The Mill Springs Ranch is another brainchild of Lake|Flato’s architects. Located in Vanderbilt, Texas, this homestead sports two creeks that run together and a dam built in the 20th century. Looking at photographs of the site, I was particularly impressed with how the building as a whole looked like it belonged with the waters running right by it.

The ranch features Lake|Flato’s signature expansive windows and open areas, granting its residence a lovely view of the Texas Hill Country. I’ve been to that region a few times myself, so I would love to be able to wake up to scenery like that. I do hope that bedroom has some way to blind the windows, though. Some privacy would be nice!

This courtyard is super nice. Look at how all those green plants just make themselves at home in between the stones. This is a great example of a building that doesn’t feel like a building as much as an extension of nature.

And finally, we have my favorite photo of them all. I’m a huge fan of running water myself – I like how it sounds, and it helps me feel at peace when I want to relax. This porch overlooking one of the creeks (and probably the dam, though it’s hard to make out where the water drops) is integrated terrifically with the landscape. It’s a serene mixture of the natural and the man-made.

Photo credits: Casey Dunn & Bill Timmerman