Real Estate Stalking: Austin

Yesterday morning, Mark and I said "Let's go to Austin!" Without any prior preparation we took off. It was a great time and I came back with treats. I happened upon this Artful cottage. when I took a wrong turn. (Sometimes mistakes are wonderful, eh?)

I only saw the exterior, but I knew the interior would have to be just as fantastic and it is. Hooray! Look at this place. At less than 1000sqft. its tiny, but who wouldn't be willing to make the sacrifice? Of course, the price tag is for you to make a decision about. Sorry, I can't help you there:(

Whoever photographed this house, I would like to say, bravo! These shots are amazing. I'm imagining framing the photo above and hanging it as art. Love it. (P.S. if you're wondering why I didn't take photos myself as I usually do. We left so suddenly, I didn't get to pack up my camera. I felt naked all day)

How many fantastic parties, could happen out here, I wonder?

The second treat is this little yellow house. Another mini house with lots of personality. I don't think this photo shows it so well, but the pretty color scheme really pops. Especially, that fantastic red door. I love driving around Austin neighborhoods because the houses are so unique and imaginative. I always feel inspired when I return home.

Another thing I love about the little yellow house is that it faces Sparky Park. I had never heard of it until yesterday, but I'm smitten with it now. It was built by converting a former substation into a piece of public art. I recommend stopping by if you are in the neighborhood.

A Woman's Home Is Her Castle

Now THIS is real estate shopping! Last week Remodelista mentioned this home only in passing but I had to investigate it further. Wow! As it turns out there is a CASTLE for sale here in Texas. I can say I've never heard of a Texas castle, but now I know there is one in where else but Austin

The living room/lodge blows me away. I guess this is enough space for dining parties, no?

Finally, I could rule over my own little kingdom...even if I'm the only person who believes in it:)

A Quick Stop For Inspiration

On our trip home, we decided to make a quick stop in Austin. I say quick because we weren't even there 24 hrs. That didn't stop me from photo stalking;) (Annie, I hope you like these. Ha!) I've been itching to see the Saint Cecilia Hotel, since I first heard about it. Designed by the developers of the San Jose, I knew it would have to be amazing...and it certainly was!!!
I know many bloggers have written about this place so I hope you all will indulge me. I'm just so excited about it! Also, please excuse Mr. Liam who had to walk through almost EVERY photo I took. Here's a tip: Don't take small boys when taking photos. They don't exactly know how to sit still.

I don't have many photos to share, because I didn't actually stay at the hotel, I was just passing by. Yes, I know...the definition of stalking. Honestly, there is so much inspiration that just a quick walk around supplies more than enough eye candy. One of my favorite details was the black and white tile in a chevron pattern. Oh you all know how much I love stripes!

Yeah, he knows how to pose!

My other favorite part. This hidden courtyard. The design of it isn't complicated, but its just perfection. It occurred to me how simple it would be to find a couple of simple outdoor benches and paint them bright white. This bench is one large L-shape piece but two benches placed caddy corner to one another can have the same effect. The pillows are simply made with black outdoor fabric.

The jewel-tones and the stark lines are so striking. St. Cecilia, hopefully next time I can see you from the inside.
Love ya!

Happiness

So, Friday afternoon we decided to drive to Austin at the last minute. Many of you may know that my husband and I make Austin trips on a regular basis. I do a lot of wondering around whenever I'm there, so I kind of assumed I was familiar w/ most of the shopping sites...but I discovered I was wrong! (I get so excited when I find new places to shop). Driving down South 1st, I discovered a group of shops called Happiness. There isn't an easy way to describe it. It sits behind a couple of funky vintage clothing stores. You kind of have to know where it is, because its hard to see. Basically, its a collection of tiny sheds. They are centered around a tree-lined courtyard and are filled the works of various artists. The little sheds feature different types of art and handmade objects. My favorite pieces were the creative planters. Happiness really lives up to its name; I forgot about all my troubles and became absorbed in the bohemian atmosphere.

Modern Affordable.

If you are like me, you are in love with most of the contemporary pre-fab homes. The simplicity and rapid building process is very enticing. Unfortunately, many of the pre-fab builders are just as expensive as standard home builders...sometimes even more expensive! That really takes the wind out of my sails. So, I was very excited to find an Austin company called ma. Check out their website, their entire concept is very fascinating.

Things Found Along The Way.

While on my long journey, I found lots of inspiring ideas that I want to share. The last leg of the trip was spent in Austin. (Thanks to one of my lovely cousins, who found us a wonderful hotel). Anyway, anytime I'm in Austin I try to stop by Homegirls. I can never resist their cool vintage furniture. This visit, the were displaying art by the amazing Alyson Fox. BTW, if any of you have been to Homegirls, many of the cool displays were done by Alyson. I've been a long time fan of Alyson's work, and really loved the prints that were shown.

If you can't get enough Alyson, she now has her own clothing line called A Small Collection. The clothes are wonderful, and the website presents them in the most charming way I have ever seen! I could look at the site all day.

(This is one of my favorite pieces).

Up until now, I haven't been to keen on the whole wall stickers thing; but I found some that are really tempting me. They are from Ferm Living. My two favorites are the Love Birds and the Power Pole. Perfect for a contemporary home. Maybe just like this one that I just happened to be driving by. I don't know anything about it, I just had to take a picture. It appears that this house is in fact a duplex that is joined by the unusual metal pieces "weaving" the two parts together. Very cool.

"Color Week" Continues.

I enjoyed "Color Week" so much, I decided to continue it. I ran out of time, and didn't post everything I wanted. Here a few pictures I took over the weekend.

Hotel San Jose

Over the weekend, my husband and I decided to drive over to Austin; at the last minute. Saturday morning we just decided to take-off, of course it took us about 3 1/2 hours to just "take-off". As it turns out, the weather turned bad, and we had to deal with pouring rain. So because of the rain, I wasn't able to do much on Saturday. (For my friends over at Home Girls, I wanted to come by; but just ran out of time). Luckily, Sunday was a truly glorious day. I drove over to the shops on South Congress (probably the funkiest part of Austin). I've been anxiously awaiting an opportunity to write about the Hotel San Jose. This place is so cool and beautiful, I've never seen a hotel quite like it. The Spanish colonial hotel, was originally built in 1936, and was a bustling business until the 1960's. For decades afterwards, the hotel was used for everything from a brothel, bible school, and a shelter. A few years ago the amazing architects of Lake/Flato,reworked the structure into the funky and serene hotel it is now.
I need to add that if anyone is planning to stay at the San Jose, don't assume that a room will be available at the last minute (trust me on this). Because our trip was so last minute, I was not able to get a reservation. So, instead I walked in and snapped a few photos, including a couple of shots taken on the sly. When you first walk on to the grounds, there is a sort of maze of courtyards, covered in ivy and native plants. Even though the hotel is directly on busy Congress street, the courtyards are very quiet and peaceful. I love the very creative use of colors and materials both inside and out. There is an art gallery on the site, that features a rotating selection of artists. Also, when you are needing your latte fix, there is Jo's coffee directly next door. Hopefully, next time we drive over to Austin, I will do a little bit better job of planning ahead. If I ever do, I will be able to write more about what the service and atmosphere are like.