I don't see much if any Texas Hill Country but I suppose that is one of those descriptions that could mean anything to different people.

I would be interested in seeing what the inspirations for this design where.

At least you got rid of the hips, but there is still too much French Country and English Country and not enough simple American country house. The whole point of TX Hill Country Design is simplicity and a beauty obtained from the simple materials. Keep on simplifying.

The varied size dormers don't work, and there are too many curves and arches. Also, anything above the "box" of the house should be some type of siding, not stone. Especially the dormers.How many kinds of stone are there anyway? More than one is too many. Do you have enough room on the lot for a side load garage? If so, then make that happen.

Live_wire_oak: The stone on the front of the house will be white limestone, the three other sides will be whitish brick to blend in. This will be done for cost saving measures. Our designer added the two dormers on the left side of the house to see if I wanted one or not and what type of window if we do. We might even do away with them all together.

I found this picture that shows the type of stone we are going to use on the front of the house. What if I had the designer change the design to something like this for the front porch?

How about this? Does this meet Texas Hill Country?

TX Hill Country homes are beautiful and were our inspiration! The stone is wonderful but of course very expensive. Unfortunately I think your solution of a stone front with everything else brick will really miss the mark. Our home will have 3' of stone around most of the house and board and baten hardi everywhere else. This is very, very common for this style of home. Our front porch is also very similar to the example picture you posted.

Can anyone tell me what type of wood the beams and post are in the picture I posted? Is it ceder? Would it be better to have no dormers on the left side of the house?
Also,there is no way Hardi anything will make its way on my house. That stuff looks horrible unless it's the main material on the house and it's a farm house. I guess everything is in the eye of the beholder, huh?

So I'll call it a day and just say my house is (TIKI'S JACKED UP MESS that she calls Texas Hill Country Style Home)LOL!

I'll check back in later. Hope everyone has a great day.

I think that Texas Hill Country is often defined as any house with native limestone and a metal roof. Most of these are actually contemporary designs.

The Hill Country was settled by Spanish and then Germans. They tend to be simpler shapes with lower pitched gabled roofs. The details tend to be square and rustic.That is the actual basis for "Hill Country" style.

Yes that is Cedar used on that front porch, while still contemporary, that is headed toward Hill Country.

Take the cedar frou frou off of the accessory gables. It's too much. It's fine for the central entry gable. Get rid of the arches on the garage doors and entry door. And if you have to economize, a plain brick would look better over the whole house than putting stone on the front and brick on the rest. Doing just the expensive material on the front is like making up your face for a date and leaving the house in your PJs and houseshoes. You want a polished together look of the same level everywhere. Even if that means a ponytail and sweats with just a bit of lipstick rather than a full on corporate suit and pumps with your hair in a chignon. Hill Country houses aren't formal affairs. They are simple, casual, and comfortable.

I can't understand what you have posted; it's just a mess of CAD materials with nothing to suggest the actual shape of the house. You need a better designer or at least one with better drawing skills. It might help to draw by hand until you are far enough into the design to develop contract documents. The drawings are terribly stiff and uninformative.

I like them all. But the first and the last one are better. Further it depends on your choice what you like the most in it. Actually you have to live there you must choose a elevation that attracts you most.

Here is a link that might be useful: Corporate Architects

This post was edited by Adam13 on Sat, Oct 5, 13 at 1:12

Adam13 Thank you for your nice post. You are right! It's my house and I am the only one that has to like it.

I wanted to thank everyone that tried to help put me in the right design direction. I really appreciate it!

Thanks again

After talking more with my husband, we have decide to scale down the house. Most of the house design has been up to me and he finally admitted that he wanted a simpler house design. This is what we came up with and are planning on giving to our designer. My question is do we have to many dormers on the roof? If we remove one which one would be best to remove?

We've also decided to take the brick all the way up on the garage and put stone on the dormers (or maybe we should put brick on the dormers)? We also added to the porch. I think that makes it look nice.

Hi tikilyn,

I've gotten quite a bit of help on exteriors from folks on this board, lots of good advice!

Just wanted to let you know I like the direction you are going with this latest design. Maybe you already have done this but if not it might help if you found some inspiration pictures to show your designer?

