A Tumbledown Cottage in Austin Is Freshened Up and Fortified

Webber + Studio salvages a 1909 dwelling in the historic Clarksville neighborhood.

Jul 9, 2020 - 01:17

A Tumbledown Cottage in Austin Is Freshened Up and Fortified

Webber + Studio salvages a 1909 dwelling in the historic Clarksville neighborhood.

Homes in Clarksville often have two main doors as multiple generations or families may have lived under one roof.

Chris Archer was enjoying a soak in his Austin cottage when the bathtub fell through the floor—a sure sign that it was time to renovate.

The Texan, who had previously lived in New York City and Houston, had looked at 20 homes before coming across the Lawson House in the historic district of Clarksville, a freedman’s town founded in 1871. It had been built by a formerly enslaved man from the neighboring Pease Mansion in 1909. "I knew it was special," says Chris, who bought the property in 2011.

Homeowner Chris Archer won’t have to worry about anything caving in in his new master bath, which now has an oversize, walk-in shower.

Jake Holt

Over the years, former owners had updated the original two-room cottage, adding a dysfunctional back extension. Instead of doing another patchwork update of the home, which was admittedly in shambles, Chris hired architect David Webber in 2014 bring a clean, streamlined look to the dwelling and knock out the "jarringly incongruous addition, which didn’t connect to the yard," says Webber.

Guests enter the home by walking through the kitchen, the same layout seen when Webber was first hired; however, the sophisticated materials and warm lighting make the space much more inviting. — Guests enter the home by walking through the kitchen, following the same layout that existed when architect David Webber arrived on the scene; however, the sophisticated materials and warm lighting make the space much more inviting than it was before.

Chloe Gilstrap

They spent a couple months talking through ideas and sharing inspiration from Pinterest: Chris was looking for a muted, Australian-inspired sense of calm. In addition to a refurbished and more livable space, he requested a study, a guest bedroom and master suite, and a large indoor/outdoor space for grilling.