“They wanted to use it as a true Sunday house,” says Amy Slaughter, owner and president of Slaughter Design Studio in Fredericksburg, referring to small second dwellings popular in the area during the late 19th century when remote farmers and ranchers would stay there over the weekend to conduct business or attend social events. One problem: Slaughter describes the place as “in shambles” and it had endured several renovations since stonemason and carpenter William Rausch built the limestone and board and batten structure in 1906, including one unfortunate 20th century life as makeshift apartments. The house received its historical marker from the Texas Historical Commission in 1985.
Soon after gaining approval from the Gillespie County Historical Society and the city of Fredericksburg for the restoration of a historic structure, the work began. Slaughter, along with the client’s project manager W. Cass Phillips and builder Vernon Arlitt of AC Builders, “wanted to pay tribute to the timeless architectural qualities which are unique to Fredericksburg and the Hill Country.”
The team salvaged everything that either was of value or original to the house, recalls Slaughter. “We matched the unique trim style. We saved original doors and had new doors built to match those. We replaced the front door with one that was true to the home’s era.” The original longleaf pine floors were refinished and reinstalled; for the second story, antique or reclaimed longleaf was acquired to match the original.
The kitchen and baths were completely redone and expanded, says Slaughter, outfitted with modern amenities and the latest kitchen appliances by Wolf®. But the past pokes through in unique ways. “The downstairs bath had a big window well in it because of the 12-inch-thick stone walls. So we utilized it and made it a medicine cabinet above the vanity.” In the kitchen, beaded board was used inside the cabinets to recreate the original.
And still more: Any unstable stone walls were made structurally sound throughout, the roof was replaced along with rotted trim, the front porch was shored up and the columns were straightened.
One challenge was the home’s original narrow stairwell, which had to be restored as is. “If we changed it, we would have had to meet all the building codes and there was no room for that,” says Slaughter. “And if we replaced it, it wouldn’t be original and they would have pulled [the home] off the historic registry.” The cramped space also required creative moving techniques. “We had to use foam mattresses in the bedrooms so we could fold them, bundle them and hoist them up the stairs.”
Slaughter was tasked with incorporating treasured family furnishings into the interior design, which worked well in this historic home and provided “an opportunity to use quality pieces of sentimental value.” A shopping trip to London, where the clients had a second home, gave valuable insight into their taste and aesthetic. In the dining room, chairs were reupholstered in Ralph Lauren® fabric with Fabricut trim, surrounding a table by Englishman’s Fine Furniture and set over a vintage Karastan® rug.
The room’s grasscloth wallpaper by Paloma Picasso® continues into the living area, where British blues and floral prints abound. The sofa and coffee table are by Lee Jofa®, the floral chair is by Lee Industries and upholstered in Stroheim fabric, and the chandelier is by Hinkley® Lighting. The homeowners’ quirky bent in art is reflected in the whimsical prints of Englishmen in top hats. “They like rare and unusual things,” says Slaughter. “They also had a collection of old movie posters that we used in the twin girls’ room upstairs.”
The upstairs master bedroom is a study in the efficient use of space, thanks to an over-bed storage display designed by Slaughter and built by Woodwright’s Custom Woodwork in Fredericksburg — one of several pieces in the house custom designed and built by the pair. The cubbies contain old Italian trays belonging to the homeowner’s mother, blue and white plates, and Slaughter’s favorite find — stunning Chinese blue and white bedside lamps that she “happened upon” in Round Top. A classic farmhouse early American chandelier is by Visual Comfort & Co.
Both the master bedroom and girls’ room are off the upstairs sitting room, with its plaster walls with integrated color, sloping original beadboard ceiling (“we removed, cleaned, restored, installed and painted it,” says Slaughter) and leather armchairs by Noir. Original longleaf pine beams were cleaned and resealed.
The property included an old carriage house with barn wood siding and attached smokehouse that was renovated and doubles as guest quarters and the oldest son’s “room.” The living area consists of a sitting area with one by six painted siding, a wood burning stove, a small kitchenette with a refrigerator, sink and a microwave inside a longleaf pine armoire custom designed by Slaughter, and a cozy bedroom. “Pretty sweet digs for a teenage boy,” says Slaughter.
A stately windmill rises from the property, giving it the look of a painting from generations past. “It is not the original windmill,” explains Slaughter. “That one was not salvageable. This is from the clients’ collection of one-of-a-kind windmills that they find from all over the country.” Still, a perfect representation of days gone by, forever standing guard over this masterfully resurrected and restored piece of Hill Country history.
Slaughter Design Studio
830-307-3397
www.slaughterdesignstudio.com