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| Sigurdsson's Icelandic upbringing influenced his approach to the design. "Trees are very scarce in Iceland, so wood is something that is often used sparingly," he says. Slats of natural cedar around a patio and cedar overhangs provide much-needed shade from the hot Texas sun. "I pushed for a modern element with the raw stucco but used the cedar to stitch together the modern elements with the more traditional Craftsman features," he says. "I really like the warmth it brings to the duplex against the cool stucco." |
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Sigurdsson prioritized sustainable elements. Saving the trees left a natural canopy that shades the house. All of the windows are designed to let in the optimum amount of natural light without letting the sun overheat the rooms. The windows have double panes and are filled with argon gas, which helps keep the indoors cool. The siding is high-performance insulated stucco. The insulation is spray-foam Icynene that also helps keep in the cool air.
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A system that includes rain chains and French drains captures the water, which is then distributed underground to the trees and designated garden areas. "We xeriscaped as much as possible, then directed the water we could gather to designated spots," Hall says.
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| For example, this concrete planter receives runoff water through the underground system. |
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| Balconies and decks provide private outdoor spaces. Siding: smooth Hardie board and batten in Boothbay Blue and Smooth Hardie board lap siding in Heathered Moss |
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| On the patio, the cedar slats let in the breeze and some sunlight while providing privacy from the shared outdoor spaces. |
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| The residents share a central lawn planted with zoysia grass. "This grass can tolerate wide variations in temperature, sunlight and moisture," Hall says. |
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| We'll take a peek inside unit A, where the family of six lives. An open plan makes the living spaces feel larger. "We tried to design a space that was as flexible as possible, so that it would appeal to a wide range of people in the future for renting or resale," Hall says. "On the interior I did away with ornamentation and tried to keep it streamlined," Sigurdsson says. "Craftsman homes traditionally have lots of trim; we opted to do away with the trim, but the wood benches, shelves and Shaker-style cabinets help make the home an accessible and flexible palette for the future." Paint: Repose Gray, Sherwin-Williams |
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| "We had a lot of voices throwing out ideas, which was interesting and challenging," Hall says. For instance, the family of six wanted an eat-in kitchen where they could gather for meals, so Sigurdsson created this high-top table/kitchen island. "This is a huge family center point which truly serves as the heart of the home," he says. A clever alder footrest detail on the island provides extra storage space in the column and a favorite napping spot for the cat. Chandelier, pendants, Alexandra brushed nickel, Thomas Lighting |
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| Everything in the kitchen was customized to meet the family's needs while keeping future renters and owners in mind. "The adult son lived in Japan while serving the military for several years, and had a lot of china he'd brought back and wanted to display, so we incorporated glass cabinet doors," Hall says. They also took the cabinets up to the 10-foot-high ceilings for maximum storage. Cabinets: custom designed by ísARK Studio, built by Dovetail Woodworking |
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| Windows looking out into the tree canopy give the home a tree house feel. Tile: Anatolia glass tile, Bliss Linear Mosaic 5/8 inch, Iceland AC35-016 |
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| The owner also has a ranch in Bellville, Texas. When some trees there had to come down, Sigurdsson reclaimed the wood for shelves in both the Austin units. He cut, planed and installed the pieces on custom brackets. This is one of the many advantages of hiring an architect who is also a builder and skilled carpenter. |
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| In the living area, Sigurdsson mounted a long live-edge media shelf. |
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"We kept the bathrooms small in order to maximize the living spaces and bedrooms," Hall says. Sigurdsson designed this custom sink unit to make the most of the small space and add architectural interest. It has a waterfall faucet.
Faucet: Pfister Kenzo
Faucet: Pfister Kenzo
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The team chose a waterfall faucet for the master bathroom as well. The countertops and sink are travertine.
The clients scored the tile, countertop and sink at auction, which cut some costs. The custom vanity is alder wood with a dark walnut stain, and the door to the bathroom is a barn door.
The clients scored the tile, countertop and sink at auction, which cut some costs. The custom vanity is alder wood with a dark walnut stain, and the door to the bathroom is a barn door.
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| The master bath incorporates everything the couple wanted, including a soaking tub. A high, wide window lets in the natural light. |
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| Here is the first-floor plan for this unit. |
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| And here is the second-floor plan. Whether family members occupy the units, rent them out or wind up selling them off in the years to come, they are adding smart housing options and fostering a sense of community in East Austin. |
Ideabook published on Feb. 9, 2013.
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You caught the continuity error. ;) The photograher stood on one of the chairs for that picture.
While the home was designed with the current tenants in mind it was also designed to be flexible for the future. The family has two toddlers who sit in high chairs (not seen in pictures) and the island can sit 7 with space for a kids table when they have family feasts. The inside-outside courtyard also serves as additional dining/entertaining space when the weather is good, which is often in Austin, TX. The footprint of the home was not large (in order to protect the trees) so we tried to be thoughtful about maximizing the space.
