Jacquelyn Lawrence and Jeremy Levine always wanted a home on Bridle Trail, located in a beautiful and Tranquil Area of west Austin, Texas. They discovered their 1976 home whilst driving around their favourite neighborhood and jumped on the chance to make it their own. A photographer now studying fine art and printmaking, Jacquelyn added a darkroom and applied the principles of photography — spacial equilibrium, color placement and gratifying lines — when designing her home. “Powerful, vertical lines have great appeal to mepersonally,” Lawrence says. “As a family, we’re not of those mind-set that we must get a good deal of things. We enjoy clean, open spaces with abundant natural light.”
at a Glance
Who lives here: Jacquelyn Lawrence and Jeremy Levine; daughter Esme Skye
Location: Tarrytown neighborhood of Austin, Texas
Size: 2,750 square feet; 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms
That’s intriguing: Jacquelyn discovered to create prints with a professor who was formerly photographer Robert Frank’s printer. Many of the prints are out of her time studying with him.
Kara Mosher
The living room includes seating options and piled end tables, perfect for entertaining. This round stainless steel coffee table from Copenhagen Living ties in with stainless steel in the kitchen and baths.
Kara Mosher
A wall of windows in the kitchen looks out at the front lawn, which will be lined with Austin’s signature live oak trees. “I love to cook for my loved ones members and friends,” Jacquelyn states. “All we had to make this home our own was [to] possess our intimate friends over. I cooked all day to my favourite songs, and by the time our last guest left, the home actually felt like it had been ours.”
Kara Mosher
The family feels at home in their kitchen. Of the cabinetry and appliances are stainless steel, and the countertops are made of glass. Although lots of natural light flows into the home, Jacquelyn states, “If money were no object, I’d splurge on converting the home to solar energy”
Kara Mosher
The entrance to the home flows into this dining room area, where a simple black table contrasts the cherry-stained wood floors.
Kara Mosher
Two soft red leather chairs, from Austin’s Skandinavia, form a cozy sitting area.
Kara Mosher
A neutral painting behind the sofa, from Austin’s Four Hands, complements the easy yet warm layout of the family room. Jacquelyn states “I do not have a doctrine when it comes to decorating, except that for almost any thing to come into our home it must be functional, well made or possess a distinctive aesthetic”
Coffee table: Skandinavia
Kara Mosher
Jacquelyn learned to create prints with a professor who was photographer Robert Frank’s printer. She left these prints, and also those in the guest bedroom, even while researching with him.
Kara Mosher
Jacquelyn retains some of her most cherished items in her home office. “I have a box of negatives and pictures and a very small turquoise inlaid box given to me by a friend, in which I keep my daughter’s baby teeth,” she states.
“two photographers that I respect are Hiroshi Sugimoto and Keith Carter,” Jacquelyn adds. “Sugimoto for his quest of mild and lengthy exposures. One feels that photography’s science fascinates him as much as the art. Keith Carter could reside anywhere in the world, and he resides, works and photos Texas. He discovers poetry in backyards and small towns.”
Desk: Design Within Reach
jacquelynlawrence.com
This black and white photo, taken by Lawrence, reveals her personal darkroom for developing her photos by hand.
Kara Mosher
The easy, modern master bedroom includes a white, black, gray and green color palette. The next home project Lawrence and Levine would love to complete is incorporating solar panels.
Kara Mosher
The master bath has marble tile and a soaking bathtub. Lawrence says, “My toilet is very peaceful. My cats approve of it” Zen-like statues from Four Hands complete the distance.
Kara Mosher
The reflective toilet cabinets are stainless steel.
Kara Mosher
The guest room continues the peaceful vibe of the home, with patterned bedding from Peacock Alley. The three framed black and white photos were taken by Lawrence in Seattle. “I place them especially from the guest bedroom to get when my Seattle friends visit,” Lawrence says.
Kara Mosher
The small and easy guest toilet includes glass tile detailing.
Kara Mosher
The family’s favourite place in their home is the outside patio. “We eat as many foods as possible outside,” Lawrence says. The terrace was added to the home when it was remodeled in 2006. The fence matches the clean lines of the property’s interior.
What Lawrence loves about Austin is the artistic energy. Some of her favourite items include, she states, “BookPeople, celebrating Thanksgiving drinking margaritas in summer clothing, meeting new people that defy stereotypes, and the unbelievable gift living in this city”
jacquelynlawrence.com
Lawrence took this portrait of daughter Esme within their front lawn.