Colorado Street
 

This 340 square feet of studio space in the heart of downtown Austin is a total gem! The aim of this gut renovation was to create a sanctuary and        home-away-from-home, for when the owner had to work in the city. Located in the historic Westgate Tower (completed in 1966) the building has a lot of Midcentury Modern character which we wanted to recapture in our design. The design scope was for the space to feel welcoming and cozy as well as reflect the client’s tastes for warm, rich finishes and elegant detailing. With this in mind, our main pallet of materials included terrazzo, walnut, polished engineered stone, deep blue and charcoal finishes. We included hints of brass, polished nickel and leather for the finer items to capture some elegance. 

 

The generic nylon carpet and vinyl flooring were replaced with terrazzo tiles throughout. As the main space would serve several functions, a walnut wainscot was added to make it feel more cozy. The 90s style kitchen was removed and in its place we continued the use of walnut with custom cabinetry. We utilized every inch of the small footprint and even were able to squeeze in a concealed washer and dryer! A polished Dekton was chosen for the kitchen countertops and backsplash, which runs all the way to the ceiling. 

 

The custom desk and built-in cabinetry in the main living space was painted a deep Midnight Oil and adorned with handmade leather pulls. It added some much-needed storage and functionality, with the walnut table on casters that can be moved from under the desk into the room as a main table. The custom walnut wall-bed is tucked neatly into one corner with wood slats cladding the ceiling above to subtly denote the separation between living and sleeping. Finally, the compact bathroom experienced an entire revamp with a walk-in shower replacing the tub, all new Brizo fixtures in polished nickel, custom medicine cabinet and a stunning vanity clad in a Dekton veneer. 

 

One of the biggest challenges in this space was the lighting. We wanted a variety of ambient lighting options and with the low ceilings and few places for switching, we had to get creative! The main living space features LED lights recessed into the plaster ceiling, as well as concealed cabinet lighting above the built-ins. Separate lighting was added over the wall-bed area, and the kitchen along with the bathroom both feature a variety of concealed and low level lighting for moving around at night.

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Check out the before images below.

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