A Contemporary Remodel of a Mid-Century Modern Home
Kevin Pruitt, a film producer and director, has sent us photos and videos of the contemporary remodel that he completed on his mid-century modern home in Austin, Texas.
Kevin also used his skills as a director to create a really nice video of the home – here.
You can also watch a video of what it looked like before the remodel – here.
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Originally built in 1967 by an eccentric Northwest Hills builder as his personal residence, this “Googie” influenced, mid century home is oriented to take advantage of the amazing views of the canyon wall over Bull Creek. This home was built for entertaining. From its floating lava rock fireplace that seats 8-12 people for dinner to its two great outdoor entertaining areas to its bedrooms that all open on to the kidney shaped swimming pool.
Kevin and his wife are currently selling the home, see the listing – here.
Photography by Paul Finkel
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Reuben Q on 23 Mar 2010 at 4:11 am #
Great job here but there’s a bit too much going on for me.
Sabra on 23 Mar 2010 at 5:25 am #
Can anyone indicate what brand/designer is the computer table? The glass on metal legs one with the lap top…
Chris on 23 Mar 2010 at 1:29 pm #
This is fantastic. Many other renovations of mid-century houses completely destroy the original architectural elements in favour of modernization. This is by far one of the best updates of its kind that I’ve seen.
moreveils on 23 Mar 2010 at 2:04 pm #
They should have gotten rid of that stone in the kitchen… it literally looks like mud and distracts from the effort at simplicity that the furniture is going for… disco ball excluded of course. Wacky
anne on 23 Mar 2010 at 8:03 pm #
i think the stone in the kitchen is a nice contrast to the simlicity…….but the whole is a bit mixed up for my tastes.
marshen on 23 Mar 2010 at 11:51 pm #
Tasteful remodel. Some wood on the floors, ceilings, or walls here and there would transition between the stark white and dark rock which seems like too much of a contrast here. Toning it down and warming it up a bit would help to attract a wider range of buyers. I am glad they kept all the rock as that is usually the first thing to go in “contemporary remodels.” The wall in the bedroom is killer.
marshen on 23 Mar 2010 at 11:57 pm #
Sabra, The desk could be a vintage piece by Directional, possibly Milo Broughman. Just a guess since the rest of the furnishings are vintage in that house.
Lance on 24 Mar 2010 at 3:03 pm #
I completely disagree. The look is jarring and looks like it was just done for shock value. There is simply too much going on to come close to anything resembling a cohesive design.
eileen on 25 Mar 2010 at 7:10 pm #
the desk is actually, (ready for this?) POTTERY BARN from 2004. Not all the other pieces are vintage…many are, but some are B & B Italia, DWR, Crate and Barrel, etc.
Thanks for all of your comments on our house. It was not done for “shock value” and in reality is an amazingly warm house. what is not in the pictures is all of the natural elements that come through the 11 sets of sliding glass doors and other glass. It’s stark because nature does the rest!
When we purchased the home, it was a dark cave–which people have a hard time believing. Dark walls, heavy curtains, bad window glazing.
eileen on 25 Mar 2010 at 7:15 pm #
Also–the “rock” in the kitchen is, in fact, tons of lava that was trucked up from Durango, Mexico in the 60′s. While it might not look great on film, it’s actually quite alluring and is one of the most ooo’d and ahh’d about part of the home. Taking it down would have been akin to dismembering the home. It is that rock and the other fossilized limestone that differentiate the home from ‘just another ranch” –well, not really. but close.
Lance on 26 Mar 2010 at 2:44 pm #
Come one Eileen.. Eileen Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye. Wait, wrong blog.
I’m glad you didn’t take my comments to seriously. I actually like the fire pit and the house as a whole definitely has a Nancy Sinatra/Tom Jomes feel to it, which is fun. I think the thing that throws me off is the sheer amount of ideas you had and put into the house. There’s a whole lot goin’ on.
It works in some rooms and not in the others, too much white here, a jolt of color, shine, texture, etc. right next to it… But I’ve done some rooms that I look back on and go “whoa, what was I thinking”. 
But I enjoyed it and it was a labor of love and that’s all that mattered, a sentiment I’m sure you subscribe too as well. But I do definitely appreciate someone doing something that’s retro, but not so much so that it’s just a recreation of and not an extension of the feel of the era. Now if you know of a place where I can get a vintage, tension pole lamp…
eileen on 31 Mar 2010 at 7:08 pm #
Lance–
Thanks for your response. Are you in Austin? I would love for you to see the house. When we were remodeling it, there were so MANY decisions that had to be made on the spot. we were always planning on repainting as time when on and truth be told, i am not so in to color POPS these days, but we just did not really have the luxury of time–or living in chaos since we both work at home. the house is now a blank canvas for someone else who wants to come in and wall paper, paint change flooring, etc. BUT it does have all new electrical, the whole house was plumbed underneath (CRAZY EXPENSIVE!) HVAC’s, POOL equip, fixtures, etc. That’s the problem (?) with houses like this—people who like them are usually pretty sophisticated homeowners so they want to put their own stamp on things. We saved it from the wrecking ball and now it’s a perfect blank canvas for the next owner!
Lance on 05 Apr 2010 at 5:32 pm #
Unfortunately we live in Atlanta.
We’ve toyed with the idea of moving to Austin, but the opportunity never quite pops up. I know what you mean about color pops as well. We moved into a loft, the house is paid for, and I went color nuts, orange, chartreuse, etc. It wasn’t pretty. 
The womb chair, the chartreuse piece, we kept of course, occupies a spot next to our Ed Wormley sofa for Dunbar and it’s definitely a safer piece in a nice taupe color. I’d love to find a little gem and fix it up though. 
Wilson on 24 Apr 2010 at 12:50 pm #
Having lava rock on the sides of the island in the kitchen is just asking for painful knee scrapes. Ouch!
JuLee on 27 Apr 2010 at 1:57 pm #
I gotta say that the Lava rock walls would be great with my indoor cats! Glad you never considered getting rid of the rock walls. There are plenty of homes out there with no rock walls for those who find the lava rock too dark or disturbing. The Fire pit is great. This type of house was designed to mesh with the outdoors and I’m sure this one does. Pool are is wonderful. Just Love the whole project.
vc on 13 Jun 2010 at 10:35 pm #
Interesting lava rock — looks like a wall of skulls and/or bones. Kind of macabre in effect. Really *looks* great but hard to get over the visceral reaction. I’d love to have material like that in my home… I think.
Paul Kaplan on 14 Jul 2010 at 8:23 pm #
Wow..what a cool house! Love the architecture. the lava fireplace is crazy!!! Glad you left the rock. Very Tiki-esque.
Karl on 15 Jul 2010 at 8:08 am #
I think the the contrast created by the lava stone (both colour and texture) is brilliant, and even more so since it appears to be a structural feature of the home, not a decorative add-on. Also love the brown floors. Too many mid-century make-overs are completely stark white and missing missing any real contrast other than a few decorative items.