This small compact Ranch Retreat is located on 10 acres in the San Marcos area of the Texas Hill Country. The family of four wanted a budget conscious family guest quarters with every inch of space considered for its function. This “ship” conscious design approach was considered for the entire program, offering 2 full bedrooms, 2 baths on the Main Level and 2 loft bedrooms for children and visiting families to engage the camp spirit of the property.
The enclosed 1,100 s.f building engages the land along two wet season creeks, crisscrossing gently in front of the main porch. Organized to engage the South East Texas prevailing breezes, the single wide retreat offers covered porches on both sides of the building with ample windows to allow for the cooling breezes offered even on the hottest Texas Summer days.
Designed and built with an extremely tight budget, this “anything from Home Depot and IKEA” Design approach engaged maintenance free palette of materials-from galvanized corrugated siding and roofing, commercial aluminum windows and doors and selective book ends of natural limestone to ground the home on its corners. Inside the retreat, open vaulted ceilings offer a dramatic spatial connection to expand the homes size.