Community-driven Design on Clifford Avenue

Words by Sam Lauron Photos by Andrea Calo

When home builders Amanda and Graham Davidson were ready to design a new home for their growing family, they had a few priorities. Not only did it need to accommodate multiple functionalities, such as home school and a home office, but ample gathering space also topped the list. 

Having lived in the neighborhood for seven years at this point, the pair wanted their home to reflect their social lifestyle and seamlessly integrate into the community they had rooted themselves. “We love our neighbors and didn’t want to be closed off from them,” Graham recalls. Amanda adds that when it comes to design, they were adamant about finding an architect who could think outside the box, literally, and “not just build a big rectangle with a big backyard.”

With this vision in mind, they tasked architects Ed Hughey and Ben Arbib with transforming their tiny lot into a custom-built home that supported their lifestyle.

Ed notes that they spent a lot of time working with the site to ensure that all of the functions would fit into the small footprint of the lot and eventually landed on a layout that would accommodate everything the family was after. “Most of the time you see a house set in the middle of the yard, so there’s a front yard and a backyard, and there are different levels of privacy,” Ed explains. “But we wanted to dilute that idea of a backyard and emphasize the front yard so that the front felt like an entryway to the street.”

What resulted was an L-shaped layout that acted as a “handshake” to the neighborhood, as Ed describes it. Positioned as far back on the lot as possible, the unique shape creates a long canopy-like entryway shaded by two large trees that lead to the front door. The layout also opens the home to the front yard, making it a focal point and a prime gathering spot. 

The inviting open-concept makes its way into the interior of the house as well. Large windows span the kitchen—another essential gathering space—to the front yard and allow an abundant amount of natural light to stream in. 

Because the house is strategically set on the south side of the lot, aligning perfectly with the position of the sun, the building keeps the front yard shaded, which aids this prime gathering spot during Austin’s summer months. 

Though the overall concept is modern, Amanda and Graham, who played a central role in design as both builders and homeowners, brought in more rustic personal touches throughout the interior making the finished product warm and inviting. The house on Clifford Avenue is a home that is welcoming—one that embraces another, just like a handshake.

The dark siding displayed on the lower exterior of the house is in the style of shou sugi ban, an ancient Japanese technique that utilizes charring to create a weathered style on wood. To achieve the effect, Amanda and Graham took a DIY approach. The pair bought cedar planks, employed a gas tank and torch, and burned every one of the pieces themselves.

Contact:
Hughey Architecture 
hugheyarchitecture.com
@edhugheyatx
Curate Homes
curatehomes.com
@curatecustomhomes