Northwest Hills is where Austin's mid-century houses climb the hills toward Loop 360, full of split levels, clerestory windows and original stone. River Jane & Co. is a Spicewood interior design studio about 45 minutes away by Highway 71 and RM 2222, and we update Northwest Hills homes from Highland Hills to Cat Mountain. Book a free 15 minute call to start.
- From our studio
- About 45 minutes, 25 miles
- First step
- A free 15 minute call
- Consultation
- About an hour, in your home or virtual, depending on the project
- Design Strategy
- From $999, plan in 7 to 14 days
- Call or text
- 512-883-3767
Mid-century details worth keeping
A lot of Northwest Hills houses went up in the 1960s and 1970s, and many still have the good stuff: clerestory windows, exposed beams, big stone fireplaces, terrazzo or original wood floors and built-ins with slim profiles. Those details are what makes a mid-century house feel special, and they're hard to add back once they're gone.
Keep them. Refinish the floors. Clean and seal the stone. Paint the beams only if they're in bad shape. Then modernize around them: a kitchen that works, baths that don't feel like 1972 and lighting that isn't a single fixture in the middle of every ceiling.
- Look under old carpet before buying new floors. Original oak or terrazzo is common.
- Match new cabinet door profiles to the house's era with slab or slim shaker fronts.
- Choose lighting with mid-century shapes but modern output.
Split levels on the hill
Northwest Hills streets climb, so a lot of houses step up or down in split levels. The upper floor gets the view and the light. The lower floor, half buried in the hill, can feel like a basement.
Carry the same flooring and wall color through every level so the house reads as one. Light the stairs well, since that's where the levels connect. Give the lower floor warmer paint, more lamps and a rug that's lighter than the floor. If the budget allows, a bigger window or a glass door on the lower level changes it completely.
Views toward 360
Higher lots in Cat Mountain and along the ridges look across the hills toward Loop 360, and many of those views face west. Big glass plus afternoon sun equals faded fabric, glare on screens and hot rooms.
The Shade Haus has motorized shades from $399 a window and cordless Roman or roller shades from $299 a window. Pick a screen fabric that keeps the view. View rooms are a smart first stop for a Design Strategy, which costs $999 per room and up.
Family kitchens in a 1970s footprint
The original kitchens here were designed for a different era: small, closed off and with limited counter space. Families today want an open kitchen with an island, room for homework and a place to drop backpacks.
Often the fix is borrowing space from a formal dining room or a hallway, then opening the kitchen to the family room. If walls can't move, a refresh with lighter cabinets, better lighting and smarter storage still helps a lot. Our Austin kitchen design page has more. Nearby, see River Place and Tarrytown.
Keep the colored tile bath?
Some Northwest Hills houses still have an original bath in pink, green, blue or yellow tile. Before you rip it out, look at its condition. If the tile is solid and the grout can be cleaned or redone, a vintage bath can be one of the most charming rooms in the house.
Design around it. Pick a wall color and a shower curtain or towels that make the tile look like a choice, add a new vanity light and mirror, and swap the hardware. If the tile is cracked or the layout doesn't work, go ahead and redo it, and consider a nod to the original color in the new tile.
