Architecture and Design Obsession
Budget Breakdown: An Architect Couple Polish Up Their Tucson Bungalow for $42K
While opening up the layout to capture desert light, Darci Hazelbaker and Dale Rush accentuate the character of their 1925 Spanish-style home.
While opening up the layout to capture desert light, Darci Hazelbaker and Dale Rush accentuate the character of their 1925 Spanish-style home.
For architects Darci Hazelbaker and Dale Rush, the duo behind Tucson–based Hazelbaker Rush, restoring their 1925 Spanish-revival bungalow was an exercise in honoring the home’s century-old past. The pair combined two bedrooms, clad the walls with wood lath, and mixed their own furniture prototypes with treasured midcentury pieces. The result is an interior that reflects the couple’s simple yet functional design mantra, with an honest reflection of place and time.
| $1,260 Demolition |
$870 Framing + Insulation |
$3,000 Electrical |
| $2,800 Plumbing |
$630 HVAC |
$3,500 Exterior Stucco |
| $700 Windows |
$800 Door |
$520 Lighting |
| $5,500 Finishes |
$4,500 Fixtures |
$6,200 Appliances |
| $8,100 Cabinets & Countertop |
$3,800 Misc. Construction |
|
| Grand Total: $42,180 | ||
The 1,000-square-foot bungalow sits along a quiet street near downtown Tucson and the University of Arizona. “For us, home isn’t simply about the space you live in; it’s also about the sense of belonging to a particular place,” says Dale.
Photo courtesy of hazelbaker rush
“The design decisions were driven by our desire to update the home without losing its historic character and presence in the neighborhood,” explains Dale. Ultimately, this meant tackling most of the construction themselves as a way to discover ways to accommodate their needs while remaining flexible with material selection.
Darci and Dale in their kitchen with Ricarda, a pup they are fostering during the COVID-19 crisis. “Our homes are a place of refuge—a manifestation of our lives—and change as we do,” says Dale. “A home allows one to surround themselves with objects that reflect their histories, encounters, and experiences.”
Photo courtesy of hazelbaker rush
“For us, the major constraint was budget,” explains Darci. “Since we were our own builders, we could keep the renovation process fairly organic. Opening up the layout to allow for natural light was the main priority. We wanted the home to be full of the desert light.”
The bright living room incorporates some of their own furniture prototypes with treasured midcentury collectibles. The T-square on the wall came from the estate of Albuquerque architect George Pearl; the hanging textile opposite is by fiber artist Romeo Reyna. The Finn Juhl chair comes from another estate sale, while the lights were made from standard, off-the-shelf parts. Darci and Dale built the console unit and coffee table as well.
Photo courtesy of hazelbaker rush
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: An Architect Couple Polish Up Their Tucson Bungalow for $42K
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