Color and Art Light Up a Texas Home

Color and Art Light Up a Texas Home

Not everyone who sees a very small carport envisions a contemporary dining room, but Billy Brown had a vision for his house from the very beginning. After Brown first saw his house 12 years ago, it had lots of cosmetic work. When he walked in the door, however he had been sold. A huge backyard, lots of natural light and an ideal location close to downtown Austin, Texas, made it an easy choice.

Since going in, Brown has freshened his exterior, landscaped his yard, and — most impressively — converted the prior carport into a dining room. Within a decade later, he’s now able to enjoy the new life he has given his property.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Billy Brown and 2 housemates
Location: Bouldin Creek area of Austin, Texas
Size: 1,700 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
That’s interesting: It required less than a month to convert the garage to your dining room.

Kara Mosher

Brown tried to maintain a contemporary aesthetic in mind when designing his property. “I believe easy goes a long way,” he states.

Originally the house had been painted from a green color and only blended into the wooded area. Brown opted for a bold red so his distance would stick out and comparison with all the aluminum siding and surrounding greenery.

Kara Mosher

The backyard is large for being so close to downtown Austin. Brown has included a lot of landscaping since moving into the house just over a decade ago. He planted three fresh loquat evergreen trees for yearlong deserts, and shrubs that can develop in filtered light. The existing pine trees offer lots of shade during the hot Texas summers. Brown also included the garden deck and fire pit — ideal for night entertaining.

Kara Mosher

This colorful dining room was initially the garage of the home. The carport was halfway walled up when Brown purchased the house, and it had been too small to comfortably fit his vehicle. He decided to completely enclose the carport and then finished the distance with the support of a friend.

The clear glass dining room table, located at a local consignment store, is one of Brown’s newest splurges.

Kara Mosher

The spacious and light-filled chambers are what initially drew Brown to the house. The easy wood piece hanging on the wall is an old air consumption from a little farmhouse on his sister-in-law’s long family’s property. “One day I asked if they were throwing it away,” he states. “I took it and think it’s now repurposed as a superb and easy object of art.”

Kara Mosher

The breakfast space adjacent to the kitchen features a fuzzy signal given to Brown as a surprise. It came from an Austin auction a few years ago.

Dining table: Salmi, Ikea; seats: Herman, Ikea

Kara Mosher

Remodeling the kitchen is following on Brown’s house project agenda. Removing a window and a cabinet near the sink and adding a countertop to create a pub space with stools are a few of his most important priorities. He would also like to start the room to the dining room and include more room. “It is still a two-butt kitchen,” he states.

Kara Mosher

The long hallway is often called the gallery, since it provides somewhere to hand Brown’s gathered artwork. A large crocheted piece made by his grandfather sits near the rear door, which leads to the garden.

Kara Mosher

The living room is anchored with a vibrant painting above the sofa by Brown’s aunt, Betsy Davis. She typically does landscape paintings, and Brown challenged her to perform this contemporary piece. “I wanted something bold that would catch your attention as you walked into the house,” he states. “I’ve even had other dogs bark at it.”

Another one of Brown’s favorite pieces in the residence is the industrial Vornado fan from the corner, which is essential given Austin’s triple-digit summer temperature.

Kara Mosher

A gallery wall in the master bedroom displays artwork collected over the years. One of the bits is by a regional homeless street artist named Benny “Mjumbe” Sorrels; another abstract landscape is by Brown’s grandfather William Kolliker; and the little painting at the corner is by artist Mark Traughber. The velvety yellow armchair is from Home Decorators.

Kara Mosher

The framed orange and orange watercolor is by artist Michael Frary, a family friend who painted a gorgeous series inspired by his trips to Africa.

Rug: Lowe’s

Kara Mosher

Local artist Dusty Whipple custom designed this contemporary bathroom, with a walk-in shower and a sleek, slanted slate rock sink.

Kara Mosher

Brown loves a peaceful moment on his front porch. A passionate music enthusiast, he enjoys that he has easy access to yearly festivals such as SXSW, Austin City Limits and the Fun Fun Fun Fest.

Do you get a colorful, creative residence? Discuss it with us!

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