Cabin comfort

Come on in, y'all.

In every way, this rustic Texas-style retreat says "welcome."

"In long winter evenings [Pa] talked to Ma about the Western country. In the west the land was level, and there were no trees. The grass grew thick and high. There the wild animals wandered and fed as though they were in a pasture that stretched much farther than a man could see, and there were no settlers."

-Laura ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie

On my trip to the Walker family cabin, I felt a little like Laura Ingalls Wilder must have felt on her journey to the home featured in her book Little House on the Prairie. I, too, traveled west-well, west of Dallas anyway-- where the land was exactly as she described-low and level with very few trees and covered with tall, swaying grasses. My arrival was greeted by the sounds of cattle and horses, and there wasn't a settler anywhere in sight.

The Ranch on Possum Kingdom-a development built on what is still a working ranch-houses family homes, such as the Walkers' cabin, scattered among the vast acreage. There's Possum Kingdom Lake and many other amenities that don't interfere with the country experience.

Designer Donese Walker, husband Craig-developer of The Ranch on Possum Kingdom-and their four children live quite comfortably in this Texas hideaway.

The home's exterior was constructed from an 1840 Amish grain bin with a new addition toward the rear. Though there's a bullet lodged in the front porch-a Texas touch the homeowners did not put there-don't let that deter you. The decor is stylish, the atmosphere is friendly, and visitors are always welcome.

Simple Addition

What appears to be a small cabin on the outside is actually spacious inside. A rear addition extends the space, but it is difficult to tell just by looking at the front of the house.

"I didn't want the addition to surround the original millhouse because I didn't want to lose the scale of it or cover up the logs," says architect John Allen. In keeping with that thought, he added a one-and-a-half-story breezeway connection that leads to two bedrooms and a rear porch. The kitchen and garage were also added.

Though the addition is clearly that, old-world materials and a similar building style give the sense that this new structure simply evolved from the original house as the family grew and required more space. "The completed house is very comfortable and livable, but it is still very casual and maintains the rustic feel of the millhouse," John notes.

Space for Living

The dining and living rooms occupy one open area designated by furniture arrangements. In the living room, Donese chose muted color tones that convey a calming atmosphere. The fireplace was constructed from special rocks that came from the site. An old farm implement was turned into a coffee table, while a quilt and fresh wildflowers provide pops of color. Donese chose sink-in seating-a wonderful comfy chair and sofa-and piled them with pillows and quilts. Books, magazines, crossword puzzles, cards, and games lie within easy reachthe television remote is decidedly not. The warm, cozy space promotes a welcome sense of family togetherness.

The connecting dining room features a wooden farm table. A bench provides seating on one side, and handcrafted upholstered wooden chairs fill in on the other. Stacked-up foldable chairs are also on hand for unexpected guests and are easily moved to the porch.

The artwork in both rooms is truly Texan-longhorns, steers, and horses in Old West settings deck the walls. A warm woven rug, in colors of red, cream, and woody browns, ties the two rooms together.

A Modern Classic

"I wanted the kitchen to look like my grandmother's in Missouri," Donese explains. Beaded-board details, tin countertops, and distressed cabinetry lend an aged feel, but the room is full of modern appliances that make cooking a breeze.

A farm table was retrofitted into an island workspace with a place for barstools. Open-backed, glass-front upper cabinets mounted to the windows let in light. Colorful plates and glasses displayed in the space reflect rainbow patterns as the sun hits them. "The cabinets over the windows really let in a lot of light, making the room seem more open," Donese says. "I think this detail created a fim effect and works well in the casual setting," John agrees.

Donese took the idea of the punched-tin panels on her grandmother's pie safe and translated them to create her own pantry door. She suggests purchasing tin sheets from home-improvement or crafts stores and using a nail or ice pick to hammer out your own design.

Sit a Spell

"In our home, outdoor spaces are definitely as important as indoor ones," Donese says. "The millhouse already had a great low-scale front porch," John says. "We simply added a similar one that spans the rear of the house."

Both front and back porches provide comfortable places to sit and relax. The front is perfect for watching the kids play or engaging in a friendly game of checkers. The back is a more serene space great for reading or taking a nap in the hammock.