I almost didn’t make it to yesterday’s Modern Home Tour. With weather forecasts of rain and flooding, I imagined slippery floors (not an accident-prone person’s best friend), hazardous driving conditions, and getting chilled to the bone. Fortunately, all of the meteorologists were wrong and it turned out to be a great day for the tour.
New wheels made the day even more of a blast. The folks at South Point Nissan allowed me to take this 2012 Cube out for the day as an extended test drive, since I am debating between purchasing this superfun car or a Kia Soul.
![dramatic_chocolate_DR This dramatic, chocolate dining room is the perfect foil for the pop of red in the artwork.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/dramatic_chocolate_DR.jpg)
This dramatic, chocolate dining room is the perfect foil for the pop of red in the artwork.
![lime_kitchen_2 Natural wood tempers the lime green in this kitchen.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/lime_kitchen_2.jpg)
Natural wood tempers the lime green in this kitchen.
![blue_counter Memorable details like this funky blue counter/sink really make a space!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/blue_counter.jpg)
Memorable details like this funky blue counter/sink really make a space!
![boy_BR_orange_cabinets Love the orange wraparound.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/boy_BR_orange_cabinets.jpg)
Love the orange wraparound.
![blue_big_chill_fridge How I yearn for my own colorful Big Chill fridge.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/blue_big_chill_fridge.jpg)
How I yearn for my own colorful Big Chill fridge.
![lime_cabinet Finger pulls on this mod cabinet are both decorative and functional.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/lime_cabinet.jpg)
Finger pulls on this mod cabinet are both decorative and functional.
![blue_chair Want.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/blue_chair.jpg)
Want.
![house_numbers Colorful house numbers pop against this neutral mailbox and fence.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/house_numbers.jpg)
Colorful house numbers pop against this neutral mailbox and fence.
SOARING WOOD FEATURES
Wood walls and ceilings are a coming back in a big way. The distinction between modern wood elements and ’70s paneling is a big one…the modern approach is to go for a more simplified look. Incorporating sleek lines, rich tones and fine wood grain are the keys to pulling off this look.
![soaring_wood_kitchen Not only is the wood in this kitchen amazing-looking, the backsplash tile is gorgeous and the air vents are supercool.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/soaring_wood_kitchen.jpg)
Not only is the wood in this kitchen amazing-looking, the backsplash tile is gorgeous and the air vents are supercool.
![wood_BA Also note the slivers of Kelly green and bright orange pocket doors on the right!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wood_BA.jpg)
Also note the slivers of Kelly green and bright orange of the pocket doors peeking out on the right!
![mod_wood_stairs The wood grain on these stairs is gorgeous.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mod_wood_stairs.jpg)
The wood grain on these stairs is gorgeous.
![wood_vent How beautiful is this seamless, wooden air vent?!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wood_vent.jpg)
How beautiful is this seamless, wooden air vent?!
UNIQUE LIGHTING
Many of the homes on the tour featured beautiful light fixtures and interesting lighting effects.
![gorgeous_casual_dining Combining casual dining furniture and a rockin' light fixture allows your dining space to feel appropriate for everything from family breakfasts to elegant dinner parties.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/gorgeous_casual_dining.jpg)
Combining casual dining furniture and a rockin' light fixture allows your dining space to feel appropriate for everything from family breakfasts to elegant dinner parties.
![gorgeous_casual_dining_2 Another dining room doing double duty between casual and fine dining.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/gorgeous_casual_dining_2.jpg)
Another dining room doing double duty between casual and fine dining.
![cool_blue_hallway How I covet this hallway!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/cool_blue_hallway1.jpg)
How I covet this hallway's lighting feature!
![minimal_sconce Minimal wall sconce.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/minimal_sconce.jpg)
Minimal wall sconce.
![wood_BA_round_lights Love the combination of the circular sconce mounted on the mirror and the globe table lamp on the vanity!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wood_BA_round_lights.jpg)
Love the combination of the circular sconce mounted on the mirror and the globe table lamp on the vanity!
![wood_ceiling_blue_light_collars Painting the ceiling collars on these pendants adds a fun detail to this wood ceiling.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wood_ceiling_blue_light_collars.jpg)
Painting the ceiling collars on these pendants adds an unexpected, fun detail.
LUXE BATHROOMS
![hotel_bathroom Square House Building's hotel chic bathroom.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/hotel_bathroom.jpg)
Square House Building's hotel chic bathroom.
![pink_wallpaper Their shimmery pink wallpaper is swoon-worthy.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/pink_wallpaper.jpg)
Their shimmery pink wallpaper is swoon-worthy.
![glam_powder_room More great wallpaper in this glam powder room.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/glam_powder_room.jpg)
More great wallpaper in this glam powder room.
![zen_shower_tub I adore the "hidden" bathtub beyond the shower. This gives you a bench-like ledge and makes an already roomy shower feel even larger.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/zen_shower_tub.jpg)
I adore the "hidden" bathtub beyond the shower. This gives you a bench-like ledge and makes an already roomy shower feel even larger.
![skylit_shower_2 The tile never ends in this amazing shower.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/skylit_shower_2.jpg)
The tile never ends in this amazing shower.
![skylit_shower How's this for a skylight?](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/skylit_shower.jpg)
How's this for a skylight?
![vanity_with_a_view_detail Sure, the view is gorgeous, but how do you shave or brush your teeth over this sink? With an accordion wall mount mirror, of course!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/vanity_with_a_view_detail.jpg)
Sure, the view is gorgeous, but how do you shave or brush your teeth over this sink? With an accordion wall mount mirror, of course!
