Travis Heights is hilly South Austin between South Congress and I-35, with Blunn Creek running through it and bungalows from the 1920s and 1930s on streets that rise and fall. River Jane & Co. is a Spicewood based interior design studio about 50 minutes away, and we design updates, additions and whole homes in Travis Heights. Start with a free 15 minute call.
- From our studio
- About 50 minutes, 29 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
Bungalows with a lot to keep
Travis Heights has craftsman bungalows, Tudor and Spanish revival cottages and a lot of original detail: wood floors, built-ins, deep window casings, glass doorknobs and fireplaces with tile surrounds. Those are the things people fall in love with, and they're easy to lose in a quick flip.
Keep them. Refinish the floors. Restore the built-ins. Repair the windows rather than replacing them. Then modernize the kitchen and baths in a way that fits the house, with finishes that could have been there all along.
- Restore original built-ins before adding new storage.
- Repair original windows with new weatherstripping instead of replacing them.
- Keep glass or porcelain doorknobs. They're hard to find now.
Hilly lots around Blunn Creek
Travis Heights isn't flat. Lots slope toward Blunn Creek and the Stacy parks, so houses sit above or below the street. A house might have a bright front room and a dark back bedroom, or a basement level that barely sees daylight.
Treat each room on its own terms. Brighter rooms can take cooler colors and lighter fabrics. Darker rooms need warm paint, more lamps and lighter rugs. Stairs between levels deserve good lighting since everyone uses them.
A South Austin palette
South Austin has always been a little looser and more artful than the rest of the city. A Travis Heights house can take more color and personality than a West Austin one: a painted door, a patterned tile, a mix of vintage and new, and art that doesn't match the sofa.
Pick one bold move per room and let the rest support it. A deep green kitchen, a patterned cement tile floor in the bath or a bold wallpaper in the dining room. Mix in something old in every room. The house should feel collected over time.
Small houses, smart plans
Original bungalows here are often small, and not every family can add on. Before an addition, make the existing rooms work harder: built-in storage under windows and stairs, a dining nook instead of a formal dining room, and furniture sized to the rooms.
When adding on does make sense, match the trim, windows and proportions so the addition blends in. Map it all out first in a Design Strategy, priced at $999 per room to start. Our Austin bathroom design page has ideas for small baths. Nearby, see Tarrytown and Austin.
The front porch is a room
Travis Heights is a front porch neighborhood. People sit out, wave to neighbors and watch the street. A porch that's set up like a room gets used every evening.
Pick weatherproof chairs deep enough to sit in for an hour, an outdoor rug, a small table for drinks and a ceiling fan. Paint the porch ceiling a pale color to bounce light. Add a pair of wall lights by the door with a warm bulb, and your porch becomes the best seat on the block.
