Modern Texas House With A Canyon-Inspired Design

The River Ranch  is located in Blanco, Texas. It’s a beautiful place with lots of character  and it was designed by Jobe Corral Architects who completed the entire project in 2018. Contrary to what the name might suggest, this is not really a ranch, not in the traditional sense of the term.

The garden and yard areas are populated with native plants for full immersion into the land
The garden and yard areas are populated with native plants for full immersion into the land

It is however a very beautiful and very inviting family home which takes full advantage of its location and of the unique surroundings. As you approach it you get to see rammed earth walls creating a sort of protective shell around the structure. They also help to ease the transition between the actual building and the surrounding landscape.

The pergola roof extends the outdoor living area further out into the courtyard
The pergola roof extends the outdoor living area further out into the courtyard
Indoors the main seating area has a big weathered metal fireplace as a focal point
Indoors the main seating area has a big weathered metal fireplace as a focal point

This beautiful connection between the indoor and the outdoor spaces is also made easy and seamlessly by the way in which the house is designed. You may be able to tell that a lot of the big spaces have direct access to a series of covered terraces and other spaces which in turn are connected to the yard and the garden. Furthermore, large steel trellises and pergola roofs extend the social areas into the green spaces serving as a second layer of protection. In the central courtyard there’s an underground cistern hidden out of sight which holds all the water supply necessary for the house. Outside there’s also a big pool with various lounge areas on either side of it, including a lovely fire pit seating area out in the open.

The dining area and the kitchen are decorated with warm mesa-inspired colors
The dining area and the kitchen are decorated with warm mesa-inspired colors
The kitchen accent wall with all the different layers of colors looks very organic and beautiful
The kitchen accent wall with all the different layers of colors looks very organic and beautiful
One end of the swimming pool penetrates the deck and is protected by the roof
One end of the swimming pool penetrates the deck and is protected by the roof
The interior spaces are well connected to the outdoors in a very natural way
The interior spaces are well connected to the outdoors in a very natural way
The bedroom has a nice view of the courtyard and the pool area
The bedroom has a nice view of the courtyard and the pool area
The bathroom is very bright and open and has access to an outdoor shower enclosure
The bathroom is very bright and open and has access to an outdoor shower enclosure
The layered accent wall design is integrated into various different parts of the house
The layered accent wall design is integrated into various different parts of the house
The large courtyard also features a fire pit seating area by the pool
The large courtyard also features a fire pit seating area by the pool
The sparse vegetation and overall landscape complement the house and its simple design
The sparse vegetation and overall landscape complement the house and its simple design

Photography by Casey Dunn