Rescued from an obscure and dismal ending, this 100+ year-old colonial mansion has been meticulously restored to become the most luxurious getaway in the hippest city in Texas.
Pursuing a career as a music producer, Nicole Dionne came to Austin three years ago to tap into the vibrant music scene and funky, youthful feel of the city. She arrived full of ambition to create not just a great career, but also the most beautiful Austin mansion for rent in the trendiest neighborhood. “It is one thing to have a big house. It’s another to have a spectacular, yet charming, home.” Creating such a home was a daunting task, but she was up to the challenge.
The home she chose was a stately colonial mansion in the Travis Heights neighborhood which was already over 100 years old. Originally built by a government figurehead in Austin, it had fallen into a disgraceful state. “When I first saw it,” Nicole says, “it had been on the market for almost a year. It had not been built up to its potential. In fact the owner had tried to go against the nature of the house by turning it into a Cape Cod!”
By becoming a contractor herself, and overseeing every stage of the renovation, Nicole kept the property true to its original character. “It took about ten months to complete the restoration. I had to watch everything carefully. I didn’t want the bones of the house to be altered, or it might lose its charm.”
Colonial Charm
Relying heavily on her previous experience as an interior designer in Los Angeles, Nicole and her business partner did all the design work together. Nicole found an old authentic colonial fireplace in a salvage yard, which they cleaned up and installed. The effect is noticeable the instant you walk in the door. “It completely makes the entrance. You want to turn on the fireplace and cuddle up with a cup of tea.”
Other spaces were designed to make the house feel open and expansive, without sacrificing comfort. The flow of the house allows for each room to be transitional, so that guests can accommodate intimate or large groups of people with maximum convenience. Top of the line fabrics and furnishings were used to create a “home away from home” feel for distinguished guests.
The kitchen is one of Nicole’s favorite places in the home. Professional knives, pans, and other implements make the cook feel like head chef at a five-star restaurant. It is in the kitchen that guests love to gather over simmering sauces and glasses of wine to enjoy their companionship, whether at the bar or the built-in banquette. Guests can cook for themselves, or enjoy the cultivated services of a private chef; either way the kitchen has been designed to provide the perfect setting and the highest quality experience.
Another favorite space is the atrium, which extends into the yard with fans overhead to circulate the air, and which features a beautiful 8-person table designed from imported Malaysian doors. Austin is known world-wide for its music scene, and the atrium’s “amphitheater-like” deck has already been the setting of several private performances from famous musicians, a truly amazing experience.
Of course, the space guests rave about most is the master suite. Of the 3,200 square feet in the home, the suite alone occupies 740 of them. When the house was originally built, the rooms were small, so Nicole turned one bedroom into a “Rolls Royce of a closet”, and then converted the original closet and bathroom into a master bathroom to rival the Four Seasons.
“Guests want to feel like they are in a five-star hotel,” Nicole says, “but they also want to have people over, which you can’t really do in a suite in a hotel.” To accommodate them, every effort has been made. The concierge arranges everything according to guest desires, daily maid service is provided, and additional services are available as well. Even the floral arrangements take guests’ preferences into consideration. Everything about the home ensures that guests will be comfortable, whether they are actually celebrities, or just wanted to be treated like it.
The Austin Mansion for rent can accommodate eight people in four bedrooms and three baths, and the on-property Guesthouse is able to accommodate five more. “There is a romantic ideal satisfied by having a colonial property. It fits perfectly the southern vibe.” Everyone who comes to stay here, from oil barons to recording artists, can’t help but feel the old-school Texas warmth of the home.
5-Minute Walk from South Congress Avenue
One of its best features is its location. The property is located only a five-minute walk from South Congress Avenue, the heart of Austin’s unique dining and shopping scene. Like a breath of fresh air to weary travelers, South Congress has a spirited atmosphere and tends to make a lasting impression.
“I think its authenticity is one of the most wondrous aspects of Austin. For the most part, in the significant parts of Austin, it’s not selling out to bigger and better. There aren’t a bunch of mini-malls. Austin could have easily have done that up and down South Congress as its popularity grew. But the intelligence behind the design of the city planners was in keeping Austin authentic to itself rather than selling out to the masses or just making it another Dallas. It’s one of the most spectacular urban planning concepts that I think I’ve ever seen.”
Make time to stop by Torchy’s Tacos for a local take on Mexican cuisine. Or visit the South Congress Cafe, a favorite for southwestern fare. It would take hours of wandering up and down SoCo (as the locals call it) to stop in all the indie-shops and see the neon lights. There is treasure to be found in places like like Uncommon Objects, which sells antiques and vintage finds, and Waterloo Records, one of the best record stores in the country. No m
atter the time of day, it’s exciting to pick up the latest in men’s fashion at Stag or limited-edition Nike’s in Nice Kicks. South Congress is a destination in itself, always offering some quirky new find or a changed perspective.
Staying in a home this spectacular and charming, in a city so unique and engaging, is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Nicole has managed to create a setting that is both comfortable and impressive. “No matter who comes to stay, they really connect with the property and I like that. It doesn’t matter if you’re an oil person, or lead singer for a band, or Egyptian royalty. The house just speaks to people.”
Arrange your stay in this spectacular Austin mansion for rent by visiting www.luxuriousaustingetaways.com
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