On a recent trip to Texas, I fell down a rabbit hole into this very unconventional Airbnb—a one-bedroom, one-bathroom home that looks like it fell out of a mind-bending cartoon.
Where are we:
The Bloomhouse in Westlake Highlands, Austin, Texas
How this place got here:
The ’70s, baby. Two University of Texas architecture students, Dalton Bloom and Charles Harker, set out to build a fairytale-like structure that would serve as a place of peace and isolation, living harmoniously alongside the environment. Per a Good Morning America segment from 1979, the home took eight years to develop and was made with then uncommon materials like polyeurathane foam. “The forms in the house are designed much like music, so that they form flowing lyric patterns,” said Harker in the interview, who referred to his homes as “habitable sculptures.” He also said he sees homes as psychological shelter as well as physical, and as such tries to design houses that are soothing and calming.
Back then, Bloom and Harker couldn’t have known the explosion of growth the city would see a few decades later, but given the home’s large lot and lack of immediate neighbors, it’s made the spot all the more enticing to visitors seeking some peace and quiet, and a chance to check out this one-of-a-kind abode for themselves.
Fast forward to 2017 and The Bloomhouse was purchased by Dave Claunch and his wife Susan, who spent 18 months renovating it before listing it on Airbnb. They’ve maintained all the original charm, but added in comfortable West Elm furniture, a BBQ grill for the back deck, and more modern creature comforts.
What the stay was like:
The photos are one thing, but walking up to this home is entirely another. It’s the kind of place you blink at to make sure your eyes aren’t deceiving you, and that looks a little bit different from every angle. Is it shaped like a dog? A dragon? A seashell? Was the inspiration more Flintstones, or Cat in the Hat, or Alice in Wonderland? A little bit of Willy Wonka energy? Inside, the fun continues: Everywhere you turn there’s another nook and cranny to discover. Take a spiral staircase upstairs to the reading nook and balcony or wind your way downstairs to the living area, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.
I was surprised at how functional the space was—it’s practical even in all its impracticality—with plenty of cooking essentials and small appliances, a dishwasher and microwave, towels, toiletries, and outlets where you need them. In most places, those things wouldn’t necessarily be noteworthy, but in a space that could easily rest on its laurels and merely provide a visually cool experience, the owners have set up the space to be somewhere you can stay for a few days or a week and make yourself at home.
There’s a lovely and large outdoor space home to a dining table, seating, and grill, plus some ever aesthetically pleasing twinkle lights. The outdoor shower is a fun addition, and there is enough greenery around the house to feel protected (though the most shy won’t love being able to see other backyards far across the way). Other sweet touches include a butterfly-shaped mirror in the bathroom and a cozy reading nook upstairs.