06 Mar Big Spring Ranch

Texas Hill Country is remarkable for its quiet yet rugged beauty, where rolling limestone hills, aromatic evergreen brush, and wildflower meadows flank rivers that flow under vast blue skies. Quaint towns offer cinematic refinement without pretense. Here, an old-soul Texas ethos endures.

On a stretch of land located along the semi-arid landscape of the Great Western Cattle Trail near the Guadalupe River, wildlife abounds, water is precious, the sunlight sears, and evenings stretch beneath inky, star-dappled skies. It is no wonder that the owners of Big Spring Ranch chose this place to build their legacy home.

This majestic great room with soaring 25-foot ceilings is the heart of the house, with sightlines spanning the property. The custom coffee table by Brendan Bass was designed from three vintage trays.

This lodge, nestled on a 10,000-acre working ranch, was conceived as a place of comfort and continuity for the family. Even at 18,000 square feet, the house feels cozy, with signature details and familiar character throughout. Its lines blend into its surroundings like a mirage on the prairie. The home was built to support a large, close-knit, multigenerational family of 26 (and counting!) that values proximity, shared rituals, sacred moments, and time spent together under a single roof.

One of two staircases crafted from salvaged native wood and custom Corten steel by master ironsmith Monte Schumann. Furniture by Brendan Brass is covered in LDF Silk.

According to Leslie Phillips-Greco, principal designer of Round Table Design, “Regional heritage and sensibility shaped the original vision for the home. The owners rejected the common Texas Hill Country approach of multiple detached casitas in favor of a singular lodge that could hold generations together. They wanted a utilitarian place where grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren could gather naturally to celebrate the small and exceptional moments of life.”

Ottoman and loveseat by Lee Industries, both pieces are upholstered in fabric by Romo. The stone coffee table is from Re-Works. Acclaimed designer Leslie Philips-Greco devoted three years to this project. 

The architectural language draws directly from regional vernacular, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. Limestone walls echo the layered bluffs below. Corten steel, reclaimed oak beams, and hand-troweled plaster reference utilitarian pioneer structures, while introducing refinement through proportion and restraint.

Custom quarried stone and lime plaster walls highlight the Brenden Bass reclaimed wood console and Peninsula Homes leather ottomans sit atop carpets by Loloi Rugs.

The lodge was designed and built by Laughlin Homes + Restoration Inc., led by third-generation Texas Hill Country master builder Richard Laughlin. As his third project for the family, Laughlin leveraged his insights and a relationship built on trust to thoughtfully design this masterpiece. With more than 1,100 hours devoted to design alone, Laughlin brought an intimate understanding of climate, terrain, and material behavior to the project. His deep roots in the region informed everything from orientation and footprint to material selection and construction methods.

Function complements form in this ranch-style kitchen. Vintage pendant light is from 1st Dibs. Four Hands barstools line an antique table.

Settling up on a combination of Craftsman and Lodge styles, Laughlin and his long-time superintendent, Douglas Grona, led a team of local and regional craftsmen working with antique pieces, salvaged wood and indigenous materials, to transform the initial sketches into reality. Laughlin worked hands-on with seasoned craftsmen and structural engineers to meticulously fit hand-hewn timbers in joisted beams to support the immense structure.

Professional Zen, this office is centered on an antique Spanish table and a carpet by Loloi Rugs.

At the center of the lodge is the great room, both the physical and emotional heart of the home. With ceilings rising nearly 25 feet and approximately 1,700 square feet of space, the room could easily have felt overwhelming. Instead, it was carefully divided into four distinct zones: a fireplace seating area, a television nook, a central bar conceived as a modern interpretation of a saloon, and a lounge adjacent to the bar. Each sector is visually and spatially defined, allowing large gatherings to unfold comfortably without sacrificing intimacy. The grandeur comes from scale. The comfort comes from intention.

A vintage 16-foot chestnut table with antique French chairs offers ample space for family gatherings. Custom lighting by Olde Brick Lighting adds the perfect ambiance.

Interior finishes throughout the great room are tactile and quiet, complementing the landscape. Lime plaster walls soften acoustics and light, enveloping the space quietly. Reclaimed oak beams on the dual staircases carry visible history. Stone and Corten steel offer sturdy restraint. A monumental fireplace anchors the room, its 12-foot hearthstone hand-selected from a San Saba quarry for its color and character.

