Reimagining the craftsman bungalow for modern living
An architect and builder team up to reimagine a craftsman bungalow perfectly suited to its owner’s needs, the surrounding neighborhood, and Austin’s climate.
Elizabeth Baird Brown, AIA, and Royce H. Flournoy had already teamed up on several projects when Flournoy approached Baird about designing his personal home. The President of Texas Construction Company, Flournoy wanted to build a home whose style and scale would fit into the fabric of his neighborhood, have “an open and airy feel to it,” and include outdoor spaces that would feel like “an extension to the indoor spaces.” As an added challenge, the project needed to stick to a strict budget. Baird, Principal and Founder of Elizabeth Baird Architecture, was remodeling several craftsman homes and was familiar with their charms and their less desirable traits. Here’s how she created a modern design that doesn’t lose sight of its roots.
A modern floor plan
“The idea was to take the typical bungalow form and pull it apart a bit to allow for more open, flowing, and light-filled spaces on the interior,” Baird said. To do this, she created an open concept, single-story floor plan with a vaulted ceiling that makes the home feel more spacious than its 1,680 square feet. She brought in light on three sides with a full wall of windows facing the backyard and floor-to-ceiling windows on both ends of a perpendicular hallway. In this way, she solved a few of the craftsman’s biggest challenges, including a lack of light in the center and an isolated kitchen. “My goal is not to turn on a light inside during the day,” she said.
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After living in the home for several years, Flournoy reports the “windows and natural light” are what he loves most — “It’s a very bright and happy home.”
