Rising 56 stories above Austin, The Austonian condominium tower is the tallest building in the city and the tallest residential high rise west of the Mississippi. The luxury building's elliptical tower – the only one like it in Austin – gives homeowners and guests 360-views of Austin and the Texas Hill Country.

The exterior backdrop of The Austonian – city lights, the Texas State Capitol, the water of the Colorado River with adjacent surrounding parkland – is complemented by custom interiors and floor plans that reflect each homeowner's individual style.

Today it is unusual for condominiums to offer completely custom interior space layout and design, as most high-rise structures incorporate load-bearing walls, which, simply put, may not be moved. The elliptical footprint of The Austonian is not only a sleek tower in the Austin skyline; it also incorporates few load-bearing walls and has centrally-located mechanicals, which allow for flexibility in layout.

"There are three options available for people looking for high rise real estate at The Austonian," said Trey Phillips, sales representative for the project. "They can select a condo that is ready for move in – something that many second homeowners are looking for. Or they can choose from two levels of customization. One is modifying the simple things: wood, cabinet colors and countertops – it takes less than two hours to make these selections. The third option is to create a custom design, essentially treating your square footage like a lot, customizing it within the confines of the windows and the building systems."

More than one-fifth of homeowners at The Austonian have opted to customize their homes with unique floor plans, custom finishes and hand-selected fixtures. Ray and Jennene Mashburn, who were the first buyers in the building, combined space allocated to two units and created one home with views, an open kitchen and living spaces that wrap the north and west sections of the building. "We lived in two high-rise residences prior to The Austonian," said Jennene Mashburn. "Ray and I knew exactly what we wanted, and we built a custom home within the footprint of what was originally planned to be two separate living units."

The possibilities of customization are illustrated by comparing two floor plans occupying identical 3,000-square-foot footprints in the southeast corner of The Austonian tower. The first plan includes a formal living and dining area, three bedrooms, a study, three and a half baths, and a kitchen that is separate, allowing for use by catering and staff. The second plan was designed by Sloane Gate Design, a company that has redesigned and renovated high-end property in central London for over 20 years, in collaboration with Greer Interior Design, a practice with design expertise in urban residences, and is responsible for the interiors of The Austonian. The unit, which was planned to allow for a view of the lake from every room, includes an open kitchen, living and dining area approximately 1,000 square feet in size, two bedrooms, a dressing room, a study, and four and a half baths, including his-and-hers bathrooms in the master suite, as well as a private terrace.

Homeowner architects and interior designers have developed client-tailored floor plans and in-home amenities at The Austonian ranging from luxe dressing rooms to dry saunas. Custom lighting accentuates millwork and illuminates the many private art collections in the high rise. Wall and ceiling finishes throughout the project include wood, fabric, Venetian plaster and hand painted faux finishes.

Through carefully considered original layouts and the options for customization, The Austonian is a vertical neighborhood in downtown Austin that fits every resident's individual needs.