My Houzz: 1970s Texas Ranch House Gets a Boho Update
Before and after: Graphic tile, black paint and a new open floor plan transform this Austin couple’s live-work home
Janet Paik
September 25, 2018
Houzz Associate Editor. Passionate about creative homes and the people behind them. Loves thoughtful design, improving her family's 1950s fixer-upper and VW buses. Former designer at the San Jose Mercury News.
Houzz Associate Editor. Passionate about creative homes and the people behind them.... More
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Jaclyn and Joe Dowdle and their dog, Gus
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 2,022 square feet (188 square meters); four bedrooms, two bathrooms
Jaclyn Dowdle describes the 1976 ranch house she and her husband bought in Austin, Texas, as “pretty tired-looking but with great bones.” Jaclyn, founder of women’s apparel company Trove, and her husband, Joe Dowdle, who works in commercial real estate, renovated and transformed the home, energizing it with bright and modern boho flair.
Before: The couple renovated their kitchen, above, removing a wall between the kitchen and living room to create an open floor plan. In the living room they redid the fireplace area and added windows. They also remodeled two bathrooms, carved out a second home office and installed new flooring throughout the home.
Who lives here: Jaclyn and Joe Dowdle and their dog, Gus
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 2,022 square feet (188 square meters); four bedrooms, two bathrooms
Jaclyn Dowdle describes the 1976 ranch house she and her husband bought in Austin, Texas, as “pretty tired-looking but with great bones.” Jaclyn, founder of women’s apparel company Trove, and her husband, Joe Dowdle, who works in commercial real estate, renovated and transformed the home, energizing it with bright and modern boho flair.
Before: The couple renovated their kitchen, above, removing a wall between the kitchen and living room to create an open floor plan. In the living room they redid the fireplace area and added windows. They also remodeled two bathrooms, carved out a second home office and installed new flooring throughout the home.
After: The couple gutted the kitchen, replacing the cabinets and appliances. “We added in some pretty wild geometric backsplash in the kitchen that could have been an eyesore, but it turned out perfect,” Joe says.
“The way the kitchen was originally oriented just didn’t lend well to storage space. We want to be in this house for a while, so we added more cabinetry, a Lazy Susan in one of the corner cabinets and drawers underneath our massive kitchen island,” Jaclyn says. The couple worked with a local carpenter to make their new white cabinets and drawers. “They’re also soft-close drawers and cabinets, which is a nice touch and helps with making it more conducive to actually closing cabinets,” Jaclyn says. The new white countertops are quartz.
The kitchen renovation cost $20,000, including the new white appliances. Joe did almost all of the demo work, which saved them a lot of money on labor. Also, Joe adds, “We saved on appliances by forgoing the top of the line but hitting the Memorial Day sale at Best Buy.”
New west pattern ten tiles: Clé
10 Creative Kitchen Backsplashes | Browse black-and-white tile
“The way the kitchen was originally oriented just didn’t lend well to storage space. We want to be in this house for a while, so we added more cabinetry, a Lazy Susan in one of the corner cabinets and drawers underneath our massive kitchen island,” Jaclyn says. The couple worked with a local carpenter to make their new white cabinets and drawers. “They’re also soft-close drawers and cabinets, which is a nice touch and helps with making it more conducive to actually closing cabinets,” Jaclyn says. The new white countertops are quartz.
The kitchen renovation cost $20,000, including the new white appliances. Joe did almost all of the demo work, which saved them a lot of money on labor. Also, Joe adds, “We saved on appliances by forgoing the top of the line but hitting the Memorial Day sale at Best Buy.”
New west pattern ten tiles: Clé
10 Creative Kitchen Backsplashes | Browse black-and-white tile
The couple moved into their home in mid-June of 2017 after closing on the house in March. “We tried to do the major renovations before we moved in, like the kitchen and master bathroom, but there was definitely things like no cabinet doors and no working faucets for awhile when we moved in,” Jaclyn says, pictured with Joe and their dog, Gus.
“I would describe our lifestyle as one that is open and inviting, and that’s how I feel we’ve at least attempted to make our house. We want everyone to feel comfortable and at ease when they enter our home,” she adds.
“I would describe our lifestyle as one that is open and inviting, and that’s how I feel we’ve at least attempted to make our house. We want everyone to feel comfortable and at ease when they enter our home,” she adds.
