New Year, New Plan

Over 32 years, we've developed a reputation for delivering a high level of two things that aren't normally associated with design and construction: "Bang for the Buck" and "Fun".

It was a blast while it lasted, but with the arrival of the Pandemic and Austin's astonishing explosion of growth, it's just not possible anymore to build affordably with minimal stress. We're going to take a step back from our normal routine in 2022 and find more fun elsewhere.

We'll still be working part time, but only for clients we've already broken in, and just one project at a time. If you know us and can wait for it, give us a shout and we can talk about working on your project.

Here's to a bright and healthy new year for all of us,

Chris and Gina

Quickies- August 2019

Gina and I did five "Quickie" consultations in August, in neighborhoods all over Austin. Every one of the clients thought they needed to build additions to their homes, but they either didn't have $400k+ to spend, or their lot was too tight, or an addition would have been awkward or too stressful to take on.

In every single case, we showed them ways to get more out of the space they already have.

We're so grateful to be at a point in our careers where we can spend a lot of our time focused on clients that a more "normal" design practice would ignore. Most of our work these days is put into NOT making houses bigger. We're saving people tons of money and helping them to avoid so much stress that they don't need to add to their busy lives.

The 2 hour sessions don't allow us much time to make attractive sketches, but these gnarly little scribbles we crank out at their kitchen tables are enough to get the process moving in the right direction. Here are a few samples from our August Quickies.

Celebrating 30 Years!!

Time flies when you're having fun, right?? These last 3 decades sure have!

I started this little firm in 1989, at the height of the late-80s economic bust in Austin. Since then, we've had the privilege to work with hundreds of great clients, from tiny residential remodels to whole communities for some of Austin's best developers and office spaces for Fortune 100 companies. Through it all, we've had the same approach: putting the clients' needs first and delivering more "bang for the buck" (beautiful and satisfying spaces that don't break the bank) than anyone around. From the start, we've been keen to take on projects that scare off most architects: projects with limited budgets, limited space, or other challenging constraints.

There are still lots of houses with problems to solve in Austin and we're just as excited as ever to take 'em on.

Check out our Facebook page for more in-depth memories of the early days.

Chestnut Commons visit

I stopped by Chestnut Commons this week on my way back from a meeting. We designed these houses for one of our favorite clients- Momark Development back in 2007. Years later, the little Urban Cottage neighborhood looks great, with trees shading the sidewalks. These houses were all very compact, but we filled them with daylight and well designed layouts to maximize their livability.

Cherrywood house tour!

I had the opportunity to visit our clients in Cherrywood this morning. We completed their home in 2014, but I hadn't ever seen it with their incredible art and decor. They turned our simple vision of a house into an amazing home!!

From the front- family room and kitchen

Looking back toward entry. The laundry room is wrapped in shiplap that came from the house that originally stood on the site.

Dining spot

Street view

Kitchen island- fabricated from found items by our clients' son.

Screened porch

Visit us on Facebook

Check us out on Facebook to see more up-to-date images and projects. Be sure to "like" us while you're there!!