Husband-and-wife architects Nick and Brittany Hunt know about living small. In 2018, they purchased a 1940s bungalow in Austins storied Bryker Woods neighborhood, but the 1,275-square-foot home began to feel tight as their family and business grew. Instead of moving, they built a light-filled 400-square-foot ADU in the backyard, now home to Hunt Architecture, their shared design practice. Three years later, the Hunts took on a new challenge: replacing their main house. We had done different iterations of how to add on, but it wasnt a smart move to put more money into it, especially given the homes faulty foundation, Nick said. Committed to reusing the structure, the couple arranged for the original bungalow to be relocated and reassembled through the nonprofit The ReUse People, which found a buyer in nearby Smithville, Texas.The rear of the house opens to a deck that steps down to the ADU, where Hunt Architecture offices. (Casey Woods)The Hunts then designed a ground-up, 2,040-square-foot home for the property. It was completed in November 2023. The site drops 6 feet from front to back, which presented a challenge. The new house mediates the grade change, Nick explained. Now, the transition to the ADU, accessed through a lushly landscaped yard, feels cohesive. Inside the new home, the 3-bedroom, 2-bath layout is organized using a spine of circulation that sorts public and private space: A combined kitchendining roomliving room on one side, and bedrooms, bathrooms, a playroom, and a mud room on the other. High ceilings10 feet in the kitchen and dining area and, down foursteps, 12.5 feet in the living roomgive thehouse a feeling of airiness. When you walk in,it looks like every other house in terms of scale, but its much more gracious, Brittany said.The combined kitchen and dining room inside the main house. (Lindsay Brown)Natural light was top-of-mind. The main house is flooded with light, largely thanks to a series of three carved-out skylights that runs atop the central walkway above articulated beams. Another move, a shower cathedral in the primary bathroom, includes sculpted plaster walls that lead up to a skylight, Nick said. Its a very peaceful place to be, with the way the light hits the plaster when its lit by the moon.The living room, along with the kitchen and dining room, are kept separate from the bedrooms by a spine of circulation that sorts private and public space. (Lindsay Brown)The design also attempts to eliminate wasted space, and throughout, clever storage solutions discourage clutter. We planned whereeverything would go, down to the kids art suppliesand Christmas wrapping, she said. The homes built-in features, such as the sofa that doubles as a divider and side table, also save space. In a house this small, every element has to work overtime, Brittany said. Its fun to try things weve never done before and show clients how they can think outside the box. By designing and building their home and office, the Hunts were able to create spaces that not only reflect their passion and breadth of work but inspire visiting clients to embrace bolder choices, something Brittany has called an unexpected delight. By using our home as a teaching tool, were showing whats possible when you push the limits of residential architecture, she said.The kitchen features 10-foot ceilings. (Lindsay Brown)The project showcases the Hunts commitment to honest materials like limestone, castin- place concrete, and marble accents, which establish a timeless, tactile quality. Facade finishes like brick from Old Texas Brick and clear vertical cedar siding, delivered raw and stained on site, add warmth, while custom steel windows on the ADU are visual connectors to the large openings in the main house. We didnt design the back house to influence the front, but they are related in a less obvious waymore like cousins than siblings, Brittany explained. For Nick, maintaining a connection to the historic neighborhood was essential. We felt a significant responsibility to design something that both fit seamlessly into the neighborhood and reflected our own aesthetic, he said.The plan sorts public rooms to the left of a hall and private rooms to the right. (Courtesy Hunt Architecture)Ultimately, the Hunts compound reflects their lifestyle and their unified architectural approach. People joke that building a house together is a test, Nick said. But we do this all day for clients, so it was easier for us. Were aligned on design, furnishings, and whats important. Brittany added: For us, this project wasnt just about creating a house. It was about making a home that works for how we live.Project SpecificationsArchitect: Hunt ArchitectureLandscape design: Studio BalconesInterior design: Hunt ArchitectureStructural engineer: RDHammond Consulting & EngineeringGeneral contractor: Enve BuildersWindows: Marvin Elevate, Sierra PacificDoors: Precision Steel, Sierra PacificRoofing: Precision RoofingFixtures: J&L HardwareAppliances: Fisher & Paykel