The Studio
Following months of pandemic-related disruptions in the summer of 2020, I felt the need to find a new design studio the AWCo team could call home. Prior to the pandemic shift to remote work, we’d been designing out of a small cottage in the Zilker neighborhood for the better part of five years. While I loved it, I could not make changes to it since I did not own the building.
Something about the insecurity of that time got me itching to control my environment and create something that felt more like home. I wanted a space where my team could come together, surrounded by beauty, and where clients could experience what we do so well—creating welcoming environments. So, I began searching with my realtor for a property to purchase to develop the type of workspace I wanted for myself and my team.
A few months later, I found a place on East 52nd Street functioning as a home as well as an art and pilates studio. The modest 1901 bungalow was originally set in the middle of a pecan orchard. It had changed hands only a few times over the years, so many original features, like the pine floors, were still in place. It’s set off the beaten path and needed a lot of work to become what we needed and wanted. However, it had charm, lots of storage, and a big garden where I envisioned having outdoor events.
After purchasing the property, I began working earnestly to make it our new studio home. Through some research, I found out the house had been officially incorporated into the city of Austin in 1922. Something about this period captured my imagination and sparked the inspiration for the design. The idea that the original family might have upgraded their home at that point was the story I told myself to guide my selections.
Inside, I installed vintage 1920s decorative lighting, except where more light was needed. I opted for track lighting in those workspaces to keep the ceilings clean. (I abhor recessed can lighting in a period home). I used Farrow and Ball paint throughout, added decorative paneling, and hung doors with period hardware, all in a bid to create a charming space with lots of texture and character. Lovely window treatments, as well as vintage and antique finds, were also incorporated to finish out the space.
On the exterior, we tore off the deck at the front of the property and relocated the front door to its original position, placing it back where it belonged. I brought in 1920s-era windows from a San Antonio residential renovation project I had been working on and put them in place at the front of the home where the former owners had placed French doors. The home started to feel like its rightful self again.
Separating workspaces was important to me, and the opportunity to showcase our decorating to clients was also at the top of my mind. So, the final touch was adding a wall separating the studio and the presentation area. This new meeting space necessitated additional paneling and an arched opening that we hoped would be charming. It gave us an ideal place for some French antique sconces, which we sourced and re-wired for a pleasant elevation to welcome visitors.
As I write this, it is 2024, and my growing team is already preparing to move on to our next new home, which I purchased this past July. While we love this wonderful bungalow, it no longer has sufficient space or the necessary function for our next phase of growth. As a business owner, it is my job to supply the team with a comfortable and efficient workplace.
So this fall, we will move to our new studio home—a large, wide open, and still interesting 1955 former stone-cutting workshop just a few miles further north from our 52nd Street studio. I will hold onto this special bungalow and offer it for lease, at least for now, because I cannot bear to say goodbye to the studio completely.
Stay tuned for the next iteration of AWCo.
