When building a custom home, selecting an architectural style can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In our latest Constructive Insight interview, we sat down with Karen Brasier, AIA, Design Director at Brickmoon Design Hill Country, to discuss the most popular styles in the Texas Hill Country, how to blend personal taste with timeless design, and ways to ensure your home truly reflects your vision.
Malachi:
Thanks for taking the time to connect! Before we get started, could you tell us a little about yourself and your experience in helping clients discover and define their architectural style?
Karen:
Thank you for talking with me! My name is Karen Brasier and I’ve been designing homes for over 15 years. I am a licensed architect and Design Director at Brickmoon Design Hill Country, which is located in Wimberley and serves the surrounding areas. I’ve done work around the Texas Hill Country, Houston, and on the Texas coast, so I have seen all kinds of architectural styles and have met clients from every background.
Malachi:
When people start thinking about building a custom home, choosing an architectural style can feel overwhelming. What are some of the most popular styles you see clients drawn to in the Texas Hill Country?
Karen:
The Hill Country is such a broad region that we really see a mix of different styles that clients are drawn to. I think it can depend on the area they live in, and the precedents and history of that area. For example, the clients we serve in Fredericksburg may want to pull in some German influence to their home, but the clients we serve in Austin may lean towards a contemporary design. In Wimberley and Blanco, we find that Hill Country modern and mid-century modern have been popular. All architectural styles have their own key characteristics and distinct details. You can recognize a style by its materials, profiles, and decorative features. Hill Country modern homes usually include native limestone and natural timbers with metal roofing, gable and shed roof profiles, and expansive windows that stimulate a connection to nature. Farmhouses, whether historic or new, use painted wood siding, prominent gables and symmetry, and some craftsman details like wood brackets. With Mediterranean homes, you will predominantly see designs with stucco, clay tile hipped roofs, arched openings, and possibly ornate metalwork in the railings and doors. To some degree, I do think certain styles work better in certain regions. At one point in time, climate and culture were the factors that fabricated the styles we know and talk about today. Now, I think as humans, we want to ground ourselves in a location that makes us feel comfortable and interrelated. We want to surround ourselves with others that appreciate our style and way of living. I do see value in honoring the history and influences of an area by including them into the design. Architectural trends are constantly changing, more now than ever because we have a world full of inspiration at our fingertips with Pinterest, Houzz, and Instagram. At Brickmoon Design, we work hard to get beyond the trends and discover what is really going to be a timeless and lasting design style that works for the homeowner.
Malachi:
A lot of homeowners want a design that feels personal but also stands the test of time. How do you help clients balance personal taste with architectural longevity?
Karen:
It is hard to guess what will feel “dated” in the future because trends are always changing and we can never know how long they will last. We try to be very intentional about our designs feeling timeless, and we do this through sound architectural principles like balance, hierarchy, proportion. Colors and finishes can be updated on a home in the future. By getting the structure and the ‘bones’ right, the design can better stand the test of time. We see interest in a lot of traditional styles that have a modern twist on them, like modern German and modern French, where you take the traditional elements and soften them to have a more clean, sleek appearance. There is really a spectrum that goes from traditional to modern, and everyone’s preference lands somewhere different. If a client is torn between styles, I would ask them to think about the characteristics they are drawn to in each style. It helps the client to understand what they are attracted to, and it helps us as architects to think about ways we can incorporate aspects from the different styles into an integrated, custom design.
Malachi:
At Westbury Builders, we work closely with our clients to create homes that fit their vision while also being practical. Can you share an example of a past project where you helped customize a design to fit the homeowner’s unique style?
Karen:
Sometimes we are charged with designing a home to blend styles of the homeowners. For example, we designed a home recently where the husband liked a super modern feel with flat roofs and steel, and the wife wanted a more natural and almost coastal look. We brought these together by doing some flat roofs but with natural wood cladding, and oversized windows, but with native stone elements to create a ‘warm contemporary’ design that both owners fell in love with.
Malachi:
For someone who’s just starting to explore architectural styles, what’s the best first step to figuring out what they really want?
Karen:
I think the best way to figure out what you really want is to reflect on the houses that have made an impact on you. Whether that is a house you have saved on Pinterest because you liked the colors and materials, or it’s the vacation home you would go to as a kid that felt sentimental and warm. There are so many places you can source inspiration from, but really finding the houses that make you feel good are the best ones to start with. We take our clients through a “Vision Session” at the start of each project to sort through all the ideas. Don’t feel you have to figure it all out alone! We are here to help.
Malachi:
Great insights— I appreciate you sharing your expertise! If someone wants to work with you on designing their home, what’s the best way for them to get in touch?
Karen:
You can reach us best by calling our office at 512-829-7187. Feel free to also stop by our office if you’re in Wimberley, or message us through our Contact tab on our website brickmoondesign.com. Thank you for the wonderful conversation, Malachi!
Learn More about out partner Karen Brasier, AIA, Design Director at Brickmoon Design Hill Country