![striped_tile_design This is a great way to stretch your bathroom budget and create a ton of impact. Create a striped tile wall with a lot of inexpensive large tiles and a little bit of spendy smaller tiles.and](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/striped_tile_design.jpg)
Get a lot of bang for your buck with this striped tile wall treatment. Alternating bands of inexpensive larger tiles and spendier small tiles allows you to stretch that costly material farther.
OUTSTANDING EXTERIOR DETAILS
![balcones_beaut My favorite exterior design of all the homes on the tour.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/balcones_beaut.jpg)
My favorite exterior design of all the homes on the tour.
![butterfly_patio Butterfly roofs are the best.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/butterfly_patio.jpg)
Butterfly roofs are the best.
![exterior_balcony Your moment of Zen.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/exterior_balcony.jpg)
Your moment of Zen.
![exterior_tile_shingles Mod take on shake shingles.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/exterior_tile_shingles.jpg)
Mod take on shake shingles.
![grass_roof_goldfish This second-story bathroom looks out over the first floor's living roof.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/grass_roof_goldfish.jpg)
This second-story bathroom looks out over the first floor's living roof.
![balcones_entry_paversjpg What a simple way to modernize a simple sidewalk!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/balcones_entry_paversjpg.jpg)
What a simple way to modernize a basic sidewalk!
WIDE OPEN SPACES
There’s no better way to erase the barrier between indoor and outdoor than a continuous ceiling treatment and a glass wall system.
![open_glass_wall_2 My jaw dropped when I saw this room.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/open_glass_wall_2.jpg)
My jaw dropped when I saw this room. I may have even drooled.
HALLWAY STORAGE
The great benefit to including tons of storage in hallways is that this allows you to maintain a more minimal style in main rooms.
![ikea_bookcases IKEA Expedit bookcases have never looked so good!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ikea_bookcases.jpg)
IKEA Expedit bookcases have never looked so good!
![mud_room_alcove This mudroom-style hall alcove turns outerwear into art.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mud_room_alcove.jpg)
This mudroom-style hall alcove turns outerwear into art.
MODERN MOROCCAN
Moroccan elements have been trendy for years, but Austin homeowners are putting a much more modern spin on the style.
ODD CHARACTERS
In true ATX fashion, I noticed a lot of fun figures hanging out in unusual places. These are accessories I can really get behind!
![bedside_darth Bedside Darth.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/bedside_darth.jpg)
Bedside Darth.
![big_boy Big Boy looks pensive.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/big_boy.jpg)
Big Boy looks pensive.
![dia_des_muertos Dia des muertos!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/dia_des_muertos.jpg)
Dia des muertos!
![voodoo_doll Propped in the corner of a powder room window, this voodoo doll cracked me up.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/voodoo_doll.jpg)
Propped in the corner of a powder room window, this voodoo doll cracked me up.
OTHER NOTABLE DETAILS
![mirror_desk_ghost_chair A mirrored desk and ghost chair keep the focus on the view in this office.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mirror_desk_ghost_chair.jpg)
A mirrored desk and ghost chair keep the focus on the view in this office.
![beige_tile_planks Nice tile.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/beige_tile_planks.jpg)
Nice tile.
![ironthread_bench Iron Thread Design bench on display on Highland Terrace in the local designer's house.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ironthread_bench.jpg)
Sheri Bingham, the founder of furniture fave Iron Thread Design, displays one of her button benches in her home on the tour.
![ironthread_chair This retro-inspired chair is another of Sheri's designs. She disguised a small tear in the upholstery with a funky little patch.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ironthread_chair.jpg)
This retro-inspired chair is another of Sheri's designs. She disguised a small tear in the upholstery with a funky little patch.
![air_vents Check out these industrial-looking air vents, reflected in mirrored closet doors.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/air_vents.jpg)
Check out these industrial-looking air vents, reflected in mirrored closet doors.
![concrete_counter The terrazzo look was created from concrete by Newbold Stone for NoackLittle.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/concrete_counter.jpg)
The terrazzo look of this counter was created from concrete by Newbold Stone for NoackLittle Architecture and Interiors.
![concrete_counter_detail Drop your keys in this handy hollow! The terrazzo look was created from concrete by Newbold Stone for NoackLittle.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/concrete_counter_detail.jpg)
Drop your keys in this handy hollow!
![super_shaggy_rug Hands down, the biggest shag I've ever seen in a rug.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/super_shaggy_rug.jpg)
Hands down, the biggest shag I've ever seen in a rug.
![glass_window_corner Take that view all the way to the floor, baby!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/glass_window_corner.jpg)
Take that view all the way to the floor, baby!
![oil_cloth_table Here's a budget-friendly way to update an old dining table. Wrap the top in oil cloth and add a glass top!](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/oil_cloth_table.jpg)
Here's a budget-friendly way to update an old dining table. Wrap the top in oil cloth and add a glass top!
![bo_concept_wing_chair Bo Concept's Imola Chair hurts me with both its greatness and its spendy pricetag.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/bo_concept_wing_chair.jpg)
Bo Concept's Imola Chair hurts me with both its greatness and its spendy pricetag.
![wood_boxes wood_boxes](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wood_boxes.jpg)
A collection of wood boxes looks great on a concrete coffee table.
![bedside_reading A new book to add to my reading list, thanks to this cool cover design.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/bedside_reading.jpg)
A new book to add to my reading list, thanks to this cool cover design.
![wool_flor_tiles Interesting to note how badly these wool FLOR tiles shed with the traffic of the tour.](https://roomfu.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/wool_flor_tiles.jpg)
Interesting to note how badly these wool FLOR tiles shed with the traffic of the tour.
Check out more photos on the tour’s Facebook page. Videos will be added soon too.
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