Where the Heart Is

A neighborhood makes a home.

Words by Christopher Ferguson, AIA Photos by Ryan Davis

Faced with the dilemma to relocate or renovate, a growing family embraces Cherrywood’s charm, sensitively updating a historic 1930s French Place home while preserving priceless community bonds. Specific care was taken to feature fixtures original to the home, Lindsay’s collection of antique furniture and work from artists local to Austin and Los Angeles, such as K’era Morgan, Caitlin B. Alexander, Sarah Frankie Linder, Katie Lynn, and Cuneiform Press.

After growing up in Louisiana before later bouncing between New York and Boston, Lindsay Olinde was looking for a bit of nostalgic, southern charm when she and her husband, Joseph, found their way to Austin in 2008.

They purchased a modest, 1930s traditional single-family home, embedding themselves in the walkable and charming neighborhood of Cherrywood. Marked by well-used front porches and a diverse, close-knit community, the location was perfect. But a decade later, the family was growing, and so were their needs.

Unwilling to uproot themselves from the community they had come to adore, the family decided to renovate, with one critical stipulation: the home’s character and sense of place had to be maintained.

Enlisting the help of local design-build firm CG&S was critical to the success of the project, according to Lindsay. “They came to the table prepared, were great listeners, and made coordination easy throughout the decision-making process, which was ongoing until the very last day.”

Since the bones of the home were in remarkable shape for their age, simple modifications yielded huge payoffs. Eliminating walls that separated a cramped dining room, breakfast nook, and galley kitchen gave the home a new, central living space. Modestly expanding the footprint to accommodate a play area and backyard-facing sunroom also supported this main area without altering the home’s humble street presence.

Creating framed sightlines to the outdoors and between rooms was also important. Uninterrupted views between the entry and kitchen window, as well as the connection between the front study and rear sunroom, are two especially important datums that help the family maintain a sense of connection even when spread out.

With the dust finally settled, Lindsay is filled with gratitude, not only for her loving family and dedicated team at CG&S who made the project possible but also for her friends, neighbors, and community who make the house a home.