Notes from Austin Home Magazine’s Exclusive DESIGN HOUSE at SXSW
Tim Stanton, Charles Vesley & Devin Dang at DESIGN HOUSE by Austin Home Magazine at SXSW
Finding Sophistication at SXSW
There is a specific frequency to Austin in March. It’s a convergence of creativity, sound, and a particular kind of ambition. On March 15th we found ourselves at Paseo by LV Collective on Rainey Street for the inaugural DESIGN HOUSE hosted by Austin Home Magazine at SXSW. Part summit, part salon… an afternoon curated by the UT School of Architecture and AIA Austin.
For our studio, it wasn't just an event… It was a mirror.
The Architecture of Story
We sat in on a conversation with John Blood. To call him an architect is a starting point, but his true medium is the "architecture of story." As a concept artist and set designer, notably for his work on The Chosen, he translates the ethereal into the physical.
We spoke with him 1-on-1 about the intersection of faith and the creative process… how his internal compass guides the world-building of 1st-century Judea or the dystopian futures of Hollywood. At our studio, we believe luxury interior design in Austin should do the same. It’s not about the furniture, it’s about the narrative of the inhabitant. John reminded us that every room is a set piece for a life well-lived.
The Pioneers: Liz Lambert
To speak of Austin hospitality is to speak of Liz Lambert. Hearing her firsthand, the parallels were impossible to ignore. Before the Bunkhouse Group became a blueprint for "cool," it was a vision born of grit and a refusal to settle for the mundane.
Liz blazed the trail for what we call accessible luxury. She proved that a space can be high-design without being cold… that it can be soulful and still sophisticated. We share that same hunger… the ambition to craft the most inspiring, culturally-resonant spaces in Central Texas. She didn't just build hotels, she built an Austin identity. We’re here to continue that lineage.
The Aesthetic: Southwest Soul
Walking through the Paseo residence, there was a moment of visceral recognition. Devin aka Devido almost signed a lease on the spot. The aesthetic was a refined, modern Southwest that echoed the textures of our travels through Guadalajara and the stillness of Lake Tapalpa.
It reminded us why we do what we do. The warmth of CDMX, the raw earth tones of the high desert, the "warm days and Rainey nights" these are the palettes that kind of define our work.
The Details
Event: DESIGN HOUSE 2026 Location: Paseo by LV Collective, Austin, TX Partners:Four Hands, Dowbuilt, Stratus Surfaces, Benjamin Moore, Williams Sonoma, Italkraft, Cosentino, Unlisted.
Photography by Chris Stokes.
