Meridian, Texas 2021-2022

The design for the project's outdoor spaces draws inspiration from the vast grasslands of Meridian State Park, where the ranch is situated. This ranch required a master plan that melded the existing house with new architecture for additional living space with new outdoor spaces for entertaining. This young family has great respect for this landscape and aimed to create spaces for their children to explore and provide opportunities for friends and family to appreciate the local flora, fauna, and expansive views.

Limestone fieldstone walls, independent of the architecture serve as a protector to the homestead and mark the entrance into a crushed limestone courtyard. A cobblestone pathway leads to simple spaces around the main house and cabins. The sheltered entry courtyard, focuses on a concrete trough water feature surrounded by grasses and perennials, maintaining a minimalistic aesthetic with drought-tolerant plantings resilient to Texas summers. An outdoor dining area, featuring large limestone slabs, is nestled among existing oaks between the main house and cabins and showcases an original smoker from the main house.

To the north of the main house, a master deck provides a scenic spot for watching sunsets, overlooking an existing pool, and a new outdoor kitchen and fire garden area. Crushed stone areas on either side of the pool offer additional seating opportunities and space for planting. Concrete and limestone terraces step down to the lawn below, with limestone slabs at the fence line enabling residents to feed deer and other animals. Remnants of limestone from a local quarry were carefully chosen to construct the boulder wall for the fire garden, providing a suspended view of the property beyond. The materials used are both rich and rustic, embodying a simplicity that resonates throughout the interior rooms and architecture.

Architect: Marek Architecture