Turning a Storied Victorian House into a Home

Words by Janine Stankus Photos By Ryann Ford Portrait by Erika Knox

The two-story Victorian in Austin’s East Cesar Chavez neighborhood stands out from the surrounding bungalows with its soaring central tower, tall windows, and columned front porch. The historic house even stashes a few secrets inside and out: a shrubbery-shrouded pool, a backyard labyrinth, and (until recently) a ghost.

It sounds like a dream house, but for Jenny Ford and her family, it’s home: “We feel so lucky to live here. We pinch ourselves regularly, especially during the pandemic.”

Jenny and her husband, Jason, moved here from Memphis, and in 2007, they bought a house at 1908 Garden Street, which they remodeled themselves. They fell in love with the neighborhood for its diversity and character. Jenny confesses, “There’s nowhere else we would want to live in Austin.” However, with one adopted son in kindergarten and plans to adopt another, they started seeding the idea of something a bit bigger. When a realtor introduced them to the 19th-century work-of-architecture right down the road, they decided to put in an offer.

Built in 1888, the Floyd McGown House is one of Austin’s few historic gems, entered into the National Register in 1985. The house was originally owned by a local lawman of its namesake, who moved to San Antonio in 1900. Afterwards, the house passed hands seven times and, in 1914, finally landed with a family who owned it for 50 years.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that the house became a cultural hub under the ownership of Doug Dyer, who was an active member of Austin’s theater community until his untimely death from AIDS in 1991. The Fords eventually bought the house from Dyer’s good friends, Sterling Price-McKinney and Lorne Loganbill, who were also major players in Austin’s theater scene and had lots of stories to tell.

The Fords knew that such a storied house would need special attention in order to make it their home. They enlisted the help of architect Dianne Kett and designer Amity Worrel, whom Jenny trusted with her vision. “One of the first times we met, I said, ‘I want you to walk into this house and know a young family lives here. We care about the old, but we want some new breathed in as well.’” And so it was.

The remodel highlights the home’s historic character, while incorporating some modern sensibility. Jason was adamant about keeping the house’s signature wood trim, and they even took it a few shades darker to stand out. The walls were repainted, mostly a pearly bright white. They also completely remodeled the master bedroom and bathroom, as well as the kids’ bathroom upstairs, opting for a geometric black and white tile floor, which reinforces the contrast of old and new throughout the house. At the base of the heavy, wooden staircase, for example, sits a set of modern floating shelves adorned with family treasures.

The original kitchen, an octagonal room added in 2007, didn’t really mesh with the rest of the house with its all-white airiness and light-wood floors. Jenny recalls the decision-making process, “I either wanted to rip this off and make it completely modern, or I wanted to try to match the [original part] of the house.” Happily, she opted for the latter. With the help of their designer, they made the room feel even bigger by demolishing a room divider and adding dramatic details like dark, octagonal floor tiles, aqua tile backsplash, deep teal surfaces, and brass fixtures. It’s now one of the most stunning rooms in the house.

During the entire remodel, the team displayed some creativity in honoring historic details while bringing the house up to current building codes. After tearing out the old fireplace, they were able to restore it by cutting the original brick in half and paneling it onto the new surface. The single-pane windows were brought up to code by adding a layer of plexiglass to the original double hung windows. Imperceptible inserts were created to raise the beautiful banister without sullying its period charm.

Jenny is happy with how the remodel turned out, admitting that, while she and her husband both have an eye for art and design, she didn’t think her tastes were elevated enough for this project. Their designer Amity, she adds, succeeded in “breathing young family” into the house, and now it truly feels like a home.

The Ford’s contributions will keep this historic house vital for quite some time. Jenny hopes to stay in the neighborhood, especially for the schools. She does, however, acknowledge the accelerated development and dwindling diversity in the area over the past few years saddens them a bit. “I know it’s getting harder for families who have been here for generations to stay here…but I feel like I need to be here for my kids. It’s a weird line to walk,” she acknowledges.

Jenny hopes that more newcomers will make an effort to integrate and forge connections through community. “Reach out and get to know your neighbors,” she advises. “Go over and talk to them, get someone’s phone number, take them a pizza, hang out. Just be around and be available to be a good neighbor.”

It’s the Small Things in Life.
Jenny’s favorite spot in the house is a particular place on her couch. “Looking out the window you see a giant palm tree, and it looks like a postcard. It’s actually our neighbor’s palm tree, but it’s just beautiful. I love to sip on my coffee and look out there in the mornings.”

Contact:
Designer: Amity Worrel
(512) 387-3146, amityworrel.com, 815 E 52nd St.

Architect: DK Studio
(512) 473-8909, studiodk.com, 604 W 9th St.