Interior designer Taylor Clouse is a big believer in the power of manifestation. So much so that when she was tasked with remodeling a tired 1950s bungalow in Austin’s historic Clarksville neighborhood a few years ago, she planted crystals in the walls to conjure an energy of growth and harmony. “Our inspiration began with the idea of living inside a jewel box. The crystals really helped drive home this origin myth,” says Taylor, founder and principal of Austin-based interior design studio Love County Interiors and Design, who collaborated with builder Jon Williams for the rebuild. The idea of creating a warm, welcoming sanctuary was particularly significant: The homeowner, a nutritionist with a practice of her own, had just moved from Los Angeles to Austin and was looking to make this her forever home. All the more, then, was the need to make it feel special.
When Taylor took up the design reins, she already had a starting point. The homeowner had worked with stylist Leaia Felder to envisage an initial aesthetic—one that was light and airy, with a decidedly refined femininity. “Together, they had made some preliminary selections that really set the tone for the project,” Taylor shares. But there was still much to be contemplated. Designer and client were keen on achieving a soft, hyper-feminine aesthetic, but with a sophisticated slant. Which meant, amongst other things, dialing up the pink through elevated materials and forms. What followed was a pastel palooza. Fairy-wing-toned marble penny tiles went up in the bathrooms, while the dining room gained a dusty rose marble table. Some walls were enlivened in a spun-sugar-hued plaster, whereas others, as in the primary suite, were painted a coral tone to reflect the warmth of the sunrise and sunset. Likewise, hard materials like steel were hushed in a cream powder coat. “We set out to keep the space soft and elevated, and packed as much of her personality, luxurious details, and comfort as we could into the house’s small footprint,” reflects Taylor, who had the original pine floor refinished and restored to its former glory.
There were no rules when it came to decor. In a bid to simultaneously contrast and complement the home’s history, Taylor balanced the furniture, lighting, and accents with à la mode pieces and vintage finds. Deeming no detail too small, she also added cream steel casings between rooms and espoused a similar approach with the material palette, carrying a mix of cherry wood cabinetry, Viola and Calacatta rose gold marble, and cream powder-coated steel doors and casings throughout the house.
As a nutritionist, the homeowner laid particular emphasis on a spacious and functional kitchen—a hard ask, considering the original layout was rather pinched for space. Thus, a plan was born to reorient the kitchen and add a skylight, to welcome more space and more light—all without drastically changing the historic exterior. “An emphasis on details and flow between spaces makes the house feel more luxe than the square footage would suggest,” avers Taylor.
As she recalls, the biggest design challenge was working around the existing floor plan and original features of the 1950s bungalow. “Our goal was to achieve an open and expansive feel, while still maintaining cozy nooks,” notes the designer. It was a sleight of hand she was able to pull off with some creative thinking, including installing brass and marble thresholds that would distinguish one space from another, while still allowing the eye to soak in a full view through the floor-to-ceiling doors.
The home is a place of meaningful halves: It’s characterful yet cozy, small yet abundant, and still entirely whole. It’s one that will no doubt serve its occupants well for many years to come.
