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When Austin-based couple Libby and Peter came across a 1950s home with a massive front yard and established trees, they didn’t even need to see the interior to know they wanted to call it home. The only catch? It wasn’t for sale. But after writing the owner and sharing how much they adored the place, they were able to change that—and eventually, it was theirs.
While they hoped to preserve its charm, the home had undergone some strange remodels over the years and needed a full overhaul. With three young sons—Hank (7), Gus (4), and Alfie (2)—the couple wanted a space that was both family-friendly and filled with character, which was a tricky task given they were essentially starting from scratch.
Their architect, Sarah Bullock McIntyre, created a much more practical layout by flipping the original dining room and kitchen for maximized views of the backyard, giving them a galley-style home office, and carving out a flex room with ensuite (an auspicious addition as the couple found out they were expecting baby number three mid-construction). To infuse a sense of soul and history, they looked to designer Ann Edgerton, who focused on introducing unique creations like the sunroom side tables crafted from felled oak trees from the property and a custom wood-burning fireplace inspired by Libby’s grandmother’s Santa Barbara home.
“Because it was essentially a new build, we kept asking ourselves, ‘How do we make this feel like it’s been here for decades?’” says Edgerton. Ahead, Libby, along with her interior designer and architect, reveal their secrets to nailing nostalgia in a way that both fit their budget and could stand up to three little boys.
Edgerton: Libby was a leader in the design. Her parents are both artists and she’s very creative. She has this cool, retro, very joyful vibe. She wanted to incorporate a lot of things that felt old and storied and like they came from something. Libby: [Ann] didn’t need to sell us. We knew her work and loved it. Nothing can be too perfect or precious, and I didn’t want beige everything. She instantly got it and embraced what we were looking to do. | Bench, Muhly; Flush Mount, Palefire.Libby: We really wanted a wood-burning fireplace. I idolized my grandmother’s home when we were growing up in Santa Barbara. She had a midcentury house with beautiful big windows, tons of natural light, and this fireplace with a bench in front of it. It was a focal point that really stood out in my mind. Our builder had initially told us we wouldn’t be able to get what we wanted due to budget. During a meeting, Ann sketched it out, and we instantly loved it and found a way to make it work. Edgerton: It has a tiled hearth for texture and is a nice commanding element. I was excited she wanted to go for it. Those are things that make a house turn a corner. | Rug, Loloi; Vintage Chairs, Period Modern; Coffee Table, Yucca Stuff; Andirons, Muhly.Libby: Our coffee table in the living room has this beautiful round base of Texas limestone with amazing fossils inlaid in it. A friend of ours, Daniel, made it. He’s the owner of Yucca Stuff and was our neighbor from our old house. Libby: A friend, Adrienne Romine, made the kitchen countertop for us. She had a company called Half Halt. They’re beautiful and make me so happy. We wanted as many pieces from friends and locals as we could. | Tile Backsplash, Cle; Vintage Vase via Joint Detail.Bullock McIntyre: Flipping the original dining and kitchen functions allowed them to maximize views of the backyard and pool (with safety being a concern considering their young children). Edgerton: The wood cladding brings a retro, warm, and cozy environment [to the TV room]. Yellow and chartreuse were colors [Libby] picked out early on. She made the art above the sofa in a printmaking class.| Sofa, Crate & Barrel; Vintage Coffee Table via Joint Detail; Pillows, Soil to Studio.Libby: I love the playful, handmade, and colorful. We were sad about not being able to maintain some of the elements of the original home. By bringing in folk art items with a similar feeling, we could have a sense of place and history. | Pendant, Gubi; Sconce, RBW.Libby: The way the home has come to life is beautiful. What Ann did really well was direct us on budget. She helped us make choices in a way that made an impact. | Bedspread, Madre; Sconce, Etsy; Art: Kate LeSuer; Bed, Four Hands. Edgerton: The rugs were all vintage from Round Top [Antiques Fair]. [Libby] has a very distinct taste and we dug through pieces. In the kids’ bedroom, they installed all their own drapery, which is really hard to do. | Book Cases, Blu Dot; Window Treatments, Loft Curtains.Edgerton: For the powder bath’s cement tile, we looked around at old European bathrooms and a pattern in fun colors that was timeless. Cement is earthy and wears and tears in a cool way. We were always asking things like, ‘Can this get colored on?’ ‘Can this get jumped on?’ Libby: She and I joke that I’m obsessed with fish. (It was my first word as a baby). Any fish art to this day, Ann will text me pictures. There is an artist in the U.K. that always works in twos (like two birds, two fish, two cows, etc.) but we have three kids and thought how cool it would be to have three fish in our bathroom. | Floor Tile, DDS; Sconce, Etsy; Art, Isobel Harvey. Libby: We were shocked at how much painting costs [when you want] to do different colors in different rooms, so we had to really be mindful about where we used bold color. Edgerton: The mudroom’s quarry tile is commercial kitchen tile from the ’60s and made of clay. We used it in a lot of places, including in the boys’ bath and then in a red color in the mother-in-law’s suite. It’s very durable but super inexpensive and has a natural patina. | The mudroom was also designed by Emily Lindberg. Edgerton: Libby found all these tablecloths made out of really nice fabrics and used them for skirting and for shower curtains instead of expensive yardage. | Towels, Tekla.Bullock McIntyre: One of the home’s post oak trees had grown over the house and was removed for safety, but a few more significant oaks died during construction as a result of extreme temperature swings. We attempted to save them, but used the salvaged wood for furniture pieces. Edgerton: Libby loves fish, and I found these vintage fish tiles and had them inset into the wood tables. | Coffee Table, CB2; Vintage Dining Tables and Chairs by Russel Woodard.
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