Concept: The original 1920s bungalow was built entirely of 2x4 framing and then sheathed with 1x8 boards. Its wallpaper, which had been glued to cheesecloth tacked to the interior sheathing boards, had long since deteriorated. While the original room layout was largely respected, a short interior corridor was created, allowing for the thickening of interior walls and revealing pochéd space. This corridor was covered in gypsum board and painted two shades of red to set it off from the existing wall surfaces, which were all painted white. The exterior walls were insulated and then covered with gypsum board painted in tones of gray. Thus the exterior walls create a continuous band of gray around the entire building interior and contain the original walls and ceilings all painted white. The interior circulation space is set off by color and material. The living room and dining area were originally of different widths. Truing up their dimensions resulted in pochéd space, which created an opportunity for revealing wall thickness around the existing fireplace. The only addition was a simple 600 sf studio was built on the rear of the lot.

Site: An existing lot in a well-treed residential area by the San Antonio River and Brakenridge Park. The houses are mostly of the same vintage and size.

Construction: The total remodel of the house, including new mechanical, electrical and plumbing services, as well as the studio, were completed in 1986 for a cost of $35,000.