EST. 11 architecture

Dan and our client designed a beautiful contemporary home in South Austin that we had the pleasure of building. We found Dan and his team to be excellent at problem solving and very open to helping the client make many site-driven changes a long the way. Our relationship throughout the process only grew stronger as we tackled some of the sites difficult hurdles.

We had a great experience working with Dan Finnell and EST-11. We own a 1927 Tudor in Dallas and when we bought the home it was definitely a fixer-upper. One of the biggest problems was our upstairs master bedroom suite. The house had last been remodeled in the early 1980’s and reflected that style, black and white, glass block and mirrors. Originally the upstairs consisted of two bedrooms and a bathroom between. When it was remodeled by the previous owners, they had transformed the second bedroom and bath into a large his and hers master bath. That concept was great, but in today’s world it did not work well, as it was very closed off and separate. Also there was not a sense of privacy for the suite, as the bedroom was not directly connected to the bath, and the laundry room was in the bath. When we met Dan he immediately had a vision for the bath. He was able to come up with a design that connected the bedroom and bathroom, and moved the laundry room to the hallway. The key design feature that pulled it together is the Antechamber. You now enter the master suite through a set of sliding doors, and the bedroom door is on the left, and the bathroom is on the right. When closed you have total privacy from the hallway. The other key thing he was able to do was open the space up and make it feel like one contiguous room. We kept a his and her area with separate commode rooms and vanities, but they are part of a wide open room. The shower is also amazing with a full glass surround, a cantilevered bench and a linear drain, and directly across from the big screen TV. Dan also did a great job of working with us to find all the finish outs. He consulted with us on every detail from the marble floors, to the accent tile wall, Grohe fixtures, and custom millwork. His sense of style was excellent, and we ended up with a look that we both love. We also appreciated Dan’s flexibility. Halfway through the project we decided with the master suite improving so much, we needed to expand the project to include the full upstairs, and had Dan quickly re-design the loft area. He did a great job of keeping to the true style of the house while adding modern touches, always thinking holistically. When we had an idea that did not make sense to the design, he quickly told us, and we ended up always agreeing with him. He is an excellent communicator, sincere, easy to work with, and reliable. We are now beginning to discuss our next project with him which will be our kitchen and family room. We both highly recommend Dan to anyone that is looking for an architect for home remodeling.

We had a great experience working with Dan at EST.11 Architecture remodeling our master bathroom and bar. We took both areas down to the studs and created completely new contemporary/modern looks which turned out better than we could have imagined. We liked Dan when we interviewed him because of his creativity, modern aesthetic (hard to find in Texas!), and positive attitude. He has a great work ethic and is great at both listening to his client and also offering some additional creative ideas to consider. What we really loved about working with him throughout the process is his attention to detail and how he closely worked with the construction company (RJA Construction, LLC) to make sure that every single finish was done to perfection. I think this key point really sets him apart from others in the industry as often many designers will give ideas but not follow the concept through to the end which can leave you disappointed in the end results. We whole heartily recommend him and his team!

Working with Established Eleven Architecture together on projects has really made the difference, not only for our Clients, but also our Firm. We have learned so much about integrating different types of building materials in contemporary designs, as well as, attention to the details of finish out. We look forward to many more projects together and continuing to raise the bar in custom construction. Billy Rousseau RJA Construction

EST.11 provided a full package of design and construction management services over the 10 month renovation of our home. We interviewed 3 companies and Dan brought the creativity and passion for the job that resulted in an outstanding renovation of a 1960 Mid Century Home. This home was stripped to studs, reconfigured to maximize the views and offer an open concept. He offered options for space planning, interior and exterior design, finish and color selections, and energy saving. As we worked through each of the elements, he developed a feel for our style and use of the house and refined the program. This is a contractor you can trust and will enjoy the design process as well as a great result.