Texas Home Brings The Outside In With Aluminum Sliding Glass Door From MI Windows

As part of an extensive renovation project in Austin, Texas, a two-story home on Sunnyvale St. has been outfitted with a 12’x8’ XIIP patio door manufactured by MI Windows and Doors (MI). The 1800-square-foot house was reimagined by the team at Un.Box Studio, a collaborative architecture and design firm located in Austin.

“The idea was to reconfigure the existing spaces to open them up and bring in as much light as possible,” stated Jared Haas, principal designer at Un.Box Studio. “The home was built in the 60’s and is protected by the City of Austin historical board, so we didn’t want to alter the exterior. We wanted to be sure to preserve the historic integrity of the home, while also updating and modernizing the interior to fit the vision of our client.”

MI’s 400 Series aluminum sliding glass door was integral to creating openness on the first floor of the home. The interior walls were removed to create a continuous open space through the kitchen, living, and dining rooms, and the floor-to-ceiling door was installed to provide plenty of light and access to the backyard.

To allow the room to flow seamlessly to the outside, the patio door was installed pocket-style. Jason Knight, project manager at Melde Construction Company, worked with Austin RetroFit to install the door. “We had to create a pocket in the wall that would fit all three panels,” Knight explained.

Because of the unique nature of the project, the pocket was built after the installation of the door was complete to be sure the three moving panels opened fully and nested into the pocket next to a fourth, fixed panel.

The second floor of the home was extensively remodeled as well, transforming four small bedrooms and one cramped bath into a spacious three bedroom, 2-bath space with a master suite. A feature staircase was also added. Haas and his team, along with the homeowner, chose simple, whitewashed oak flooring and walls, paint-grade custom cabinetry, hexagonal wall tiles, and Carrera marble for the counters and bathtub surround. The addition of furniture and décor influenced by midcentury ideals further created an air of timelessness and sophistication.

Originally purchased as an investment property, the homeowner was so pleased with the results of the remodel that she decided to keep the house as her primary residence. MI’s 430 aluminum door satisfied the vision of creating openness that bridged interior and exterior spaces and helped turn a dated house into a modern, classic home.