New home uses wood and natural colors to reflect its rural setting and mid-century roots

What do you do with a challenging sloping site? You should accept that. That’s what the owners of this brand-new house in Austin’s posh Barton Hills community have done. They had fallen in love with the place and bought a home in 2019, only to realize later that part of its foundation was floating seven feet off the ground and the property was sliding down the slope.

The best course of action was to tear down the existing structure from the 1950s and construct a brand new one there. The result was not just the house of their dreams but also among the finest in the world. We spoke to Sara Cukerbaum, principal of SLIC Design, who worked with the owners on the new property. Ryan Rodenberg’s architecture and Sara’s interior design nod to the old home’s mid-century style while modernizing it with sleeker accents and sharper lines.

KITCHEN

The owners were attracted to the home’s Barton Hills location on the edge of Austin’s greenbelt partly because of the proximity to nature. They fantasized about having a large yard for their chickens, ducks and a breathtaking panorama of trees and hills. Designer Sara Cukerbaum was asked to incorporate the couple’s requests for a rural and organic feel into the home’s designs. She did so by utilizing plenty of wood and organic materials to soften the otherwise stark contrast between the home’s modern lines and the surrounding landscape.

The kitchen design concepts for this new construction not only highlight the building’s use of natural materials but also provide a welcome counterpoint to the building’s otherwise streamlined appearance. We used clean neutrals and cosy textures, explains Sara. That “kitchen” is everyone’s favourite room in the house. It’s entertaining, with some memorable parts, and it’s useful, too. The homeowners like cooking and asked for a functional kitchen with some character. Believe me when I say that this cooking space is top-notch.

Sara is impressed by the results of the quartz fabrication crew on the island. By applying heat, we asked if they would be ready to bend Caesarstone quartz, and they did so without hesitating. Combining the washed oak cabinets, Ann Sacks tiles, and steel shelving with the curving asymmetric island was an excellent approach to make a room feel more complete and unique.

Caesarstone Cloudburst Concrete countertops complement white-washed oak Benchmark cabinetry. Beautiful steel floating shelves by Justin Kreizel Build Hudson. Counter stools made of teak and cushioned seats are a signature design by Industry West Compass.

DINING ROOM

Take note, decorators: the dining room is one space where bold lighting significantly impacts. Sara explains, “This unique chandelier is from Evan Sahlman, who had closed his retail store during the Covid epidemic but offered to make this light for us.”

The clients were thrilled with the prospect of being able to see everyone seated at the table, thanks to her suggestion of a square dining table.

LIVING ROOM

Inspiration for the living room’s placement, far above the treetops, came from the house’s peculiar setting on a steep slope. Sara, the interior designer, explains that they chose a light colour scheme so the homeowners could focus on the tree limbs outside their windows. The muted tones and neutral hues are in keeping with the rest of the house and help highlight the beauty of the surrounding environment.

Sara notes that a wooden slat detail was planned for the living room but ultimately scrapped since it would have detracted too much attention from the area’s other features. “So we opted for a quartz surround on the gas fireplace and fashioned asymmetric open sheetrock cubbies to display the client’s artwork and precious artefacts,” she continues.

An enormous sectional makes the all-white space feel more inviting, while one-of-a-kind accents from Lawson Fenning and Chairish provide the visual variety needed to keep things from getting boring.

BEDROOM

When it comes to bedroom design, it’s hard to top this serene all-white space. “This is the bare bones of the house,” Sara explains. The clients requested a soothing atmosphere, so we furnished the room with a plush upholstered bed from Restoration Hardware and warm oak accents. It is uncomplicated and homey at the same time.

The natural surroundings enhance the peaceful atmosphere, which can be seen from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

BATHROOM

Sara was determined to find bathroom designs that respected the home’s midcentury architecture while maintaining its attractive natural aesthetic. A curve has been added to traditional oak slats to make them more modern. A striking and unified effect was achieved in the bathroom by insetting the counter into the slat surround.

OUTSIDE

The façade of the new house is uncluttered and straightforward, with off-white stucco and a natural buff limestone lueder to evoke the look of the original 1950s structure and steel-framed windows to evoke the face of the original 1950s windows.