“We love to entertain. Every Sunday night we try and have people over for a dinner we call ‘Sunday Social,’” Jaclyn says. “It started out as just a few friends and has turned into friends of friends, roommates, people who are traveling through Austin and want a good meal and good conversation,” Jaclyn says. “Sunday night is easily our most looked-forward-to night of the week now.“
The couple painted their island black in Broadway by Behr. “We loved the idea of making it stand out amidst what could have been a pretty stark white, minimal kitchen,” Jaclyn says.
The island features cabinets with pullout drawers, making it easier, in Jaclyn’s words, to “rummage through and get out that giant soup pot I only seasonally use.”
The couple painted their island black in Broadway by Behr. “We loved the idea of making it stand out amidst what could have been a pretty stark white, minimal kitchen,” Jaclyn says.
The island features cabinets with pullout drawers, making it easier, in Jaclyn’s words, to “rummage through and get out that giant soup pot I only seasonally use.”
“We bought a new, full-priced table when we got married, but we couldn’t afford the chairs to go with it,” Joe says. “We ended up buying chairs from Ikea and spray painting the bottoms so they looked a little more upscale. We get a lot of compliments on those chairs.”
Midcentury expandable walnut dining table: West Elm; Preben chairs, Sinnerlig pendant lamp: Ikea
Find wood midcentury dining tables
Midcentury expandable walnut dining table: West Elm; Preben chairs, Sinnerlig pendant lamp: Ikea
Find wood midcentury dining tables
The double entry doors lead into a bright and airy entry. Gus relaxes on a maroon patterned rug that warms up their herringbone-patterned ceramic floors. “Wooden floors are beautiful but were out of our budget,” Jaclyn says. “Plus, we have a big dog who might scratch wood up, so tile was the right call for us.”
Fela tasseled chandelier: Jungalow
Fela tasseled chandelier: Jungalow
Before: “We really liked the floor plan except for a few things. There was a wall dividing the kitchen and the living room that we wanted to remove,” Jaclyn says. “It was the first thing we knocked down. We just knew it would be better as an open floor plan because of the way we utilize the kitchen and living room.”
After. The living room now opens to the kitchen and dining room. “Adding windows to the wall facing the greenbelt behind our house is likely our favorite,” Jaclyn says. “You can’t beat the natural light that pours in each day.”
The couple updated their fireplace wall by shortening the length of the hearth and removing the existing built-in. “We took a chance and painted the natural stone fireplace a dark charcoal color to anchor the room. We were a little skeptical, but it turned out great. And it allows the TV to disappear when off,” Jaclyn adds.
Fireplace paint: Broadway, Behr
The couple updated their fireplace wall by shortening the length of the hearth and removing the existing built-in. “We took a chance and painted the natural stone fireplace a dark charcoal color to anchor the room. We were a little skeptical, but it turned out great. And it allows the TV to disappear when off,” Jaclyn adds.
Fireplace paint: Broadway, Behr
“We often put music on in the mornings and dance with each other and our dog for a minute before we get our day started,” Jaclyn says. “It’s such a special few minutes where we just relish in the sun that’s pouring in and the open and inviting space that we’ve created.”
The couple’s dog, Gus, described by Jaclyn as “sweet, loyal and lazy,” enjoys a large bed right next to the big open windows. “He can monitor all of the backyard activities. Rest assured, there are no squirrels, snakes or strangers that will ever get through those doors with him there,” she says. “He also ironically loves all of our big plants in our house and we catch him rubbing his face through their palms sporadically throughout the day. If he realizes we’re watching him do this, he gets wildly embarrassed and immediately walks away!”
Jaclyn put some black paint on a pair of rattan armchairs found at an estate sale and reupholstered the cushions with new fabric.
The couple’s dog, Gus, described by Jaclyn as “sweet, loyal and lazy,” enjoys a large bed right next to the big open windows. “He can monitor all of the backyard activities. Rest assured, there are no squirrels, snakes or strangers that will ever get through those doors with him there,” she says. “He also ironically loves all of our big plants in our house and we catch him rubbing his face through their palms sporadically throughout the day. If he realizes we’re watching him do this, he gets wildly embarrassed and immediately walks away!”
Jaclyn put some black paint on a pair of rattan armchairs found at an estate sale and reupholstered the cushions with new fabric.
