A Musical Family’s Festive Home in the Hill Country

The four siblings of folk band Willow City and their parents hit all the right notes with their picturesque hilltop home near Fredericksburg.

Lauren Smith Ford

Date

Dec 20, 2018

Notes

The all-sibling band Willow City, which is named for the little town (population 162) near their home, hopes their music will “inspire happy.” Beecher (25), Ezra (22), Liza (19), and Asa (15) Proch grew up doing choir together and playing piano and came together as a band in 2017.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

On a hilltop overlooking the rolling landscape of the Texas Hill Country, the four siblings who are members of the folk band Willow City are gathered in the living room with their instruments, singing and laughing over coffees and a crackling fire (it’s as picturesque as it sounds). The family moved to “The Hill,” as they call it, in 2008, after selling their beloved Tudor house “in town” (how the locals refer to downtown Fredericksburg). Janet Proch and her husband, Tom, first moved to the area in 1986 to open a store on Main Street (Janet’s sister is the legendary Texas antique dealer Carol Hicks Bolton). Tom, a craftsman, knew the day he saw “The Hill” that he could transform the 1990s ranch-style home covered in Italian accents into a space that was more of their cozy Old World style.

The family of six shares the four-bedroom and one-bath house that’s full of creative touches, like vintage instruments hanging in the entryway and Western-inspired chuck wagon beds. Although Willow City travels the country on tours, the siblings always look forward to coming home to Fredericksburg. Janet says: “We love the community that a small town fosters and being able to cheer on other creatives in our little town. The most meaningful conversations can be had with a stranger you run into walking down Main Street or a friend you’ve known for decades in the grocery store aisle.”

Take a tour of their music-filled home (and don’t miss the Hansel and Gretel-style chicken coop!).

Going “junking” is a shared family pastime, and this collection of vintage instruments that greets guests in the entryway features a mix of finds from over the years, like a bugle from Mississippi, a banjo from Louisiana, and the cherished violin that belonged to Janet's dad. "Our favorite piece is a stand-up bass that Tom and I purchased 30 years ago in Winnie, Texas. We were walking through an antique store when we spotted it and were disappointed to hear that it was already sold,” Janet remembers. “When the manager called the buyer, the buyer said he'd take $50 for it. We didn't hesitate and danced out of the store with our new find that has been with us since our first home.”

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The fireplace mantel was once a rough cedar board. Tom replaced it with a carved panel and added detail with handmade scrollwork, which transformed the living room. “Simple things like that can make a house your own,” Janet says.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Tom added a Tudor-style chicken coop to the property as an ode to the design they love. Ezra, a member of Willow City, is pictured holding one the family chickens.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

"Most people add a bedroom onto a house, but the first week we moved in we turned a spare bedroom into the library!” Janet says. "All of us are avid readers and book collectors, and it's been fun to see the collection grow."

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Liza, the only female sibling, transformed her neutral room with this vibrant mural in September. She says: “I wanted to create a space that fosters creativity and inspiration every day.”

Photograph by Wynn Myers

A corner of Liza's room is devoted to her painting. The family uses clever storage solutions like these metal boxes throughout the house.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Subtle touches like this simple wreath and garland bring holiday cheer.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

You can often find the family gathered around this vintage piano.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Even in the summer, there is always breeze at the “The Hill.” The family enjoys gathering produce from their garden, and there is usually a competitive game of spike ball going on, while someone is usually picking a guitar.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Beecher, the eldest of the siblings, has a room that's a quiet, light-filled space in the corner of the house.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

One of the family’s favorite holiday traditions is gathering with their extended family on Christmas Eve for pierogies, traditional Polish dumplings. The band has also been known to carol around town and surprise friends with a porch-side sing-a-long.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The Christmas tree is adorned with family ornaments that have been made and collected over the years.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

The kitchen overlooks the family's extensive garden.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Stockings—and car keys—hang from a rack in the corner of the living room near the piano.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

All six family members share the one bathroom in the house—peacefully, they say.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Tom added a Tudor-style chicken coop to the property as an ode to the design they love. Ezra, a member of Willow City, is pictured holding one the family chickens.

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Photograph by Wynn Myers

Liza, the only female sibling, transformed her neutral room with this vibrant mural in September. She says: “I wanted to create a space that fosters creativity and inspiration every day.”

Photograph by Wynn Myers