Unit 45

Enjoying sweeping views of the Colorado River as it winds through downtown Austin, Unit 45 utilizes a minimalist material palette that is complemented by a stunning collection of colorful artworks. The design process focused on identifying a theme for the apartment and creating a vocabulary that could connect all the different elements.

The entrance features a curvaceous plaster wall that draws visitors into the space beyond. The clean white tile floors, warm acoustical white oak ceiling, and sleek blackened steel shelf embedded in the Venetian plaster immediately establish the aesthetic language: crisp, clean, elegant.

Defined by the wood ceiling overhead, the main living area—which includes spaces for entertaining and dining—boasts a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass on one side. On the opposite wall, a series of convex acrylic mirrors serves as an intriguing counterpoint to the city views. A large pocket door provides access to a cozy media room, which also converts to a guest bedroom. The space features a wall of cabinetry that incorporates the television, linear fireplace, bookshelves, and a Murphy bed.

Adjacent to the dining area, the kitchen is central to the life of the apartment. Rich, ebonized mahogany cabinets and noir black countertops combine to make a bold statement against the white floor and ceiling.

From the kitchen, a hallway with curving walls stretches toward the primary suite, dissolving at its terminus in a series of rhythmic columns. In the bedroom, the white tile floors give way to warm wood. From the bedroom, a corridor leads to a walk-in closet and the primary bathroom. The bath features striking walls of inky black stone and tile, offset by a pristine white tub next to a window that frames views of downtown and the hills beyond.

PROJECT
Unit 45

LOCATION
Austin, Texas

SCOPE
Interior Design

PHOTOGRAPHY
Paul Finkel