Crosby midcentury loveseat: West Elm; Wool tufted diamond jute area rug: NuLoom; lucite coffee table, textile pillow: Etsy; Gray-and-white woven wall hanging: Cost Plus World Market
Find green velvet love seats
Find green velvet love seats
Joe’s home office for his boutique commercial real estate firm was originally part of the garage. “We framed it out to be included in the interior and added a big window so I could have my own space with some natural light,” Joe says.
“We both work from home, so it was critical for us to have our own offices,” Jaclyn says.
This is Jaclyn’s home office for her women’s apparel company. “We both spend our days holed up in these rooms, and so we’ve made them as personable and as cozy as we possibly can,” she says. “We each had free rein to decorate them as we please since this is where most of our time is spent.”
This is Jaclyn’s home office for her women’s apparel company. “We both spend our days holed up in these rooms, and so we’ve made them as personable and as cozy as we possibly can,” she says. “We each had free rein to decorate them as we please since this is where most of our time is spent.”
The couple found their vintage rattan furniture set — with a bed, nightstand, dresser and large mirror — for their master bedroom on Craigslist. “We paid $300 for the entire set of four pieces! We’re still giddy over that one,” Joe says. “We both love midcentury modern pieces.”
Before. The existing master bathroom was functional, but the couple wanted to update the style and make it larger. “The big surprise was we found out the hot water line to the master bath was undersized. The water heater is on the other side of the house,” Joe says. “Our plumber said we could go to the store and come back before the water got hot. So, we added a tankless water heater to serve the master bath.”
After. “Jaclyn kept saying she wanted a ‘retro Palm Springs’ vibe and I think she managed to pull that off pretty well,” Joe says. A tropical wallpaper adds a colorful touch to the otherwise black-and-white space.
“There wasn’t a good use of space in the master bedroom and bathroom, and so we overhauled those two rooms. We added a walk-in shower and closet to better use the space, and it turned out incredible,” Joe says.
“There wasn’t a good use of space in the master bedroom and bathroom, and so we overhauled those two rooms. We added a walk-in shower and closet to better use the space, and it turned out incredible,” Joe says.
A new white double vanity features the same brass hexagon-shaped knobs and drawer pulls as in the kitchen cabinetry.
The walk-in shower wet room features a claw-foot tub.
Both Jaclyn’s and Joe’s families live outside Austin and come to visit often. Both sets of parents or the couple’s siblings have stayed overnight in this guest bedroom. “They love the natural light that pours in through the windows in the morning,” Jaclyn says.
The baskets and art on the wall are from trips Jaclyn took to Guatemala and Africa.
Natural wicker headboard: Cost Plus World Market; Kaleidoscope patchwork quilt: Urban Outfitters
The baskets and art on the wall are from trips Jaclyn took to Guatemala and Africa.
Natural wicker headboard: Cost Plus World Market; Kaleidoscope patchwork quilt: Urban Outfitters
Before. The guest bathroom was functional but had a worn wooden vanity and a tile design that didn’t match the homeowners’ style.
After: A graphic black-and-white floor tile from Clé tile adds a modern boho touch. Brass accent pulls and knobs tie together this bathroom with the other renovated spaces.
Brass faucet and flusher: Kingston Brass
Brass faucet and flusher: Kingston Brass
Before: “We wanted to make the entrance of our house more convenient and less treacherous,” Jaclyn says. “The original walkway winded between two trees, making it hard to see and complicated to walk on.”
After: The homeowners replaced the garage door and front walkway by installing concrete pavers and river rock for a more modern look. “With bigger steps that were well-lit and opened up to the street versus just our driveway, we thought it would be more conducive to any of our guests,” Jaclyn says.
The couple worked with a local landscaping company to put in the edging and deliver the river rock. Joe installed the cement steps and new grass.
The couple also painted the brick exterior white and the trim black in Broadway by Behr, the same paint used for the fireplace.
See more of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
The couple worked with a local landscaping company to put in the edging and deliver the river rock. Joe installed the cement steps and new grass.
The couple also painted the brick exterior white and the trim black in Broadway by Behr, the same paint used for the fireplace.
See more of this home
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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loved this featured home. What is the wall/ceiling color?
Oh, hey friends! Nice work! Fancy seeing you here :)
in the bathroom with two mirrors, please tell me where to get the lighting above each mirror. i am looking for lighting that is NOT downlighting. Thanks.