Corpus Christi has plenty to offer those seeking leisure or excitement—however, there is nothing quite like the serenity the countryside can provide. Liza and Dr. Michael Winnie, the proud owners of TW Ranch, can attest to the beauty of nature and the joy it brings.
“We’ve always wanted land out in the country,” Liza said. “This one presented itself and the timing was right.” Surrounded by a panorama of woodland and fields, the all-American ranch house in Orange Grove, Texas, was originally an ordinary residence built in the early 2000s. The bones of the house were solid and showed potential, but it lacked the space and bucolic essence the Winnies desired.
In 2023, they signed the deed to their dream, and Caleb Briden with MCB General Contractors set to work making the three-bed, two-bath house a Southwestern-influenced modern beauty. The structure was gutted and stripped to the studs, giving Liza—a designer by trade—a blank canvas to create a masterpiece.
Liza’s primary design goal in their open-concept home was to instill modern improvement with a rustic motif. “I wanted to keep a very natural feel, but I was going for modern with a touch of rustic while keeping it refined,” she said.
Dramatic black accents are used as a neutral, which grounds the palette of camel, creams and sage throughout. Large windows reinforce the home’s connection to the outdoors and supply abundant natural light, illuminating every interior detail. The vaulted and wooden beamed ceiling and large iron chandelier emphasize the verticality of the newly captured space while organic textures, like the driftwood collage, flatweave rug and the family’s framed collection of centuries-old arrowheads, connect to the primitive influence of the land’s history. A balance of clean-lined and low-slung contemporary furnishings in earth-toned textiles enhance its farmhouse charm.
In the primary bedroom, a deep cerulean paneled statement wall and the colorful hues of the custom abstract canvas, equestrian artwork and glass windchime wall hanging generate a clever palette of rustic sophistication. Echoing the panel’s texture, the woven leather headboard is the foundation for crisp neutral bed linens which bring out the subtle tones of gold and tan in the surrounding decor.
In the guest bedrooms, an emphasis on the ranch aesthetic shines in the details of Liza’s design. Black shiplap creates a custom built-in headboard for the queen bed, while cowboy hats, raw wood and leather finishes reinforce the western roots of the home. The longhorn painting, by local artist Rebecca Bradford, was specifically chosen for its unmatched authenticity and unique cold wax and oil paint technique to create a tactile leather-like finish. Each bedroom embodies individual ranch flair with varying finishes and furnishings.
The kitchen is the Winnies’ favorite part of the home. “I just love gathering with our family, it’s the perfect place,” the couple said. An extended island centered in the large space seats up to eight guests, providing plenty of counter space for holidays and gatherings. Initially, the kitchen was small and the natural light was scarce: “There was just a tiny window here before, so we added more windows and it really opened up the room,” Michael recalled.
The farmhouse style stands out with white shiplap walls, open wood shelving and clean lines punctuated by the black frame windows and schoolhouse-style pendants. Raw wooden textures and antique wildlife paintings, inherited from Dr. Winnie’s great-grandmother, mix seamlessly with the bronze library wall lights and modern appliances to produce the perfect blend of designs.
Most notable to the modified structure is the iconic wraparound porch, virtually doubling their living space. “The porch wasn’t here, so we extended the roofline to add it,” said Michael of the space prior to renovations.
A mixture of timeless furniture, including a porch swing and a large wooden dining table, affords the Winnies a view of the shaded pasture and a life-size chess board, ready for the family to enjoy. Spanish moss-draped trees line a dry creek that bisects the property, offering a serene escape to observe the many species of birds and wildlife that visit.
Offering a wonderfully rural escape from the busy city life, the Winnies’ ranch retreat provides the family a home away from home that looks and feels just as beautiful as the nature surrounding it.
