Designed to Exhale
Modern Living with an Earthy Edge
Behind a handmade brick façade in East Austin, a serene escape unfolds, not built to show off but to settle the soul. It reveals itself slowly, like a deep breath after a long day. Inside, light spills through courtyards, sight lines stretch to a shimmering pool, and every detail speaks to a life intentionally slowed. For two busy tech professionals, their home is a place to reconnect, recharge, and welcome friends into the calm.
Words Codi Chen | Photos Casey Dunn
Creating a sense of solitude without cutting the homeowners off from the neighborhood was a challenge in this project. “[They] wanted to be in the middle of the Eastside, but they also wanted privacy,” explains Elizabeth Baird Brown, principal architect at Elizabeth Baird Architecture & Design. “We didn’t want to erect big fences or walls. It’s a humble street front, and the homeowners wanted to keep it that way.”
What began as a run-down 1960s structure on a 12,000-square-foot lot, the property was thoughtfully reimagined as a harmonious compound of indoor and outdoor spaces. Keeping the scale of the original structure and neighborhood at the forefront, Elizabeth expanded on the modest design parameters of the new house as working from home became a priority for the homeowners in 2020.
Initially, the lot was so overgrown that they didn’t realize that there was a beautiful, grand post oak tree on the church’s neighboring lot beyond. The homeowners decided to clean it up and care for the tree which became an anchoring point for the courtyard.
They elected to bring the outside in with handmade Mexican brick in warm peach tones which gives the project an old-school charm while new. “We spent a long time finding the perfect brick,” Elizabeth says. “It gave the house this tactile quality and warmth that would have felt cold with something more industrial.”
Inside, the home unfolds like a quiet narrative, each space leading gracefully to the next. From the main living spaces, a direct line of sight travels down a book-lined hallway, past a lush courtyard, and into the bedrooms, all the way to the pool beyond. “I think it’s just one of the hardest things to get across in photos,” Elizabeth continues. “As you move through the home, your eye is constantly being pulled back to nature.”
The primary bath is organized around a small outdoor shower hugged by the building, crafting an intimate moment of pause in its little oasis. Tactile materials selected by Elizabeth Baird’s team, like the handmade brick flooring and wall tiles by Heath ceramics and Clé tile respectively and the concrete soaking tub, bring character and warmth to the modern space, creating a zen-like sanctuary.
In the same outdoor shower, the custom stained glass by Bespoke studios artfully provides privacy for the more public facing window of the shower while still allowing sunlight to penetrate the intimate alcove.
This rhythmic discovery of courtyard showers and glimpses of green is balanced by a palette of earthy materials and neutral tones. Interior designer, Liz MacPhail, worked closely with Elizabeth and the homeowners to ensure continuity. “Liz really played off the colors we had already incorporated,” Elizabeth shares. “She was great about not overpowering the architecture. Everything just flows visually.”
Nature is an active part of daily living in this home. Shaney Clemmons, landscape architect with Shademaker Studio, created layered, functional landscapes, from manicured lawn space for the kids to explore to low-maintenance grasses and tropical moments in the front. “This property definitely would not be what it is without Liz and Shaney’s touch. They really brought it to life,” she adds.
The powder room, accessed by a hidden door in integrated wood paneling, is covered in Venetian plaster in a moody green selected by Elizabeth, while a single skylight allows dramatic rays of sunshine into the small space.
Private areas unfold organically throughout the home. A guest suite tucked upstairs offers quiet separation, while a cozy casita, complete with a Murphy bed and rooftop deck, welcomes extended stays with ease. In the primary shower, a custom-stained glass window by New York-based Bespoke Studio adds an unexpected moment of artistry and light.
What transforms this house into a home is the quiet procession of space and material: sunlight dancing across handmade brick, greenery framed like art through glass, and a hallway where books breathe life into the walls. Near the George Washington Carver Museum, this East Austin retreat offers something increasingly rare: the chance to slow down. Thoughtfully crafted in every detail, it doesn’t merely reflect its owners’ lives—it nurtures them.
An oversized oil-on-canvas, Tropic
of Cancer by Austin artist Patrick Puckett, (selected by Liz MacPhail) hangs in the dining room and melds the themes of color and nature.
Shaping Space with Materials
In modern design, the materials chosen for a home define its style, set the tone, and influence how a space feels. Natural materials like wood and stone introduce warmth, while metal and glass evoke sleek, contemporary vibes. Textural contrasts, such as smooth concrete against soft textiles, add depth and visual interest to enhance light flow, optimize acoustics, and shape the overall scale and comfort of a room. Whether aiming for minimalist simplicity or organic warmth, materials are key to creating the emotional atmosphere of a home.
Contact
1404 W 45th St.
elizabeth-baird.com
@elizabethbairdarchitecture
