Boldness doesn’t always knock you over the head. It isn’t limited to big gestures, wild ideas, to shocking. It does ride on individuality, openness, risk. And it isn’t incompatible with understatement. Designed for the CEO of an AI-driven legal technology company, this Austin penthouse combines a certain soberness with a clear willingness to embrace the unexpected. Neither far out nor hidebound, it’s proof that a little daring goes a long way.
The builder’s spec, two-bedroom residence needed a lot of warming up from its original, blandly cool look when Austin designer Erica Volkmer of Evensen Design came on board. The unit did have its good points – walnut cabinetry and custom brass doors – but it lacked nuance and depth. And the homeowner, who arrived from Houston with what he called “bachelor” furniture, was ready to expand his interior design horizons. “We started with several design books, ranging from Parish Hadley to Jean-Louis Deniot to Steven Gambrel,” shares Volkmer. “Honing in on his personal taste was key, and what we discovered is he appreciated a wide range of styles. He is also an avid reader, so exchanging books for inspiration was a fun part of the process.”
No matter what the project, Volkmer is committed to creating a “hierarchy of design” with “a strong and architecturally minded backdrop.” Here, custom-designed wood paneling and trim details, bold wallpaper and carefully considered curtains establish that essential framework. “We took a deep dive into paint, plaster and brass to play with the natural light,” explains Volkmer. And when it came to furnishing the spaces, she threw herself just as fully into the process. “The lighting was its own thesis, as were the rugs. We approached both collections the way we would curate an art collection.”
A mix of antiques, modern designs and contemporary pieces give the home a kind of fluid identity. Recognizable but not rote, audacious yet not outrageous, its vibe ranges from wonderfully proper to playful. The dark-hued study sports a handsome Chesterfield sofa upholstered in a deep-green Italian hide from Jerry Pair Leather, and the walls are covered in the hand-painted Sun Pavilion pattern from Gracie Studio’s Landscapes wallpaper line.
At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the lively music room. “Our client brought a few surprises to the table, such as bright-blue Focal speakers for that space,” notes Volkmer. “But we chose to embrace them rather than design against them, selecting a vibrant cobalt de Gournay wallpaper, a vintage de Sede sofa and an iridescent cerulean blue and red antique rug.”
Highly individual objects, including horsehair sconces from Apparatus Studio, a trio of Miquel Aparici’s walnut-and-brass Bird Tables (a collaboration with Barcelona’s Mermelada Estudio) and Vladimir Kagan’s creature-like Gabriella Chair, add interest throughout. The homeowner’s tight art collection includes work by East Coast painter Sarah Rubin and Mississippi-born Austinite Patrick Puckett. A Turkish rug hung at the head of a bed and an antique English settee are among the pieces that invest the home with an established, accumulative air.
“Although our projects may range in style, our interiors are all consistently curated to foster depth and interest. At the same time, we know not to take the process so seriously. Interior design is meant to bring joy, and we have fun doing it. This allows us to be daring, take risks and encourage our clients to do the same,” stresses Volkmer.
Photography by Aerie Dougherty.
For more like this, be sure to check out this Austin penthouse.
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