The Modern Victorian by Revent Builds

Location: Zilker Park
Architect: Joseph Design Build
Builder: Revent Builds

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The vision was materialized by our owner, John Gioffre and constructed by Revent Builds with architecture and interior design from Joseph Design Build. This home incorporates Victorian design elements inside and out while embodying modern building technology for energy efficiency, smart home capability, and long-lasting construction materials and methods.

The home is located in Zilker Park and is extremely walkable to many outstanding restaurants and bars on S Lamar as well as Zilker Park and Lady Bird Lake.

The Modern Victorian is four bedrooms, three baths, with a two-car garage, pool and spa, outdoor kitchen and living, and is 3,025 sq ft. The exterior of the home is centered around a cupola with a concave roof adorned with diamond steel shingles coated in zinc which creates a dragon scale pattern.

The use of gables, dormers, octagonal bay window sets with mullions, and circular accent windows situates it in the style of Victorian homes. The front porch was a must as it is a staple to Victorian style. To add a modern touch, the front porch roof is curved and cantilevered by way of structural steel.

Clean fascia lines across the house and scattered flat rooflines work with the Victorian style but add a modern touch. We used an ornate architectural steel railing on the front porch, and steel columns on either side of the garage. The garage is essential to any modern-day home.

We went with an insulated smooth steel garage door which is great for energy efficiency and is commonly seen in modern homes and its simplicity works well with our design. Our garage door jamb is cladded in 1/4 in steel which matches the custom steel front door. The exterior is a mix of Hardie artisan series siding, black brick, and cedar half-moon shingles at the rear of the home.

The main roof is steel standing seam. Large windows are categorically modern. We wanted to keep the front elevation looking Victorian with many modest-sized windows while the rear of the home is has large picture windows off the kitchen and dining. The dining window wraps the corner of the house looking into the backyard. There is a 15ft wide by 10ft tall sliding glass unit off the main living area.

Upon walking through the front door you enter into a fully paneled foyer hall with 12″ baseboards and paneled walls present throughout the home. Our interior doors are integrated into the wall paneling with a hidden SOSS hinge doors. The office is fully cladded floor to ceiling in walnut with a coffered ceiling above.

The first-floor bath is accessible from the hall for guests while being accessible from the office for a private ensuite bath. The floors throughout the home are oak. As you walk from the foyer toward the living, the wall paneling wraps around the corner and up the stairs. The bottom three stairs are custom solid wood curved treads.

In line with Victorian floor plans, across from the stairs is the dining room with a custom steel and glass curtain wall with integrated French doors. Moving on to the living room the fireplace surround is honed marble mitered in three tiers which create a stair-stepping detail. Above the fireplace is walnut-paneling. Custom cabinetry is built-in on either side of the fireplace.

The kitchen has a 10ft wide by 4ft deep island and floor-to-ceiling custom cabinetry matching our wall panel detail. The countertops are polished Arabescato marble throughout the kitchen, butler’s pantry, and bar. The whole appliance package is Signature Kitchen Suite which is an upgrade in quality and price from Wolf and Subzero.

48in range with double ovens built into a range alcove, a 30 in fridge side by side with an 18 in integrated column freezer built into the cabinetry. Off the kitchen are the utility room and butler’s pantry which can be accessed from the kitchen and garage. One wall of floor-to-ceiling cabinetry is dedicated to the pantry which has another countertop for kitchen appliances or workspace with a built-in microwave.

The other wall of floor to ceiling cabinetry is dedicated to the laundry which has a countertop and utility sink. High end LG washer and dryer is included. Outside the butler’s pantry, there is a separate bar pantry with upper and lower cabinetry and wine bottle storage enclosed in floor to ceiling divided glass framed in steel matching the dining room entry. Going upstairs the wall paneling continues into our 20+ft high stairwell and on to the master bedroom.

The spacious master has its own fireplace with a honed Pietra Gray marble surrounding it. The master bath has snow frost marble tile on the floor which continues into the shower and tub alcove. The vanity countertop is Arabescato marble which wraps the backsplash.

The vanity mirrors sit on top of walnut paneling which carries through the tub alcove. In the tub alcove sits a clawfoot freestanding tub. The shower is a full steam system enclosed with the third set of full glass and stainless steel. The master suite includes a grand walk-in closet larger than a comfortable bedroom with a separate long-term storage closet.

The home has ample storage space with another large storage closet under the stairs. The rest of the upstairs includes a large game and playroom with two additional bedrooms. The upstairs bath is close by with floor to ceiling tile and an under mount tub and large bench to sit while bathing young children. The entire tub deck and front apron are opal white marble.

Like common Victorian house plans with dramatic foliage in their gardens, the landscaping for the Modern Victorian is lush with many exotic and colorful plants, a 7 ft tall steel post and cedar fencing, tall hedges around the whole property, fountain in the front yard, landscaping pavers, outdoor lighting and more. The backyard boasts a pool and spa, a cantilevered steel grilling station, and ample counter space. There is a $15k retractable steel and canvas awning to provide shade and rain coverage.

There is a large Azek deck next to the pool, grass space for children and pets, and a zen like garden with trees on the side yard outside the office windows. Some other features to note in the home are two 26 SEER variable speed top of the line Carrier HVAC systems with a dehumidifier, tankless water heater, and encapsulated envelope with foam insulation.

The whole home is a turn key smart home wired for lighting, internet, audio, video, security, and cameras with speakers installed throughout the home. On top of smart lighting the home has a centralized lighting panel which acts as the brain for all of our smart switches, outlets, and control panels.

This provides a much more user friendly and less troublesome experience and gives us flexibility to put switches and outlets throughout the home wherever we desire rather than in proximity to fixture locations. The home includes smart technology to control all lighting, audio, video, TVs, garage door, front door lock, pool equipment, retractable awning, and more operable from smart wall switches, smart panels, phone or tablet.

We are supplying all cameras, speakers, amps, TV’s, video doorbell etc. to allow for a seamless, turnkey smart home experience. All systems will have technical support through IES residential.

Our goal with the Modern Victorian was to create a one of a kind home inspired by timeless Victorian beauty with all of the modern features we love while also being functional, practical, energy efficient, and long lasting. We feel that we checked all of these boxes and spared no expense while doing so.