David and Melissa Rubin weren’t about to give up on having a billiards table. Downsizing from a house in the suburbs to a high-rise apartment in downtown Austin, the couple enlisted the help of designer Mark Cravotta, architect Christopher Sanders and builder David Wilkes to transform their new space into a stylish, yet comfortable retreat where they could enjoy the familiar luxuries of home.
“The clients have always lived in traditional houses, and they were done with that, but they didn’t want to give up on soft fabrics or furniture that evoked relaxation,” Cravotta explains. “They wanted a home, not a monument.”
And that meant making room to shoot some pool.
The team worked with United Kingdom-based Hamilton Billiards to customize a piece that transforms into a dining table. A domed ceiling covered with polished Venetian plaster further distinguishes the dining area from the steel-framed wood ceiling in the living area and the highly lacquered dark blue panels in the open kitchen.
Sections of exposed concrete and leather-wrapped pipes complete the loft-like feeling the Rubins’ envisioned.
“This will be our twelfth home in 25 years,” homeowner David says, “and it’s our favorite yet.”
