A Texas Farmhouse

Welcome to a grand, old, stone farmhouse set deep in the Hill Country of east Texas. This house was featured in Country Living some time ago and has remained one of my all-time favorites. If memory serves me, it was built by German immigrants in the late 1800's.





Stone dwellings have always enchanted me. I love the simplicity and straight-forwardness of this particular home. It is classic, but not ostentatious, with good lines and nice proportions. The stone lends solidity and a sense of having been there forever. The aged tin roof suits it well, I think.






This is quite a spot for open air dining! Notice how weathered indoor furniture is used out here on the porch. Blending of styles and purposes is more interesting to me than adhering strictly to convention.




A sconce adds light and ornamentation, beauty and function.

The rusticity of this room is something I find to be exquisite. In rooms with great architectural features, like stone walls, one needs little decoration to accent the space. Each piece seems carefully chosen for its color or texture, and they all harmonize well.

Notice the variety of textures in this room--stone, beaded board, metal, natural wood. The owners use an old farm table in place of a standard kitchen island, a nice touch. The industrial stools compliment the table. The transom window above the door gives me such delight. I adore transoms! The first school I attended had them above all classroom doors, and they enchanted me. My new house in the woods will have transoms, along with ceilings high enough to sponsor them.

There is that stone again. So cool! The glimpse into the adjoining bedroom is inviting.

The plaster in the entry way is so rough and raw. Pressed botanicals hang in a grid above the console table, and that basket on the floor provides storage.

Here is a collection of dishes and serving pieces on display. The cabinet is painted gray to allow the other colors to stand out.

The bluish-gray of the cabinet and the taupe of the plaster look sweet when paired with the toile shams. Straw hats add such wonderful depth and texture when used as wall art.

An antique clawfoot tub is also on my list. One like this, that is a tad beat up, would suit me well. A gauzy curtain billows in the breeze. The wall shelf is a cute and clever way to provide storage, display, and pegs for drying towels.


A close-up of the shelf reveals a bowl of handmade soaps and more botanical prints, tying this space to the rest of the house.

This wall of beaded board hosts a couple closets, few furnishings highlight the simplicity here.

In another view of the same room, we see that simplicity does indeed rein. The colors in this room evoke sweet summertime for me. They are delightfully fresh and clean. The windows are left bare to let in breezes and light.

This picture shows the texture of the walls, doors, and baseboard. They contrast nicely with the polished black chair.

This house is all about honesty of materials and allowing spaces to speak for themselves. I will use it as a model for my house that is forthcoming (eventually). And I hope it inspires you as well.

Until next time...

Anne