With all the images and messages one is constantly bombarded with in modern life, it’s a relief to enter a serene, tranquil home that invites the visitor to relax and rest in comfort. In Austin, Christina Cole Abboud, known for her quiet, minimal interiors, created a sophisticated scheme for new homeowners that offers a welcome escape from the cacophony and clutter of the outside world. “Our aesthetic as a design firm is very restrained,” Abboud emphasizes. 

For their growing family, which includes a middle school-age daughter and son, plus a Labradoodle, homeowners Stefanie and Philip Moore built a five-bedroom house in Pemberton Heights, one of the most charming neighborhoods in Austin. Stefanie had admired Abboud’s work on social media, and the two were soon introduced through a friend. “Design and interiors are very much a hobby for me, and Christina’s style is spot-on with mine,” says Moore, who describes her taste as “clean lines, natural materials, less is more.” “The two of us got together; I shared my images, and Christina said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m really busy but I’ve got to take you on—we’ll have so much fun together.’ A timeless aesthetic with a minimalist approach was our goal, and there was nothing she showed me that I didn’t like.” 

Abboud brought to the project a unique background combining architecture, academia, and interior design. The native Texan received a master’s degree in architecture at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C., and then went on to teach architecture, urban design, and history there, as well as in Barcelona, Spain, before becoming the school’s Director of International Programs in Architecture. At the same time, she started her own professional practice, which turned out to be influenced by her travels in Europe. “I was inspired by the layers of history and the interesting juxtapositions you see in European cities and buildings, and how complex and interesting that can feel,” says Abboud. “You can try to create some of that beauty in something that is new.”

This story appeared in the Winter 2022 issue of MILIEU. To read the complete story or to see all photos, visit the MILIEU Newsstand to purchase this issue in print or visit Zinio.com to purchase this issue in digital format.  

INTERIOR DESIGN BY CHRISTINA COLE ABBOUD

ARCHITECTURE BY LINDSAY HUNTER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHADE DEGGES

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELA DORAN

WRITTEN BY BART BOEHLERT