Tour Cody Gould's Industrial Style Austin Rental Apartment

This 740-Square-Foot Austin Rental Is Full of Color, Art, and One Very Unexpected Kitchen Detail

published now

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

About this tour

Explore More House Tours

Home Type

Location

Style

Bedrooms

Square feet

740

Sq ft

740

Before moving into their 740-square-foot Austin rental, Cody Gould and Sam Dorman were squeezed into Sam’s teeny 350-square-foot studio apartment in a complex. So when they spotted a standalone one-bedroom apartment for rent in a dreamy neighborhood in Austin posted at 8 a.m. on Zillow, they moved fast.

Can't-Miss House Tours Straight to Your Inbox

Keep up with our latest house tours each weekday with our House Tour of the Day newsletter

Credit: Minette Hand

“The moment we laid eyes on this place, we knew it was what we were looking for,” Cody says of the space that has both a unique style and is also in their budget.

Credit: Minette Hand

The home already had lots of built-in personality when they moved in, like concrete walls, warm hardwood floors upstairs, tall ceilings, rusty doors, a colorful green kitchen, and even some cool reclaimed elements from an old Austin power plant.

Credit: Minette Hand

"The front door and bedroom windows are also reclaimed from the old Austin power plant, adding even more history to the 12-year-old apartment," Cody writes.

After two years of renting, Cody and Sam have turned the industrial apartment into something very personal. “Sam’s artist brain went wild decorating this place,” Cody says. Most of the art on display was made by Sam, and the couple has also started collecting work by local Austin artists.

Credit: Minette Hand

Despite having a lot of industrial elements like concrete floors and walls, it’s an incredibly colorful, cozy home. It’s a mix of contemporary and cool, but also warm and welcoming.

Credit: Minette Hand

"Our landlord is very proud of the fact that our kitchen was painted with car paint. It brings depth to the kitchen that I haven't seen before. We love it!" Cody writes.

One of the home’s biggest showstoppers is the green kitchen, which has an especially unexpected finish. “Our landlord is very proud of the fact that our kitchen was painted with car paint,” Cody says. “It brings depth to the kitchen that I haven’t seen before. We love it!” The kitchen shelves are just as unique; they were made from the concrete molds used to create the home’s walls.

Credit: Minette Hand

"People LOVE the concrete walls and the artwork that we have either made or sourced," Cody says.

Another favorite detail is the couple’s canvas wall feature, which lets Sam make art whenever inspiration strikes. “We have hung up a roll of canvas so that Sam can create art the second she becomes inspired,” Cody says. It’s their proudest DIY, and it captures the spirit of the whole home, which is both practical and creative.

Credit: Minette Hand

Cody says the "area where the refrigerator is was going to be a restroom until the landlord realized that this would mean we would have nowhere to put food. I am happy he didn't decide to do that!"

“This house was a manifestation of bringing our relationship to the next level,” Cody continues. “It’s an artist’s hideaway. This apartment not only represents our relationship, but also has inspired me to find my creativity.”