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and has advised them through the years on decorating the farmhouse, now furnished with vintage and new pieces, some purchased from the fields at Round Top. 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, 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, 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, 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 leaves the big-city hustle far behind. "I walk through the door and feel the pressure drop," he says. Clockwise from top: The pool is designed to resemble a stock tank typically found in South Texas. A bunkhouse is next to it, with barn in background. Bill Curtis at work on a painting, referencing a photo he took inside Balthazar in NYC. His palette, brushes, and paints. (Continued) 93