| Many modern homes and condos are going up left | | | | cities on the east or west coast, or possibly artsy |
| and right in Austin, with local design and build | | | | cities like Portland or Seattle, and have a wide and |
| companies behind the new residences. It is hard to | | | | eclectic taste. Others went to the university, and |
| pinpoint exactly why modern design is becoming so | | | | moved away, but are coming back to settle in central |
| popular, but several factors possibly play a role. | | | | Austin. Those looking for a modern home are more |
| One of the reasons Austin draws so many people to | | | | into architecture and would prefer a home that makes |
| town is because at its heart, it is "different". It is very | | | | more of an artistic statement than a traditional home. |
| different from big cities like Dallas or Houston, and also | | | | Also the growing popularity of magazines like Dwell, |
| different from a standard cookie cutter town found all | | | | and house and home decor websites and blogs like |
| over the state. New modern homes are also different | | | | Apartment Therapy, cultivate interest in unique modern |
| from traditional homes in both their exterior curb | | | | homes and modern Austin condos. |
| appeal, with large walls of glass, concrete and wood, | | | | In general, large home builders are sticking to traditional |
| as well as their modern and minimalist interiors. Those | | | | housing, since the demand for such homes hasn't gone |
| moving to Austin looking for a change could find | | | | away, and much of the population would consider |
| themselves hunting for a home that reflects their | | | | modern homes ugly, uninviting, or resembling a dentist's |
| personality. It's also the same reason that most of the | | | | office. Also building tract homes is easy and fast, since |
| new modern housing is located in and around central | | | | there are limited floor plans, and building sites are |
| Austin, where the vibe of the city is felt the most. | | | | already plotted out. |
| Though many builders are currently trying to take on | | | | Luckily, Austin has several small and medium sized |
| green standards in their building practices, the local | | | | firms who are willing to create more unique homes, |
| companies building these modern homes thrive on | | | | and is another possible reason many modern dwellings |
| doing so, which appeases the home buyer who is also | | | | are on the rise. Also, since many of the firms design |
| environmentally conscious. Modern homes often use | | | | and build their houses, the home buyer can have input |
| renewable resources such as bamboo or cork flooring, | | | | on its design from the beginning, and feel assured that |
| and double paned windows, rain cisterns and tankless | | | | there won't be anything lost in translation when their |
| water heaters to conserve resources, and low VOC | | | | house is under construction. These firms also take the |
| paint, which is less toxic than traditional oil and latex | | | | land and the surroundings into account, and "bring the |
| based paints. Even the majority of modern homes are | | | | outside in" with touches such as exterior brick walls |
| xeriscaped, using landscaping plants that are friendly to | | | | forming interior walls, and well placed windows to |
| the often harsh Texas environment, and cutting down | | | | capture site specific views. For those Austinites that |
| on excessive watering. | | | | can't seem to find that perfect modern dwelling, a |
| Many new Austin transplants have come from large | | | | word into a local design/build firm can get the ball rolling. |