Homebuilt Bathroom Store

A Craftsman-style home built on a Westlake hillside

Albert Bronson and Leah Karotkin's Westlake home feels like living on a cliff in a remote forest. Windows and layered decking draw the eye toward the tree-filled neighboring hills and valleys.

The 1998-built home is a touch of Craftsman elegance in a rustic setting. Yet, 922 Terrace Mountain Drive is a 10-minute drive to downtown Austin.

Bronson, who returned to Austin from Albany, N.Y., in 1992, had a certain type of home in mind when he began looking for a lot on which to build. On a trip to Italy to visit a friend, he was struck by some of the hilltop farmhouses he had seen there. They were made out of stone and surrounded by walls. Bronson also gravitated toward the classic lines of Craftsman architecture.

The home would become a combination of those two styles: part Craftsman, part European farmhouse.

Bronson hired Barley & Pfeiffer Architects to turn his vision into reality, but the plans for the house soon shifted as Bronson became engaged to Karotkin. Now this dream home also would have to reflect the needs of Karotkin and her teenage daughter: Closets were expanded, larger mirrors considered.

The family moved in in late 1998, and Bronson and Karotkin were married at the house the following May.

Now with her daughter long flown the nest, Karotkin, a civil defense trial attorney with Wright & Greenhill, and Bronson, a retired environmental attorney, have decided to sell the house on Terrace Mountain Drive. It's listed for $950,000 with Kay Andrews of Amelia Bullock Realtors.

Terrace Mountain Drive sits above the house. A pathway down leads to the two-story, wood-and-stone-façade house. To accommodate the hill, the architects put the living spaces and master suite on the main level and the other bedrooms and garage on a lower level. The pathway and front porch lead to the front door, with Craftsman-style high windows and period-styled hardware. It's the details of the front door that prepare guests for the details they will find throughout the home.

Homemade Shaving Cream [Oil] and Aftershave

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Mark steps up into Charlie’s Barber Shop and plops down in a brown leather chair before the bell on the door stops ringing. Charlie presses the foot pump and brings his loyal customer up to a comfortable level. He grabs a warm, wet towel, draping it carefully about Mark’s face, preparing his beard for a nice, close shave.

Grabbing his straight edge razor, Charlie slowly runs it up and down his leather strop. Taking his boar bristle brush, he wets the soap and creates a rich, foamy lather. Removing the towel, he applies the cream to Mark’s softened skin and, with the precision of practiced hands, carefully uncovers a smooth, supple face.

When he’s done, he wipes off any excess cream and then pours a tiny bit of Bay Rum oil into his hands where he warms it before patting it onto Mark’s cheeks and chin.

Ah, what an experience.

Gone are the days of the straight-edge barber shave (unless, of course, you want to pay a good $45 for one visit). Those days have been replaced by disposable razors and cans of chemicals that are slowly damaging our environment.

There used to be a better way. And there still is. You can treat yourself to a nice shave (ladies, I’m talking to you too) in the comfort of your own home for no more than the cost of supplies.

Heat prep

Before picking up your razor, decide whether you want to do this in shower. If not then be sure to prepare a warm, wet towel to wrap your face/legs in prior to shaving. This softens the hair, making it easier to shave and less likely to cause pulling, razor burn and irritation. Shaving right after getting out of the shower, or ladies, in the shower, just makes it a little easier.

Technique

Lightly go over the spot a few times – if you’re getting all the hair in one fell swoop you’re probably pushing too hard, which increases your chance of nicks. Instead of hurrying, gradually cut the hair so you don’t cause razor burn and irritation. Patience will yield a far more pleasant experience.

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