Artfully redone East Austin home asks $400K

This small home located in East Austin’s Blackshear/Prospect Hill neighborhood, a few blocks from Huston-Tillotson University, harks back to a time in Austin—the early aughts, let’s say—when some homeowners took a fun and unconventional, often hands-on approach to remodeling (and everything else they did). The value in their then relatively inexpensive homes was in the creation of unique and personal spaces that, while professionally done, involved inventive adaptive reuse of spaces and materials.

The 595-square-foot front home was built in 1915, and its history is apparent in its floors, its exposed wood, and its general shape and spirit. The opening up of the floor plan, the addition of windows and doors, the upgrading of bathrooms, and the use of rustic metal trim and accents all bring it into this century, but the raw-ish nature of those materials make a fluid connection with the place’s past and creative a cohesive design and feel.

The front house has one bedroom, one and a half bathrooms, two living areas, and a loft space above.

The back home, is 350-square-foot, converted garage efficiency with a full kitchen and bathroom.

In addition to the efficiency apartment, there is a 50-square-foot workshop/studio space at the back of the lot, which has alley access.

• 1908 Hamilton Avenue [Pauly Presley Realty]