If you love ye boxy residential spaces running amok in the ATX, I hope you were able to run the gauntlet that was this year’s Modern Home Tour.  Some stuff I found inspiring:

(Click on photos for more information on the homes they represent.)

I’m in love with these peek-a-boo stairs.  The zig-zag cutout in a wall adjacent to the staircase is such a simple, chic detail that takes something utilitarian–typical wood stairs–and elevates them to art:

6_stairs

A Texas-sized skylight in this shower floods the space with light:

8_blue_shower_1

8_blue_shower_2

Love the cute shape of the vessel sink and the graduated tiles running up the wall.

8_graduated_tile_powder_room

The bold stripes say, “his” and the floral panels say, “her’s.”

8_gray_stripes_BR

Love the spendy cowhide chairs mixed with a hot lime arc lamp from cb2 and pillow covers from IKEA:

8_lime_green_arc_lamp_LR

How much do you love the full-width-window-as-backsplash?

9_bamboo_kitchen

This home was staged beautifully by Threshold Furniture, but if you’re like me, you would’ve choked on the prices of the furnishings.  $16K for one of the sofas, $75K+ for one of the floor lamps.  It was one hell of a floor lamp, but still. Not very ecomomic-downturn-friendly.  I didn’t catch the price of this baby, so I can still pretend it’s attainable:

10_blue_outdoor_sofa

Loving these floor-to-ceiling bookshelves tucked into the entry wall:

10_bookshelves

Wouldn’t all of our furry babies aspire to their own nook?

10_pet_bed

When the description of this house said “lawn-covered rooftop deck,” I didn’t expect faux…but it’s still pretty cool:

12_turf_patio

I was already in love with this house’s multi-toned blue exterior…and then I saw this fab reclaimed wood stacked siding on the house as well:

13_reclaimed_wood_siding

And get a load of these doors, created by piecing strips of alder trim boards together and banding them with steel:

13_barn_door

This house was packed with amazing details, yet restrained at the same time…starting with this superfab outdoor fireplace:

14_outdoor_fireplace

This mod air return makes me want to rip out all my ugly vent covers:

14_mod_air_return

A bit of in-your-face-color for this gorgeous powder room:

14_red_tile_powder_room

How cleverly cool is this stair/bench?

14_stair_bench

Love how this vanity features storage accessible from the sides so the skirt front is free of door/drawer fronts:

14_teak_vanity

I award extra points to this home in the Mueller development, because it’s rare that you find a conservative-looking $1.15 million home with funky design details inside.  And this house was full of them.

For instance, this smokin’ hot counter in the upstairs kitchenette, with marmoleum floors and crazy cool carpet (that’s not a rug–that’s installed wall-to-wall):

16_kitchenette

In the laundry room, you’ll find concrete countertops with metal washers inset in the tops.  Get it?  Washers…next to the washer.  You have to love a pun-ny house.  At least I do.

16_washers_counter

This has got to be the coolest ceiling-over-a-round-jetted-tub in Austin:

16_funky_round_ceiling

Was a beautiful day in the neighborhood(s).  My inner design child is screaming, “again, again, again!”

Update: These were just little snapshots I took with my iPhone…to see how a “real” photographer captured the tour, check out these pics by Cory Ryan Photography.