Rows of West Elm bunks with bespoke bedding invite comfort, with stools by The M Downtown and wall covering by Katie Kime.

The interiors were conceived and executed by Phillips-Greco, whose role in the project cannot be overstated. Over the course of nearly three years, she managed every aspect of the interior environment not handled by the builder, overseeing an extensive and deeply considered design process. Her work “ensured that the home feels collected, warm, and cozy, rather than new, layered, and styled; texture matters,” says Phillips-Greco. “Antiques and restored vintage pieces add warmth and heritage, while color and texture, along with art, develop the flavor of a place. The owners have a tremendous art collection,” she says.

Crafted by Canadian Kallisti Quilts, this bespoke quilt reflects quail native to the ranch. A cowhide rug by Milagro Collective adds Western flair.

Art plays a central role in shaping the interiors. The owners’ substantial collection of classical Western art is woven throughout the house, including works by G. Harvey and Tom Lovell. Large commissioned paintings by Don Park, a renowned Texas artist, depict meaningful locations on the ranch, and occupy prominent landings. “The owner also commissioned photographer Wyman Mizner to shoot the property during high wildflower and bluebonnet season, which produced some beautiful works for the house,” recalls Phillips-Greco. “Each piece is intentionally placed, supported by architecture and lighting designed specifically to frame it.”

Every compound needs a media room with a custom Chaddock game table and Pacific Green chairs. Warm lighting from sconces by Palecek and velvet drapes by Custom Draperies help create that movie night mood.

Phillips-Greco adds, “Many of the furnishings throughout the lodge are bespoke, antique, or adapted vintage pieces, sourced and modified specifically for the project. Nothing feels incidental. Every textile, lighting fixture, piece of furniture, and decorative object was selected to support the architecture rather than compete with it.” Centering on the owner’s favorite color, blue, the color palette is restrained, allowing texture, patina, and material to lead. The result is a home that feels settled, time-worn, and deeply personal, despite its scale.

Anteriors Home mirrors highlight glamour in the girls’ suite powder room.

Bedroom suites were created as individual retreats, each with its own aesthetic identity. Particularly intriguing are the children’s suites decked with rows of bunk beds, impeccably decorated for the young ladies and lads of the lodge. These spaces are warm, comfortable, and thoughtfully scaled, designed to encourage long stays and deep memories. Additional gathering spaces, including a media room, game areas, and outdoor living zones, allow multiple generations to coexist without crowding.

One of five guest suites, this one features a Beautiful Bed Co. bed and custom bedding alongside a bespoke Lee Industries cowhide storage ottoman. Nightstands are by Reworks Home.

Regionally-sourced flagstone of the signature color palette was used throughout the exterior, including the porch, pool plaza, and carport floors. Outdoor terraces, a timber-framed alfresco kitchen, fireplaces, and lounging areas extend the living experience into the landscape, while pools, tennis and pickleball courts, wildlife viewing and sporting grounds expand daily life across the ranch. Adding heritage, the floor of the pool features the ranch brand. Outdoor ceiling propane heaters and multiple fireplaces allow the open-air living and balcony spaces to be functional year-round.

Big Springs Ranch masterfully blends into the limestone bluffs. The great room overlooks this gorgeous exterior with custom lighting to illuminate its beauty.

Anchoring the family legacy, the iconic ranch brand was cast with steel into the circular drive. The gated entrance and long approach used the same limestone and steel motif, lit with custom handcrafted fixtures designed by Laughlin’s team. Nearly 1,000 feet of 8-foot-tall retaining walls seem to carve a pathway down to the river, while creating unique destinations along the way, anchoring the home into the hillside.

“As with many projects of this scale, things changed along the way, which sparked involvement from the entire family. The children, for example, realized they would want to spend more time at the ranch, so a pool, tennis court, and the owners’ two-car garage was converted into a home theater to provide year-round entertainment. Overall, we landscaped and fenced seven acres of land,” says Laughlin of this Hill Country home that beckons family from near and far to come together under the Texas stars.