Pollen
Pollen

Highland Hills Renovation

Type
Residential
Location
Austin, TX
Year
2023
Builder
Shiloh Travis Homes
Photography
Casey Woods

Sitting on a large lot in the Balcones Hills neighborhood with a steep cliff to the rear, this renovation/addition significantly expands a 1960’s house to accommodate a growing, active family and to take advantage of the unique siting and character of the house.  The original single-story house had a long, low-pitch gable roof with large overhangs; Pollen’s second floor addition repeats this horizontality, scaled down and set behind the ridge, complementing the original ‘Palm Springs’ feel of the house.  Stack bond brick, terracotta breeze block and new windows were added to refresh the façade of the house.

At the rear, an addition provides additional space for children’s bedrooms and play space.  The roof at the rear lifts to give views uphill and has a more contemporary feel.  A new exterior deck engages the limestone cliff, giving access to the upper part of the site, which has spectacular sunset views. Below the deck is a space for outdoor dining carved into the limestone cliff.

The interiors were completely reworked to provide a generous, open kitchen at the heart of a sprawling floor plan.  A main bedroom suite was created from existing rooms with the strategic addition of square footage, to make a roomy and relaxing retreat for the parents.  The space of an existing garage was incorporated into the interior of the house to provide a home-office, laundry room and storage.

Projects

Highland Hills Renovation

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