What Started as a Simple Renovation Turned Into a Full Rebuild of This Home

An old bungalow in Austin, set among mature live oaks in a long-established neighbourhood, looked like it needed only a careful update. Once building work started, it became clear that the house could not be saved with cosmetic changes, and the project turned into a full rebuild.

From renovation to reconstruction

Architecture firm Side Angle Side worked with homeowner and interior designer Holly Beth Potter on the house, a Victorian bungalow from around 1935. As construction went on, the team found widespread rot and damaged structural parts, so a standard restoration was no longer possible.

The architects used archive photos and existing drawings to reconstruct the original house. Salvaged trim, crown molding, baseboards, longleaf pine floors and interior doors were repaired and put back. New siding and windows follow the original detailing. The finished home measures 3,700 square feet and is now home to a family of five.

An addition that contrasts

A new addition was built next to the rebuilt bungalow. It does not copy the old house; its contemporary form sits in clear contrast with the historic structure while still respecting it.

Inside the old house and the new wing

The entry has cream walls, wood floors, a woven rug, a low dresser and small white sconces. The living room sits in the addition, with concrete floors, a hemlock wood ceiling and a plaster fireplace wall with raised plinth seating. Vintage furniture from Holly Beth Potter’s grandparents is used here.

The dining room keeps its original wood pocket doors and shiplap walls, now painted a soft yellow. An oval Nickey Kehoe table seats large groups on vintage Guillerme et Chambron chairs, recovered in cream fabric with rust red trim, under a large Noguchi pendant.

The kitchen pairs Calacatta Ibiza Quartzite countertops with custom rift sawn white oak cabinets and integrated pulls. Next to it, a mudroom has white paneled cabinets and a wood bench with drawers below.

Pool deck

A wide flat roof shades the lounge and dining areas by the pool. Wood ceilings and decking, a charcoal wall with a television, woven chaise loungers and a built-in grill with a long table make it an outdoor living room.

Family rooms and bedrooms

In the family room, a matte black built-in wall holds open cubbies, and a red ladder climbs to a rope net loft for play. The primary bedroom has painted wall paneling and a vintage nightstand. Its bathroom uses leathered quartzite for the countertops, tub deck and tub face, with locally sourced white limestone tile on the floor.

The kids’ room has built-in bunks set into niches, with drawers in the steps and under the window seat. The kids’ bathroom combines blush cabinetry, terracotta tile and a long double vanity.

Project credits

• Project: bungalow rebuild and addition, Austin
• Architects: Side Angle Side (Arthur Furman, AIA, Annie-Laurie Grabiel, John Redington)
• Builder: Miars Construction (Jason Miars, Ben Denison)
• Interior design: HP Studio, Holly Beth Potter
• Landscape: Shade Maker Studios, Shaney Clemmons
• Photography: Casey Dunn
• Source: Contemporist