Rustic and Refined Meet at a Sophisticated Texas Ranch

When it comes to interior design, Molly Kidd takes a very “hands-on” approach. In fact, the co-founder and principal designer of Oregon-based firm Light + Dwell spent countless hours getting down and dirty with masons, plasterers, and finish carpenters to perfect the exquisite imperfections that lend her clients’ newly constructed Texas ranch its lived-in-yet-luxe vibe.

“There is a place for sleek and shiny in design, but it’s not here,” says Kidd, who partnered with with Austin-based builder Cedar & Oak on the project. “Our goal was to create earthy interiors that feel elevated but also express comfort and warmth.” To accomplish that, they focused on rich, rugged, natural materials. “We must have mixed, mottled, stained, and scrubbed more than a dozen sample finishes that we tested and tweaked on site. With a little luck and a lot of trial and error we got it just right!”

For a been-there-forever feel, the team sited the one-story structure around a manmade lake that sits at the heart of the 200-acre property dotted with pastures and peach groves. Sprawling steel-clad windows and French doors in every room afford optimal views of the idyllic landscape and blur the line between outdoors and indoors. Between the glass expanses, sustainably sourced Texas white stone walls are triple-mortared to smooth the transition to Venetian-plaster wrapped ones.

White oak millwork is exposed to allow every grain, groove, and wormhole to have its moment of glory. Kidd, who chose the species for its neutral, “not too yellow, not too red” undertones, used it in various forms throughout the project to foster a sense of cohesion. On the floors, wide-plank boards were lightly coated with a sheer, milky stain whereas tongue and groove paneled cabinets were left unfinished. On the ceilings, hardy beams salvaged from a 19th-century barn in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country wear only their centuries-old patina. According to the designer, the mismatched finishes instantly age the home and create the illusion that it has evolved over time.

Furniture and decor with simple silhouettes and a subtle palette allow the interior architecture and exterior views to shine. Upholstered sofas and chairs wear organic, feel-good fabrics like linen, flax, lambskin, and shearling in shades of white, tan, and taupe. Underneath, their frames feature clean lines and gentle curves that cradle the body without all the padding and fluff. A 19th-century American pine chest, vintage Louis XIII-style oak end table, Brutalist-era wood coffee table, and contemporary dining table made from reclaimed pine are just a handful of the furnishings that strengthen rooms with their character and substance.

“Despite their differences, there is a common denominator among these pieces: durability,” says Kidd. “You can put your drink down or kick up your feet on just about anything. This isn’t a museum—it’s a haven. Looks are important, but livability is crucial.”

Art and objects are kept to a minimum, but selected for maximum impact. Antique oil portraits, landscapes, and still lifes in fanciful frames elicit a sense of surprise in the low-key environment—which, Kidd notes, is precisely the point. Sourced at Round Top and on websites like Etsy and Chairish, the timeworn relics are chosen for their moody, faded hues and chippy gilding rather than for their finery. Handmade ceramic urns and hand-forged iron accessories in basic shapes and finishes juxtapose the paintings with their primitive appeal.

“In every room there is something old with a hint of ‘rustic Texas ranch’ or ‘Old World European eccentricity,’” Kidd says. “The unexpected mix is what makes the interiors feel inviting but, at the same time, sophisticated and fresh.”