Jim and Laurie Curry lived in their Tarrytown neighborhood property for 10 years before deciding to accept a full rebuild of the house. Leaving behind a lovely Burr Oak tree from the first house, they worked with Brian Dillard Architecture and Pilgrim Builders to turn their contemporary, relaxing retreat into a reality.
Deciding to rip the original home down was not an easy decision. “We were not casual about tearing our past house down; we had lots of people determine there wasn’t any wise approach to redesign on such a space, as the foundation was shot,” Jim says. “We needed to go 35 feet underground and spend more money to be certain our present house can take care of the weird clay in Tarrytown.”
The result is an inviting yet contemporary home that contains a gorgeous backyard landscape including an open pool space and a jungle gym for their vivacious 2-year-old. The largest challenge for the household was designing the house into the 3,000 square feet space and juggling the neighborhood architecture code constraints. “We feel quite settled now,” Jim says.
Who lives here: Jim, Laurie and their 2-year old son Beckett Curry (with twins on the way)
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 3,000 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Constructed: Completed in 2011
Architect: Brian Dillard Architecture; builder: Pilgrim Building Company
Kara Mosher
The residence is ideal for living in a hot climate as many walls in the space slide entirely receptive to turn the house into an indoor-outdoor paradise. From the patio you see views of the landscaped roof, the pool, jungle gym and downtown Austin.
“There’s nothing cooler than being outside, early evening in hot weather when children are swimming or playing and we could unwind on the side of pool keeping an eye on everybody,” Laurie says. “Or Jim can fire the fire pit in winter and project a movie on the cabana wall. Later on, we could have movie nights out and observe in the pool.”
Kara Mosher
Among the most amazing features of this residence is its indoor-outdoor flow. The living area west wall opens into the pool along with also a seating area with Crate & Barrel sofa seats. This is the point where the couple feel most at home in their urban oasis.
Kara Mosher
The front door entryway is welcoming and warm, as well as the clean lines of this staircase beckon visitors upstairs. The staircase and its enlightened reflection were part of architect Brian Dillard’s eyesight.
Kara Mosher
The master bedroom features beautiful views and is known as the”treehouse” by Jim and Laurie. With 2 walls of windows, one of which slides open exposing a landscaped patio, it produces a serene and peaceful place to sleep.
Kara Mosher
The patio out their treehouse-like master bedroom is soothing and calm. The entry to the patio is a floor-to-ceiling window wall, welcoming you outside with ease. A simple leather lounge chair sits in the corner, next to a bright blue circular side table, making simple elegance.
Kara Mosher
The living room’s west wall opens entirely. Considering Austin’s beautiful weather most of the year, this generates the ideal flow for a peaceful breeze to enter the house. An outside heater warms cold evenings.
Kara Mosher
Kara Mosher
The white living area glider seat is just one of the couple’s favorite furniture pieces. Laurie says,”I really like my glider which started as my nursing seat but fits nicely into living space — and I’m loving it with back support for my twin pregnancy.”
Kara Mosher
“We like the simple, clean look but that will only go so far with three children under the age of 3,” Laurie says. The table acts as a coffee table at night for the adults, along with also a play table for Beckett during the day.
Kara Mosher
A downstairs hallway comes with a floor-to-ceiling window using green pine only outside. A painting of a Spanish matador is framed in an inlet designed into the wall, using soft overhead light illuminating the art, giving the sense of a contemporary museum.
Kara Mosher
In the bamboo picture window the house flows into the kitchen and dining room space.
Kara Mosher
The kitchen, like lots of different rooms in the house, boasts a large picture window with a view of this picturesque backyard. The kitchen features a large island in the center and a round flow into the space, which makes cooking an efficient and peaceful process.
Kara Mosher
The black shutters close to the dining area table create a wonderful contrast to the soft tones in the room. The black dining table additionally adds to this feel. Colorful placemats from Ikea add a wonderful splash of colour to the tabletop.
Kara Mosher
A downstairs bathroom follows the very simple and clean layout of the remainder of the house. A round patterned background adds chaos inside the contemporary layout.
Kara Mosher
Kara Mosher
Beckett’s room includes a painted silhouette of the Austin skyline, with moveable automobiles and clouds he can place along the scene. Laurie chose grey because the neutral paint colour to permit for her to include pops of colour to get a gender-neutral nursery in the future.
Beckett was a baby throughout the building and design process, that made the experience of dreaming up their new house a little more challenging. Laurie says,”We still poured so much effort and time into thinking during our layout and were very grateful to have our great team.”
Crib: Babyletto
Kara Mosher
Simple elegance is observed once again in an upstairs bathroom. The petite blue tiled bathtub produces a soft feel near the black edges of the window treatment.
Kara Mosher
A creative touch to the upstairs hall is a repurposed Ikea clothesline hanger, used to showcase family photos.
Kara Mosher
Kara Mosher
The pool house is easy and peaceful. The rectangular area opens up confronting the pool. The brown leather chairs provide a sharp contrast to the walls, and offer a cozy alternative to somebody not wanting to swim. The wooden seat was a treasure Laurie uncovered at an Austin antique store.
Laurie states:”The time necessary to design and build exactly what you want is worth it. You don’t wish to hurry to purchase fill-in things such as art or furniture. You’ll appreciate them if you find just what talks to you.”
Kara Mosher
Their home was featured in the 2011 American Institute of Architects Austin Homes tour. As Laurie’s friends say,”It’s the ideal playdate house!” With twins expected that spring, the Currys possess a superb space prepared to welcome them.
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