Jen and Dave’s Fixer-Upper Turned Colorful, Plant-Filled Austin Home

Name: Jen & Dave Figueroa and their two rescue greyhounds, Ike and Louise
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 1,100 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year; Owned

A little over a year ago, Jen and Dave bought a house that was in desperate need of some love. The house sits on a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood in South Austin, and when they bought it, it had old carpet, beige walls, and all the hallmarks of a fixer-upper. Dave and Jen both have demanding jobs—Jen is an art director for Whole Foods and Dave does inside sales for Willier USA (the American division of an elite Italian cycling company)—so fixing up their new home meant working late nights and weekends and employing the help of one very generous family member. Dave’s dad did the concrete floors and most of the remodeling!

One of my favorite recurring elements in their home is the use of contrasting colors. Bright, bold colors coexist nicely with warm, earthy woods and lots of green plants. No room repeats itself; each space in this three-bedroom house has an identity all its own, and yet it still feels all at once cohesive, uncluttered, and specific to Jen and Dave. They are both smart and quick as whips, but are also warm and thoughtful; it’s always fun to see homeowners’ personalities manifest through their homes.

Our Style: Modern and Simple while being Comfortable and Low-maintenance

Inspiration: Varies

Favorite Element: Fireplace

Biggest Challenge: Dave’s dad (who basically did our entire remodel) lives too far away.

What Friends Say: That they love it

Biggest Embarrassment: The master bath is a 1977 time capsule. And not in a cool way.

Proudest DIY: All of it: ceilings (popcorn removal), floors (removed carpet, scraped up tile, buffed the slab), gallery baseboards, succulents on shelves in the kitchen, all framed photographs are our own photography, all framed prints represent our travels, the hutch in the kitchen was found on the side of the road, and of course, the fireplace. We even spray painted the fireplace cover thing.

Biggest Indulgence: Most of our home is pretty affordable: mixtures of IKEA and Overstock and Crate & Barrel and Copenhagen and vintage, etc. We prefer to indulge with experiences: travel, fitness (cycling, running, yoga, pilates), and of course, food and drink.

Best Advice: I don’t know what our best advice was that we received. What I’ll say to people is that sometimes the house will tell you what it wants. We (Jen) came in with grandiose visions of remodel and over time those visions faded and simpler solutions replaced them.

• Fireplace: COLOR Radiant Orchid, eggshell
• Rest of the house: white, three shades of the same card of gray, navy blue, aqua, and sage green—don’t know the names but all are BEHR Premuim Plus Zero VOC eggshell finish.

• Bed: Crate & Barrel
  
• Duvet cover: H&M
• Nightstand: vintage
• Greyhound statue: vintage
• Clock: vintage
• Dodos print: bought when we eloped in Marfa, framed at Michael’s

• Mostly Ikea, with a lot of original art and cycling memorabilia

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