‘Bungalitos’ are period-perfect outbuildings
that provide flexible space fo r studio, office, or guests.
E very detail o f H indm an’s work is made
to last 1 0 0 years or more.
Top: John Hindman and
Red River Restorations
craftsman Jacob Barnes
play backgammon
outside the bungalito as
office manager Jane
Gordon looks on.
Bottom: A view from
the loft. This bungalito
is 140 square feet, and
every inch is designed to
be “special and useful,”
says Hindman.
T h e co m p a n y o p erate s o u t o f
a m e ticu lo u sly re sto re d 1935
garag e ap artm en t b u ild in g on
R e d R iv e r S tre e t, ju st n o rth o f
d o w n to w n A u s tin , w ith a se c-
o n d w o o d sh o p on th e c ity ’s
east sid e.
T h e g ro u p ’s n e w e s t o ffe rin g
is a cu sto m ou tb u ild in g , a ffe c -
tion ately dubbed th e “ b u ngalito,”
th at m erges th e ir sk ills and
p ro d u cts in a sin g le, sp arklin g
stru ctu re . A ro u n d a c o u p le
h u n d red sq u are fe e t, b u n g alitos
can b e co n stru cte d as period -
p e rfe c t m ates to origin al h o m es,
p ro v id in g ad ditional-bu t-m od -
e st sp ace fo r a stu d io , o ffic e ,
re tre a t, o r g u est ro o m . A n d b e -
cause th e co m p a n y bu ild s them
w ith th e sam e atten tio n to m a-
terials and w o rk m a n sh ip that
ch a ra cte rize s o ld h o u ses, th e
tin y b u ild in gs can b e e x p e c te d
to last ju s t as lon g.
L o n g e v ity , a fte r all, is a b ig
p art o f w h a t’ s so ico n o cla stic
ab o u t th e c o m p a n y ’s ap p roach .
T a k e w in d o w s . M o d e rn , dou-
b le-p an ed w in d o w s m ay b e
m ore e n e rg y -e ffic ie n t, d ay-to-
d a y , th an th e classic sash-
w e ig h te d d esign . B u t w h a t h ap -
p e n s, H in d m an w a n ts to k n o w ,
w h e n th e n e w w in d o w s w e a r
ou t? T h e lo n g e st w a rra n ty ou t
th e re is 20 y e a rs, and e v e n th e
on es m ade o f w o o d h a ve d e -
gra d ab le p lastic parts. T h e gas
sealed b e tw e e n th e p an es w ill
e v e n tu a lly leak . “ In 100 y e a rs,
i f y o u ’re rep la cin g w in d o w s
fo u r or five tim es and th ro w in g
them all in a lan d fill - th a t’s
in san e,” H in d m an says. “ B u t
n o on e th in k s ab ou t it th at w a y ,
because th e y ’re o n ly go in g to live
in the h ou se fo r seven y e a rs.”
H e sh ifts his atten tio n to
p ain t, m om en tu m b u ild in g in
h is frie n d ly v o ic e , and exp lain s
that th e life span o f an e x te rio r
058
american craft
fcb/m arn
