This newly listed Texas manse combines Art Deco style, modern design elements and… magic?
Returning to the market for the first time in roughly a decade, the Bohn House is considered one of the most architecturally significant addresses in all of Austin and comes with quite the backstory. The landmark residence was built in 1938 by architect Roy L. Thomas, before it was later expanded by Dick Clark + Associates in 2014. Stylistically, Thomas was said to have modeled the house after the fictitious Shangri-La featured in Frank Capra’s 1937 film Lost Horizon and the iconic Queen Mary ocean liner. It also has a trick up its sleeve: a “magic door” that descends at the push of a button to separate two rooms.
The sellers, Bill and Misty Reid, bought the property for $1.4 million in 2013, reported the Wall Street Journal. Over a 14-month renovation, the couple nearly doubled the home’s square footage, updated all the plumbing and electricity, and added a roof deck, a three-car garage, a media room and a 1,800-bottle wine cellar. Now, they’re offering up the fruits of their labor for $13 million.
Sited on nearly half an acre, the Lone Star digs offer 6,528 square feet of living space, five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three half baths. The interior nods to the illustrious cruise ship with porthole windows and a prowlike rotunda. On the first floor is a grand foyer that’s been outfitted with Carrara and Negro Santa Maria marble as an ode to the home’s 1930s origins. From here, you’ll find a circular dining room that used to be a solarium and a gourmet chef’s kitchen decked out with Miele appliances.
Downstairs, the media room is adorned with a hand-painted mural commissioned by original owner Herbert Bohn. Upstairs, meanwhile, the ultra-private primary suite features a walk-in closet, a large bathroom with a frameless rain shower and views of the University of Texas clocktower. You can spot the downstairs pool from here, too.
The palatial pad still retains many of its charming, original details that have been artfully restored, including the light fixtures, the aluminum handrails, the steel windows and the entryway staircase. “I would walk up and down the old stairs and there would be two creaks as you go down,” Misty told the WSJ. “I would always think ‘Mrs. Bohn must have gotten those same creaky steps.’” Of course, the circular mahogany door that magically retracts into the ceiling has stood the test of time as well. Hey, who doesn’t love a home steeped in history?
Phyllis Patek and Teresa Jones of Compass hold the listing.
Click here to see all photos of the Bohn House.
