Life on a Fredericksburg Farm

A young family and their minimalist-meets-rustic dream home in the Hill Country.

Date

Jun 30, 2017

Notes

A rustic reclaimed pine beam is the apex of the stucco fireplace in the central living area. Lara chose a blue-green shade for an accent wall to bring color into the large, white space (and to help camouflage the television).

On most summer nights, the Bobo children can be found outside, roaming around the two-acre farm, outside of Fredericksburg, that they call home. Brothers Wyatt, who is four, and Hank, who’s all of one, are usually feeding their goats or digging in the garden while their parents, Lara, a graphic designer, and Tim, a home builder and craftsman, put dinner together and catch up on the day over a glass of wine. The meal typically includes produce straight from the garden—cucumbers, squash, and peppers, to name but a few of the many vegetables they cultivate on their land.

Both Tim and Lara grew up in Fredericksburg and met as kids, but they didn’t reconnect until college—Tim was at Texas A&M while Lara attended Baylor—and they started chatting online and on the phone. They kept up their correspondence for a year, never meeting in person, until one night, they decided to meet halfway between their respective schools (in Bremond, of all places). An engagement followed six months later, and, as two creatives passionate about design, it wasn’t long before the couple was planning what sort of house they wanted to build together. They married in 2007 and the following year, began construction. Twelve months later—with the two of them doing much of the work on their own along with help from friends and family—the modern farmhouse was complete.

A rustic reclaimed pine beam is the apex of the stucco fireplace in the central living area. Lara chose a blue-green shade for an accent wall to bring color into the large, white space (and to help camouflage the television).

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The couple went with metal siding because it's so low maintenance, but there were other pluses. "A cool thing about an all-metal structure is the extra deep window sills you get," says Lara.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The Bobo family poses together with one of their five goats. "Aside from the things you typically think of with small-town living—like everyone knowing your name, which they do, and no traffic—we love that there are lots of great schools and businesses that you might not expect to find in a smaller town," Lara says. "It's a beautiful town with lots of great culture."

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Tim, a skilled welder and woodworker, spent a week making the steel staircase. Lara found the dining room table through Fredericksburg's Fitch Estate Sales, a special auction wherein customers write down what they are willing to pay for a given item and place their bids in a box; the highest bidder wins.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Left: Lara keeps an organized office nook against one wall of the living room. Right: The brothers like to play in a custom-made sandbox on the back porch of the house.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Hanging above Lara's desk is a constantly changing board of images that inspire her graphic design work for local restaurants and guest houses. It's full of odd and ends she picks up while traveling, magazine clippings, and thank-you notes from friends.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Left: The one bathroom in the house, which the entire family shares, has a clawfoot tub along with a shower. The couple’s current project is a master bedroom and bath addition. Right: Lara found these mid-century nightstands on Craigslist in Austin for a steal.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The colorful tapestry that hangs in the master bedroom was purchased from the now defunct Frederickburg home goods store Root.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Left: Tim built the pine shelves in the kitchen and installed the concrete countertops. The shade of turquoise painted on the drawers was something Lara found in an old Domino magazine, a source for many of her color choices. Right: Tim, who loves to experiment in the kitchen, baked these peach oat bars, made with fruit from their small peach orchard in the backyard.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The back porch has a great view of the acreage as does much of the house given all the windows. Incorporating wood window frames was a priority for Lara, which she hoped would soften the look of the mostly metal structure.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The backyard pergola, covered in ivy, has become a prime spot for family gatherings with the fire pit and black Acapulco chairs.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Left: The baby of the family, Hank, searches for a good read in the Bobos’ organized bookshelves. Lara has found the concrete floors to be particularly great for young children. Right: This piece, in one corner of the master bedroom, was built by Tim.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Older brother Wyatt picks tomatoes that will be used for Tim's fresh salsa recipe. Lara's current favorite summer dessert to prepare is a blackberry galette.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Tim, a former police officer turned home builder, spends much of his free time in his workshop, making furniture or working on welding projects.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Lara is a third-generation designer; her father is Texas jewelry designer Jeep Collins. One of the couple's creative collaborations are these steel gates, which Lara designs and has cut from one-eighth-inch steel and that is finished off with custom-welded hinges.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

During the evening, Tim pulls weeds to feed to the goats and the boys get muddy before bath and bedtime. "It's a simple life, and we absolutely love everything about living here," says Lara.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The couple went with metal siding because it's so low maintenance, but there were other pluses. "A cool thing about an all-metal structure is the extra deep window sills you get," says Lara.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Left: Lara keeps an organized office nook against one wall of the living room. Right: The brothers like to play in a custom-made sandbox on the back porch of the house.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The colorful tapestry that hangs in the master bedroom was purchased from the now defunct Frederickburg home goods store Root.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The backyard pergola, covered in ivy, has become a prime spot for family gatherings with the fire pit and black Acapulco chairs.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Older brother Wyatt picks tomatoes that will be used for Tim's fresh salsa recipe. Lara's current favorite summer dessert to prepare is a blackberry galette.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Tim, a former police officer turned home builder, spends much of his free time in his workshop, making furniture or working on welding projects.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

During the evening, Tim pulls weeds to feed to the goats and the boys get muddy before bath and bedtime. "It's a simple life, and we absolutely love everything about living here," says Lara.

Photograph by Wynn Myers