A little family place in the country where sunlight tells the time.
Water is hard to come by in Texas. A homesite with stunning blue-green, constantly running water and a flawless view of the sunset? That’s a gem you’ve just got to jump on.
Good news: the water was there, the setting was a big slay. Bad news: the house was a lowly (dare we say crusty) shack.
The real good news: the owners had a baby on the way, great architects, and a clear brief. This lowly shack needed to be converted to a relaxing retreat where the owners could zen out from busy city life.
On it.
We built a palette of natural materials and modern furniture classics and popped in some grasscloth ceilings. We imagined the bathroom as a very woodsy fellow who sports a sassy blue sun-soaked Heath Tile shower, and the rest of the house as a cozy shack with plenty of nooks and crannies to snuggle into.
Most importantly, we made sure to soak the whole place in daylight, so the sun (not a clock) tells you the time of day. It’s not a big house full of wide open spaces, and that’s the point—that’s what the great outdoors are for. Snuggle in or venture out.
MANY THANKS
Annie, Arthur, John at Side Angle Side, you guys just get it. Thanks for trusting me.
Brian and Catherine, thanks for the constant kindness. We’re so happy for the family you’ve built.
Campbell Landscape Architecture, y’all made the site look exactly right. It’s remarkable.
Chloe and Meghin at Likeness - every time we shoot, the pictures get better. It’s so fun working with y’all.
Mike the builder, thanks for letting us get fussy about automatic closet lighting, sealing the living sh*t out of the limestone, and adding an extra skylight way too late in the process. We just had to.