Traditionally if doing a true cantilever you might use a 1/3:2/3 ratio to start with. You can also span up to 3′-0″ for 1-1/4" thick granite but this of course depends on the particular instance. We wanted to create something that would have a great feeling of lightness but be very secure.
The white cabinets facing into the kitchen have four 4" posts on each side of the cabinets then the center alder cabinet and a backing of plywood and braces support the rest of the slab. Underneath the footrest and the cabinet there is another alder box it but remains out of site. The footrest also rests on brackets attached to the white cabinets (routed in and concealed). The hope was to make this massive unit look like it was floating but to also serve a dual purpose by adding a little additional storage and having a nice place to rest your feet while grounding/distributing the weight of the unit.
Thanks for question! Please let us know if you have any additional ones.
Kind Regards,
Taryn
isARK Studio Design-Build
512-522-3396
info@isarkstudio.com
Yes indeed, simmering pots are something to be thoughtful about and you have a great point. Our clients really wanted a feature like this and we believe that this was the place that would allow it to be most visually prominent and balanced within the space but did try to be considerate about how this would function.
We installed an appropriately sized and very efficient range hood that goes directly to the outside (rather than just self-circulating) and have found this removes greasy fumes from the air. The cabinets also have a glossy sprayed finish that allows for easy clean up if a simmering pot gets out of hand.
We believe this feature helped make the space feel much larger than it is and added a lot of additional storage. So far it has been a well loved feature in both of the units. However, short of a good lid for your pots on the backburners this is definitely a feature that requires some additional consideration, or maybe a bit more occasional cleaning as a trade-off.
Kind Regards,
Taryn
isARK Studio Design-Build
We believe that a duplex can still have the feeling of a single family home and is a great idea for the future. We placed the stairs, closets and bathrooms at the common wall so you'd have great privacy too. Best of luck with your project and let us know if you have any questions.
I greatly appreciate your comment about being cheap, as we definitely had a budget on this project and we did everything we could to stretch the dollar in the most effective way. ;) However, budget was not the factor the determined the size and placement of the windows and doors.
The clerestory windows were placed on the sides of the building that would see the greatest amounts of sun (south/west) or if privacy was needed (bathrooms, interior facing rooms). Each bedroom or living room that had them would also have either full lite glass french doors or other larger operable windows on the adjacent walls. There was over 65 windows (including the full lite glass doors- a few windows are missing in the plans featured here) in these units. Light was very important to the family and energy efficiency of the home for years to come was important to us and we feel that we were able to achieve both. Either way, we can certainly appreciate that some people just don't like clerestory windows.
Kind Regards,
Finn Sigurdsson
isARK Studio Design-Build
There are insulated, energy efficient, Energy Star rated windows on the market.
The major feature of a room are the windows. No amount of custom sinks, etc will make up for that.
Poor design is poor design, it can't be excused.
I used the word cheap earlier which is rude and inelegant. I apologize.
Thank you for your comment. Windows today (even high-end triple pane) are unfortunately still not as energy efficient as one might think (or hope!). Having thoughtful and selective placement will always be the most affordable and efficient option. We take building science seriously and used argon gas filled, lowE coated windows, sun shades and thoughtful placement. The r-value (energy efficiency value, the higher the value the better) one can achieve with triple pane is around r-4 while double pane with argon is around r-3. The average new construction exterior wall will achieve r-18 to r-20 (our walls were in excess of r-30), As you can imagine r-4 would still result in a lot of cool air lost and heat gain in the summer months (especially here in the South). When you factor in the added cost (over 30% more for triple pane to achieve only 1 more r-value point) the triple pane just wasn't possible or the best approach for this project.
In this home each room is bright, with the view of treetops all around and if you're sitting in the soaking tub you can be looking up at the stars at night (without having to worry about a peeping tom) and the energy bill wouldn't make you think twice about the choices later on.
All of the sinks we used were not custom but ordered from vendors (off the shelf) or bought at very affordable prices from auctions along with a number of items that we sourced. This was not a high-end luxury home but we feel we we're able to do a great deal regardless of the budget and scope.
Kind Regards,
Finn
isARK Studio
I know in my house we HAVE the huge window--and I am not always a fan. IT is so big that it dominates the wall and the room--and not in a good well designed way! IT is too low to really place a couch in front of without looking awkward. The curtains needed to cover it make for a huge color and texture consideration for the rest of the furnishings. (And they can cost the earth!). IT is also--altho an energy efficient gas filled design---COLD. Freezing in fact in our frigid Upstate NY winters. And in the summer morning the due East facing glass BAKES the room! No winning here! An awning would help but the wind here on the top of our mountain won't allow for one.
