This Funky $2 Million Residence in Texas Was Designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright Protégé
Have you ever considered living in a house that resembles a mushroom? You’re in luck! This curvaceous abode in Texas, dubbed The Sand Dollar House, could make that dream a reality. Built in 1979 by John Covert Watson, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, the one-of-a-kind biomorphic structure was designed as a second residence for artist Eugenia Hunt and is capped by a circular roof that, from the air, looks almost exactly like a sand dollar.
Karena Dawn and Bobby Goldstein, a married couple who co-founded the fitness company Tone It Up, most recently acquired the unconventional residence for an undisclosed price in 2021, according to The Wall Street Journal. They updated the deck but reportedly didn’t make any changes to the interior. Now ready to move on, the couple has hoisted the fungus-like cultural landmark back on the market for $1.99 million. Michelle Jones and Todd Grossman of Compass hold the listing.
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The extraordinary residence is set back from a main road and perched on a vegetated bluff in Lakeway, a city just outside of Austin that is known for its golf courses and marinas. Its modern design is composed of steel and gunite—the same material used to build swimming pools—which shape its curvy façade and even curvier interiors. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a powder room, span the pad’s 2,240 square feet. Petal-shaped skylights and round windows are among its organic charms, but the home’s porches and decks add to the appeal.
Beyond the entrance, the living room offers panoramic vistas of the lake, thanks to a bank of floor-to-ceiling glass; skylights shower the space with natural light. Other sinuous features that come into focus as you move through the home are an arched, kiva-style fireplace that anchors the great room and a swooping built-in banquette in the dining area. A wet bar, a U-shaped kitchen with 180-degree views, and a spiral staircase further accent the home’s whimsical nature.
Inside the primary bedroom, details like an arched fireplace and curved ceiling stand out among wooden doors, and its en-suite bath channels the work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, featuring a curved dual sink and soaking tub embellished with jewel-like emerald green tiles. A huge circular window in the open shower space slides open for fresh air.
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Watson designed the home for entertaining, according to the listing, and, with a variety of outside spaces for alfresco leisure, it’s not hard to see why. A covered terrace off the living room overlooks the lower-level outdoor patio. A grassy patch affords residents and guests an ideal spot for private sunbathing, and lush foliage ensures total privacy from neighboring homes.
Click here for more images of the Texas home.
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