My Houzz: Colorful Boho Style in Austin
A sleeping nook, hand-woven hangings and splashes of color come together in this Texas artist’s 1960s bungalow
Lavin is pictured here in her yard near some bamboo that she added to provide a touch of green against the fence. “I planted bamboo wherever I could, trying to stick to the clumping kind so it wouldn’t take over,” she says. Almost every view out a window is of this plant.
How to plant bamboo
How to plant bamboo
In the living room, Lavin kept the existing light gray paint on the walls. The furniture and accessories are a mix of old and new finds. She blended the pieces together to achieve a light and airy feel with hits of color, including from the hanging woven chair. “I insist that anyone who stops by try it out, and it’s fun to watch their expression of delight as soon as they do,” she says.
White rocking chair: Nannie Inez; Figueira swing chair: discontinued, CB2; Alseda stool: Ikea; curtain fabric: Tord Boontje for Kvadrat
White rocking chair: Nannie Inez; Figueira swing chair: discontinued, CB2; Alseda stool: Ikea; curtain fabric: Tord Boontje for Kvadrat
The homeowner is active in the local art scene, and some of the pieces in her home have been acquired through trades made with other artists.
Art: Sophie Roach
Art: Sophie Roach
Justina Blakeney, known for her signature “Jungalow” style, is a source of decorating inspiration for Lavin. Potted and hanging plants decorate every room in the house. Lavin made the colorful woven wall hanging herself.
The table and chairs are Craigslist finds, and a friend made the lamp base. “My early purchases of furniture and home accessories — many of which I still have — were based on finding wonderful bargains on Craigslist and in Austin’s vintage shops. A decade ago when I moved here, there were many more opportunities to get cool stuff at cheap prices,” Lavin says.
Sphere + Stem pendant in brass: West Elm; lamp shade: Anthropologie; ‘Get Lost’ print: Sophie Roach
Sphere + Stem pendant in brass: West Elm; lamp shade: Anthropologie; ‘Get Lost’ print: Sophie Roach
Lavin added recessed lighting to brighten up the kitchen and worked with her contractor to add custom plywood cabinet doors. She also swapped in new knobs from Anthropologie. The wood stools are from Craigslist; she updated the seats by adding a stenciled pattern.
“My boyfriend and I both enjoy cooking, and although the kitchen is tiny and impractical, we use it often to whip up delicious things, relying on the long table for chopping since there’s so little counter space,” Lavin says.
‘Breathe’ painting: Jenny Gillespie
“My boyfriend and I both enjoy cooking, and although the kitchen is tiny and impractical, we use it often to whip up delicious things, relying on the long table for chopping since there’s so little counter space,” Lavin says.
‘Breathe’ painting: Jenny Gillespie
The original house had three bedrooms, but one was tiny. Lavin decided to knock down a wall and combine two small bedrooms into a large master suite. She added an arch to divide the suite into a lounge area and a sleeping nook. “I went to Greece for the first time before I moved into the house, and the bright white arches I’d seen everywhere were on my mind, so that element made its way into my home,” Lavin says.
Stockholm coffee table: Ikea; Ikkunaprinssi print wallpaper: Marimekko
Lavin recently completed a Barcelona-based graduate program in hotel interior design. The degree added fuel to her desire to create a lovely personal living space. She draws much of her decorating inspiration from her time living in New York right after college. During work lunch breaks, she would wander around the Hudson Hotel reveling in the ideas of Philippe Starck, whom she credits as her inspiration to formally study interior design. “I’m also wowed by Matali Crasset, a disciple of Starck’s,” she adds.
Other designers who have inspired the look and feel of her home include the French industrial designer Dorothée Meilichzon; Patricia Urquiola, the Spanish-Italian designer-architect; and Austin’s own Liz Lambert, the hotelier behind Hotel San José and Hotel St. Cecilia.
Embroidered curtain: Sudaderie
Other designers who have inspired the look and feel of her home include the French industrial designer Dorothée Meilichzon; Patricia Urquiola, the Spanish-Italian designer-architect; and Austin’s own Liz Lambert, the hotelier behind Hotel San José and Hotel St. Cecilia.
Embroidered curtain: Sudaderie
After. The new Douglas fir doors changed the whole look of the back of the home. Lavin bought the six doors on Craigslist for $200. Both the master bedroom, seen here, and the second bedroom now open to the backyard and have abundant natural light.
The bathroom hasn’t been renovated and still retains its 1960s charm, including a vintage ceramic wall heater.
The colorful second bedroom doubles as a studio and creative space. Lavin’s traditional jeweler’s bench and the hand tools she uses when creating pieces for Pio reside here.
Weaving: Amanda French
Weaving: Amanda French
Arizona wallpaper: Osborne & Little; blue and green bird painting: Cesar Aragón; Langesund yellow mirror: Ikea
When building the deck in the backyard, Lavin wanted to incorporate a built-in pond. She showed her contractor an online tutorial and by the end of the next day he had integrated the basics of a built-in recirculating fountain into the deck. “I now get to listen to the sound of water flowing from my bedroom, since the doors open onto the deck and the pond is right there,” Lavin says.
See more of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
See more of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Who lives here: Rachel Lavin, Kanad Chakrabarty, Sam the cat and Bacon the dog
Location: South Austin neighborhood of Austin, Texas
Size: 975 square feet (91 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1961
Rachel Lavin bought her home, situated on a shady street in Austin, Texas, after years of renting in the area. “I’d been renting the same place for seven years and my passion for ‘doing stuff’ to my apartment was a constant source of contention between me and my landlord,” she says. Buying the home meant she could truly make it hers, which included tearing down walls and adding new architectural features. “I suspected I could turn it into my dream home with some determination,” she says.
Lavin, who considers herself a lifelong maker and primarily works as a jewelry designer and metalsmith, was hands-on during the design and renovation process. She partnered with general contractor Stephen King to make it happen. “A friend of mine gave me some good advice that I’ve taken to heart: Think of remodeling as an investment into your enjoyment of the house,” she says.