Empty Nesters Reimagine A 3-Story Austin Home

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contemporary exterior landscape

Nestled into a hillside near downtown Austin, a residence is the ideal perch for a pair of empty nesters.

contemporary entry staircase gold accents

Designer Vickee Byrum furnished the entry of this Austin home with a Nathan Yong credenza from Design Within Reach, a Jan Showers lamp and mirror, a rug from Black Sheep Unique and an Oly bench from Stockton Hicks Laffey. The Venetian-plaster walls by Zita Art lead up the stairs to a Joyce Howell painting from Wally Workman Gallery.

contemporary living room glass windows...

D'Nova Design fabricated draperies using Holly Hunt Great Plains sheer linen to soften the natural light streaming into the living room. A Holly Hunt cocktail table and sofa--which holds throw pillows D'Nova Design created with Hermès fabric from George Cameron Nash--team with a Herman Miller Eames walnut stool and walnut lounge chairs from Design Within Reach. The rug is Kyle Bunting.

contemporary kitchen barstools quartz countertops...

In the kitchen, Bride's Veil barstools from Phase Design in Los Angeles line Silestone quartz countertops and custom walnut cabinetry by Henrybuilt. The faucet is Rohl, and the range and hood are Wolf. Art by Natasha Stylius is from Austin Galleries.

contemporary dining area kitchen gray...

The dining area between the kitchen and living room showcases a stunning custom chandelier by Mark Figueredo Studio. Holly Hunt chairs surround the Oly table from Stockton Hicks Laffey.

contemporary outdoor sitting area

In the back of the house, landscape designer Bill Roberts of 3 Phase Design Studio created an outdoor living area marked by an ipe wood wall. A pair of chairs and a footstool from Dedon's Mbrace collection sit atop tricolored limestone paving.

contemporary bathroom neutral sconces sandstone...

Interlude Home's Laurent drink table from Objets, Ltd. sits next to the master bathroom's Stone Forest tub, situated on honed sandstone Solistone flooring. A Bella Figura pendant from Ferrell Mittman hangs above, while Tech Lighting sconces from Lights Fantastic are affixed to the wall. Art is by Kate Breakey from Stephen L. Clark Gallery, the medicine cabinets are Robern, and the faucets are Kohler.

contemporary bedroom blue accents white...

The master bedroom's custom A. Rudin bed from EC Dicken holds an SDH silken Legna quilt from Wildflower Organics; Shabby Slips fabricated the throw pillows. The hanging shade is Alexa Hampton for Circa Lighting. The Houlès sheer fabric and Christian Fischbacher navy drapery material, both from David Sutherland, complement a rug from Black Sheep Unique. Lamps from Times Two Design by Lauren Renfrow top custom SYD nightstands.

For an empty nester Austin couple seeking an urban, walk-to-dinner lifestyle in their new home nestled near downtown into a hillside among oak trees, designer Vickee Byrum of Yellow Door Design planned “a sophisticated, elegant residence reminiscent of a NYC pied-a-terre overlooking Central Park,” she says.

Working with the existing architectural bones of the three-story home–which had undergone a renovation in recent years that involved a team from Dick Clark + Associates–Byrum incorporated a color palette of blues and grays. She also brought in standout lighting, including custom designs by Mark Figueredo Studio as well as other meaningful ceiling fixtures and sconces. Soft textures such as partly translucent white linen draperies soften the modern spaces.

Byrum enlisted the expertise of landscape designer CK Bill Roberts of 3 Phase Design Studio to give the outdoor-oriented husband more exterior living space. In a previously unusable area, a Brazilian ipe wood wall now gives way to tri-colored limestone paving, a fountain and Fibonacci lounge chairs. And on top of the house, a new outdoor deck the new homeowners commissioned brings the lights of downtown to life. “The house is really an oasis,” the homeowner says.