Where Creativity Shapes Daily Life
Words Codi Chen | Photos Chase Daniel
Beneath the canopy of a majestic live oak in the East MLK neighborhood, what appears to be a modest stucco bungalow quietly unfolds into something far more expansive. This 750-square-foot home now nearly doubles in size through a thoughtful addition and renovation. Yet, from the street, it remains humble and in rhythm with its neighbors.
When we finished the demo, you could see straight from the front door to the back of the lot,” Joanna Page Hartman, Principal at Page Paul Architecture & Interiors, explains. “The roof stayed, but everything else went to the studs.”
Step through the front door, and the house begins to open itself slowly. The living room holds onto the scale of the original structure, grounding the home. Beyond it though, the kitchen stretches long and bright, layered in teal cabinetry, warm wood, with a pale quartz island beneath a sculptural purple pendant. The dining space is wrapped in sage-green walls, where a soft pink, arched niche cradles a built-in banquette. Sliding doors dissolve into the courtyard, blurring the boundary between indoors and out.
“Before, they just had a small window above their kitchen sink for natural light,” Joanna recalls. “Now, the courtyard draws light through the dining room and into the heart of the home.”
Beyond the main living areas, even the original bathroom becomes a moment of wonder. A skylight slices into the ceiling, framing branches of the live oak overhead as light filters down the tiled walls. The space feels cinematic: a small room transformed into an experience.
The homeowners, Xochi and George, both artists and DJs with deep Austin roots, live and create in the home. Her vaulted studio opens directly to the courtyard, where light, air, and greenery fold into her daily practice. His workspace is set to accommodate sewing and all manners of tinkering, tailored to the way he works with his hands. Color moves through the home in deliberate, cheerful layers, inspired by the couple’s Mexican and Spanish heritage. Clay Imports tile wraps the primary ensuite in saturated greens and dusty rose, framing a freestanding tub and a mustard-hued arched niche. Ceilings wash in unexpected tones from soft lavender to leafy green, creating rooms that feel immersive, yet balanced.
“There weren’t going to be any white walls,” Joanna chuckles. “To them, an all-white space would have felt jarring. Their home is bright and calm. The color layers feel joyful and connective.”
Layered Privacy: Outside, a narrow planter strip and a Clay Imports block wall spans from the primary bedroom to the ensuite, allowing for open windows while softly screening views from the neighboring property.
Contact:
3409 Executive Center Dr., # 100
pagepaularchitecture.com
@page_paul_architecture