We also have another LARGE window in the dining end of our combo kitchen/eat in dining space. And that too is annoying--the drapes; the lack of any way to place a table BUT in front of it---and COLD. And in case THAT wasn't enough glass someone ADDED a sliding glass door to that part of the room! Which was SO COLD I blocked it with foam board and put a "window quilt" over it. And it is STILL COLD.
So---you can have TOO much glass--and I suppose too little. What works for one area of the world won't ness work for another. Whereas Austin has many many fine weather days--and surely this young family will be out and about on most of them!--here we have many many freezing dark days. Stuck staring at those large heat wasting holes thru the side of the house!
I think the "Multi Purpose Compound" is GORGEOUS BTW and I am not usually a big fan of "modern" but --this one works!
Thanks for the kind words! I'm sure the spaces would be even more successful with some of your fine art work on the walls!
Taryn
isARK Studio Design-Build
The wood flooring is a solid hardwood 2 1/4" plank Brazilian Chestnut (also sometimes called Kumaru or Southern Chestnut). It is a very hard wood. We liked the skinny planks because it made it feel more like and old refinished hardwood subfloor instead of new construction. Durability was also key because of the future potential for kids, renters, animals and general wear and tear. Each plank has a fair amount of variation in color/tone so it's important to have an installer who is skilled working with variation. I think hickory is also a great option if you're looking for a way to have a rustic but streamlined feel.
The flooring in the master is a porcelain but I don't have a whole lot of information because it was purchased at auction for a steal of a deal. They come in planks and we created a herringbone pattern out of them.
Happy Remodeling!
Taryn
isARK Studio Design-Build
Thanks for your comment. I would love to share the site plan with you- however, part of the development is still undergoing permitting and we would rather wait to get final approval. I will talk with the rest of the team and see if we can dig up some of the 'schematic' drawings and get back to you. Thank you for your interest, we look forward to keeping you posted as we progress!
Kind Regards,
Taryn
isARK Studio Design-Build
I like the way the common wall is not in any of the living areas.
You say you had R30 walls? What was the material or construction method?
I would also be interested in how the whole complex gets laid out, and how much land it occupies.
@Brandonsims ... the "wall of glass" design concept has its attractions, but the thermodynamics of windows means that they are always your main source of heat gain and loss. Its only practical in all-year mild climates, or for those with Bill Gates-size heating budgets. And, most houses don't have enough of a view to warrant installing them.
Some states - New Mexico being one - limit the square footage of glass in a certain % of the build area. It makes you careful with your "glass budget".
Siting small windows so they frame views from the spots people will be occupying can be interesting. My sisters upstairs bath had a low, oddly placed window. You only realized why it was there when you sat on the toilet and saw the Golden Gate Bridge from your "throne".
Thanks so much! Your kind words are greatly appreciated. We're flattered by all the thoughtful posts and encouraged when we have the opportunity to share something new with someone else.
Thanks,
Taryn
isARK Studio Design-Build
We greatly appreciate that you think it has a smaller feel because that was exactly the approach we hoped to achieve. The neighborhood is mostly 1 story single family homes so it was important for us to make it not stick out in an aggressive fashion. Having a thoughtful footprint while creating density in central Austin is also something we're passionate about. The city is growing at an exponential rate and we need to find ways to have denser housing in the center while also being very mindful of the sensitive water table. Austin sits on a healthy aquifer which keeps things green but we're in a 3 year drought so it's our responsibility to be thoughtful as we grow.
We used advanced framing techniques with 6" cavities (using 2x6 studs 24" on center) and then used plywood sheathing with insulated foam sheets. We used icynene sprayfoam insulation in the interior cavities and 5/8" drywall throughout instead of the standard 1/2". A 10' plate height and jumper ducts (vents at the top of each door way) also help hot air flow up and keeps the interior spaces cooler.
This lot is just a bit over over 7000 sq ft, the footprint was about 1800 sqft . The land the entire development will be on was originally 2 large lots (totaling about 20k sqft) combined and subdivided into 3 lots.
I'd also love to have the chance to see the view from your sisters throne. Sounds like a great design feature.
Thanks for your thoughts and comments!
Finn Sigurdsson
isARK Studio Design-Build
Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
That's a great question about fitting into the neighborhood. Our hope was not to blend into the surroundings but rather be thoughtful of them and not stick out in an aggressive way.
I'm also glad to hear that the footrest jumps out at you, as this was also the goal. ;) We feel the design of the footrest was unique and designed it with the hope that folks would take notice of it. The tone of the wood also matches the tonality of the live edge shelves throughout the space. I believe surprises and headscratches are beautiful things and I'm always thankful for them.
Feel free to check out the rest of the house and Unit 2 in our projects.
Thanks again for your thoughts!
Taryn
isARK Studio