LOFT RENOVATION

Two-part loft renovation: kitchen, living, dining 2023; office, beds, baths 2014

Spanning two phases across a decade (2014 and 2023), this 900-square-foot 1964 Austin condo was transformed into an industrial pied-à-terre tailored for a London-born philosophy professor and epicurean. The overall design maintains a raw, minimalist material palette that celebrates exposed structural concrete ceilings, columns, and floors alongside a deliberately inverted material palette. The initial 2014 renovation opened up the bedroom, office, and bath spaces—framing downtown views from a soaking tub and walk-in shower while pairing 3-inch concrete countertops with warm walnut cabinetry, custom stucco walls, and refined micro-details like plateless outlets and integrated air vents. The 2023 kitchen expansion flipped this material pairing, introducing 3-inch thick walnut countertops set against durable, artisan-applied stucco cabinet fronts that double as chalkboards. Centered around a passion for high-level culinary entertaining and reading, the open-plan kitchen features a custom bead-blasted stainless steel backsplash with a full-length spice shelf, open shelving for cookbooks and dry goods, and ingenious industrial repurposing—including magnetic exposed pipe chases for cutlery, copper plumbing dropped to double as utensil racks, and a bespoke island light fixture fabricated from standard plumbing fittings. Complete with versatile island storage, exposed recirculating ductwork, and a concealed curtain system behind a bookshelf to convert the living area for guests, the residence strikes a thoughtful balance between raw structural honesty, economic utility, and craftsmanship.

Architect: Nicole Blair

General Contractor: Nicole Blair

Whit Preston Photographer.