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After building so many ranch houses for clients, Curtis already had a good idea of what furnishings are suitable for rustic environments, such as metal beds and traditional hardware and plumbing fixtures that keep it looking authentic. "It's marvelous — everything we have feels like it belongs in an old farmhouse," he says. Recently he redesigned the kitchen with colleague Daniel Ostendorf, including reconfiguring the east-facing windows and painting the walls muted yellow. "It feels good to come in here in the morning," he says. The family's country retreat is comfortable but has remained rustic all this time, with no insulation and no Internet; they didn't have a TV until three years ago, when Curtis deemed it a safety necessity to monitor severe weather. It's a mellow way of life that falls in step with the old house and leaves the big-city hustle far behind. "I walk through the door and feel the pressure drop," he says. W hen the kids were younger, the family spent weekends at the farm "doing all the things you can't do in town," like fishing in the lake, hiking the creek, shooting skeet, and swimming in the stock tank. At night, under a magnificent canopy of stars, they built campfires Curtis' palette, brushes, and paints. Curtis at work on a painting, referencing a photo he took inside Balthazar in NYC. Curtis designed the pool to resemble a stock tank typically found in South Texas. A bunkhouse is next to it, with barn in background. 39