Here are a few images I found while trying to learn about "Texas Hill Country" style. If your house has no second story and the dormers are just to let in additional light, might you instead consider having a higher plate height with clerestory windows over a lower porch roof (like the last 3 pictures)? I also noticed that many of the house images that were coming up in my searches had detached garages -- would you be interested in something like that?

Good luck!

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Austin Home Builders Meier Custom Built Homes, LLC

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Other Metro Architects & Designers Burleson Design Group

[Contemporary Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2103) by Plano Architects & Designers John Lively & Associates

[Traditional Landscape[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-landscaping-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_728~s_2107) by Austin Architects & Designers Shiflet Group Architects

What about a gable on the left, just a bit smaller than the garage? Maybe a dormer over each side of the porch? I like the timbers on the porch and over the entry!

As for the inside...I think that's a Texas sized island...but the banquette looks a little small, in comparison. Do you plan to have any chairs at the table? Maybe make that a bit larger, to balance the island...and allow a few more people to sit together at the table. Just a few ideas :) {{gwi:1498812}}From Kitchen plans

Those first pictures look like the world's biggest roof . . . Oh, and there's a little house tucked underneath. The photographs are much more proportional, and i like them . These photographs are much more simple than your drawing -- I think you're overdoing your exterior.

Overall,I like the floorplan.

The kids' bathrooms look too small for comfort, especially the sinks. No space, even for a toothbrush and soap dish. I'd choose one comfortable bath between the rooms instead of two tiny ones.

I'd try to bump the half bath up against the kids' baths to consolidate plumbing. You could do this easily by opening the hallway on the other end. Also, this'd mean fewer steps to the family room.

I'd like more windows in the kitchen. The key here is moving the pantry. Right now it's not convenient to the garage entry, and it's cutting out your light and view to the backyard and outdoor kitchen. Move the pantry, and the kitchen will improve greatly. The kitchen is large, but the space doesn't seem to make it more functional. Rather, it looks like extra steps. I'd keep the basic shape, but cut it down a bit. I like the banquette.

Thanks Oak town for the advice. This is the newest inspiration picture I showed her. It's quite close to what I want with exception of a few changes! My husband has to have an attached garage and it has to be front facing!
Thanks for all the help!

lavender_lass, I never thought to put a gable on that side of the house. Thanks for the inspiration!

You made me giggle at the Texas size island! That island is going to be my prepping island. I love baking and need room to spread out. And of course I need the storage space under that island. It's my dream kitchen nice and big! My kitchen right now is an L shape and very tiny. I'll start cooking and here comes my husband right behind me cleaning and doing the dishes. I just want him out of my personal space while I'm cooking. Thats why the main sink is over on the other way. It keeps husband out of my way.LOL

The banquet will be big enough. I just used paint to draw one in for my designer. There will also be two chairs around the outside of the table too. Here's my work triangles. I'm ok with the walk from the pantry to the island, from the island to the fridge.

Thanks for the help!!!

Here's an inspiration photo for you. Notice that the dormers are not clad in stone.

And while budgeting, don't forget to include the stone inside for a real hill country feel. :)

Mrs. Pete Thank you for your kind words! The family room is really the kids space, hang out for when their friends come over. It'll house a pool table and tv for video games and entertaining.

The kids bathrooms finished should measure 5'10 x 5'2. They had a choice to either have bigger bedrooms with one shared bathroom or smaller bedrooms with their own private small bathroom. They choose the latter.

If I move the half bathroom and take down that way to the family room then I won't have enough wall in the living room for my built in entertainment center. Also the hallway is open at both ends from the living room.

Here is a pictures of the windows I want in the kitchen behind the banquet. See there is a glass door next to it.

My living room will have something like this.

Thanks again!!!

I think the kids will regret those small sinks -- especially if you have girls, once they become teens and want space for make-up, curling irons and so forth, and they realize they have no drawer space. I've lived with that no-space sink, and I don't want it again. But you gave them the choice.

I like the banquette. I'm planning one not too different, though mine will be long and straight instead of in an L-shape. Such a comfortable, inviting look. I'd still want the pantry to bump back for more widows though. My theory: If you CAN have more windows, you SHOULD have more windows.