Inside, the home takes a lighter, more informal approach. “As Don and I began collaborating with Jeff on the interior spaces, our goal was to select materials and finishes that would impart beauty and permanence,” Kris notes. Features like Carrara marble floors and countertops in the master bath mixed with white-washed, woodplank ceilings in the breakfast room and kitchen offer a pleasing balance of styles. Even the great room, which boasts a 16-foot-high ceiling, is far from pretentious. Flanked with French doors, the space abounds with views and natural light. “We wanted a soft palette in this room, so we chose white-colored linen upholstery and window treatments to create an ideal backdrop for splashes of blues mixed with neutral tones,” says Kris.
The Rymers’ hands-on approach was instrumental in almost every aspect of the home’s design, including the fireplace mantels in the great room, master bedroom, and home office. “We commissioned craftsmen in Hidalgo, Mexico, to fabricate them so that our attention to detail was achieved,” says Kris.
With the last stones laid and the final touches complete, the new residence displays a ready-made sense of longevity, as though it has stood there from Texas’ early founding. “The house sits comfortably in its setting and appears to have grown out of the rocky soil,” says Dungan. And it’s this connection of home and surroundings that serves as a testament to the architect’s ability to listen to the land—even if it’s just a whisper.
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