The tall chimney and soaring bunkhouse tower aim for the sky while the front porch reaches wide, with big cedar pillars and a stone floor giving HGTV Dream Home 2005 a built-to-last appeal.

"We knew we had to do something to put a face on the front of this house," landscape architect Alan King says. "So we produced this large welcoming court where you can receive your guests as well as see them off in a comfortable space."

"The important thing about the entry porch is the idea of a long shallow step — a lazy approach to the front porch. That's laid back, Texas attitude," architect Antonio Flamenco says. He notes the three sets of 10-foot-tall French doors in particular, allowing access to the great room from any area of the front porch.

A meandering walkway brings you to the front steps or wraps you around to the two-car garage and ground-level terrace in the back.