My Houzz: Texas Pad Fit for a ’70s Pop Princess

A designer longing for the vibrancy of downtown Austin downsizes to an apartment in the heart of the city

Heather Banks 1 February 2017

Houzz Contributor. I’m absolutely obsessed with interior design and architecture. My favorite past time to do is gawk at other people’s homes. I always look forward to attending the home tours that frequently come through Austin, even if it means attaching my one year old crying baby to me to be able to do it. I’m a photographer by trade - www.eclecticimagesphotography.com but I've also recently been dabbling in interior decorating (as I work towards a certificate degree in Interior Design from The New York Institute of Art and Design). I've also flipped a few houses! You can see some of my design work and homes I've flipped on my Facebook page @CaryPaulStudios as well as on my Instagram @heathercbanks. I think people’s living spaces are the closest reflections of their true selves....

Houzz Contributor. I’m absolutely obsessed with interior design and architecture.... More

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Heather Banks

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Allison Crawford and her Papillon, Pierre
Location: Downtown Austin, Texas
Size: 1,100 square feet (102 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms

Six months ago, interior designer Allison Crawford decided to downsize from a four-bedroom house in Tarrytown, a family-oriented area of Austin, Texas, to a two-bedroom apartment in the heart of downtown. While she loved her house, she was a single gal surrounded by families, and she longed for the social scene and vibrancy that living downtown offered.

“Since none of the furniture for my new apartment needed to be large — quite the opposite, I had to hunt for the perfect tiny sofa — I was able to spend more on each piece, like the custom loveseat and vintage headboard I scored from Again & Again in Dallas,” Crawford says.

Vintage sofa and side tables: Again & Again; coffee table: Room Service Vintage; Bono pillow: Chairish; leather tray: Canoe; commissioned painting: Jerry Cabrera

Heather Banks

The downsizing also allowed Crawford to home in on design classics she’d been pining after for years, like a pair of original Knoll fabric Platner chairs for her dinette.

Crawford’s inspiration for the design of her pad was the burgeoning pop scene of the 1970s. A huge fan of the bold colors and funky patterns of that era, she took midcentury classics and refashioned them with a late-’70s/early-’80s femininity.

Platner chairs: Samuel Ivan; dining table: Room Service Vintage; lithographs: Marta Minujin

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“In an ideal world, everything in my home would be designer vintage — aside from the linens, which I like to source from Restoration Hardware,” Crawford says. “I’d love to go to the Rose Bowl in L.A. and drive a truck full of vintage finds back to Austin. That’s on my design bucket list.”

Crawford also cites Design Within Reach and 1st Dibs as go-to sources for her splurges.

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Crawford gave much of the furniture she kept from her old house a new role in the apartment. The desk in her new office used to be her dining table.

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This one-of-a-kind painting helps set the tone for the space.

Commissioned painting: Jerry Cabrera; Meurice side table: Robert Abbey for Jonathan Adler; vintage Milo Baughman dining table: Uptown Modern

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The Peekaboo cart from CB2 is one of Crawford’s favorite versatile pieces. It served as a shoe rack in her last home, and now it’s a mini console in her office. She’s even used it to wheel goods to and from her car for photo shoots.

Heather Banks

The apartment was completely redone before Crawford moved in, and while she was disappointed that she didn’t get to oversee the remodel herself, its neutral tones work great with her bright style.

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Crawford spends a lot of her time in the kitchen. “I have a reputation for standing in the kitchen of my home, regardless of the circumstance. This home is no different, except that my new kitchen has a stunning view of Lady Bird Lake,” she says.

“I love the floor-to-ceiling windows. It makes me feel closer to nature without having to go outside and brave the notorious Austin heat,” she adds.

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Crawford repainted her vintage headboard, another piece from Again & Again in Dallas, in Charisma by Sherwin-Williams. The walls are done in Super White by Benjamin Moore.

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A favorite art piece, Why Sex Matters by Tracey Harris, hangs in the entry to the bedroom.

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“Where I really draw my most inspiration is from traveling,” Crawford says. “I’ve been to all seven continents and am constantly in awe of other cultures’ aesthetics.

“I started my textile line as a way to share this love with clients and be able to source my own materials ethically,” she says.

This international inspiration is visible throughout her space. “I bought the Che painting [above the bed] from a local artist in Cuba,” Crawford says. “The throw on my bed is from a direct-trade artisan market in Mexico City; the material for one of the throw pillows was sourced while cycling in a remote Burmese village. I love how decor holds memories and stories.”

Nightstand and ceramic lamps: Room Service Vintage; print: Thom Jackson

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Moving downtown has changed some of Crawford’s approaches to entertaining. “At my former home, I hosted pool parties on the regular, so it’s been a bit of an adjustment. Rather than grilling out in my backyard, we’re sipping wine at the rooftop pool with my neighbors before walking over to a neighborhood restaurant for dinner,” she says.

But the change in venue is a welcome one for Crawford and her friends. “My friends gasp over the view and rave about all the natural light. The apartment is right downtown, so it’s a fun place to pregame for a night out on the town,” she says.

Heather Banks

Crawford works from home, so her new apartment is more than just a place to live. Her design associates were instrumental in helping her set up the space, from packing and shopping to settling in and organizing. They’re also there to help her with her business.

“Since I have the stock for my textile line in the home, the girls and I will swap out a pillow and stand together in a line and stare at it; we’ll each adjust, fluff and move it before deciding if it can stay. Then we’ll have a laugh and gather around the counter for a snack before getting back to work,” Crawford says.

“This sums up my day — hardworking, playful and relaxed,” she says. “I love having my team in the house with me. It makes them feel more at home and keeps our spirits high.”

My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.

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