HGTV Dream Home 2005

Standing Tall

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.

Texas Charm

"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."

Guest Friendly

"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.

Farmhouse Appeal

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.

Open and Inviting

Open to the great room, the bucolic kitchen is defined by not only the creamy limestone and shiny stainless steel appliances, but by designer Linda Woodrum's choices as well. "Because of the rusticness of that stone, it seemed like it would be fun to have cabinets that are open — very simple and plain, and it's a very highly-functional kitchen," she says.

Restaurant-Style Amenities

There is two of everything — dishwashers, refrigerators (one large refrigerator and one large freezer) and sinks, along with a professional gas range surrounded by dramatic Texas limestone.

Gorgeous Accessories

On top of the dual dishwashers, sinks and refrigerators, the center granite-topped island is a wide workspace that will allow family and friends to pitch in and either prepare or clean up alongside each other. The big freezerless refrigerator in the kitchen holds plenty of room for perishables, while the freezer in the pantry serves as the perfect companion.

Walk-In Pantry

The walk-in pantry is a great little addition with plenty of extra cabinets, shelves, drawers and counter space. Along with the freezer, there is a refrigerated wine cooler ultimate convenience and style. By providing crucial storage adjacent to the kitchen, the new owners will be free from clutter.

Three Web Stations

Featuring three web stations, everyone in the family can have access to the internet, which means a lot of harmonious surfing. This room was designed as a library but also with the intent of serving as central command for the various computer systems that make HGTV Dream Home 2005 the smartest dream home built to date.

Plenty of Bookshelves

"We've taken a traditional study and turned it into so much more," house planner Jack Thomasson says. "By adding all of the elements in today's technology ... this room can be used for kids doing homework, adults doing research." By wiring this study for an Internet experience everyone can share in, plus filling the room with handsome bookshelves, the builder went above and beyond to create a space that can be fully utilized.

Warm Furniture

Stunning in size and scope with a 30-foot-tall limestone fireplace, massive cedar trusses and towering beams, the great room deftly retains a warm, relaxed feel with numerous wood elements and comfortable, inviting furniture.

Limestone Fireplace

Faced with the challenge of an immense 30' x 30' wood-and-stone great room, designer Linda Woodrum rose to the occasion. Although it's easy to embrace the grandeur of the room and its 2600-pound support trusses, she felt that it was important for people to feel at ease and relaxed, and that starts with the furniture.

Grouped Furniture

"We used standard sofa sizes and kept the leather fabrics the same," Linda says. "They are well-grouped on a geometrically-patterned rug, and the colors in the rug pick up the copper and burnt sienna of the stone." As a fitting complement to the rug and fireplace, Linda deftly chose a large wood coffee table made from an old Mexican door.

Redwood Finished Floors

The sense of age and history persists with the massive French clock face — a one-of-a-kind local find that is 150 years old — and the oversized, rustic lanterns. The plank wood walls have an aged patina, and the oak plank flooring is rich and timeless. "These floors are six-inch tongue-and-groove, and, more importantly, hand-scraped with a beautiful redwood finish which is just what the great room needed," project manager Jack Thomasson says.

Casual Dining

The dining area, essentially an extention of the great room, has a handmade, old lumber dining table that is a remarkable 10 feet long and 52 inches wide. This table comes with a distinctive touch of Linda — comfy wingback chairs at either end. All told, the living/dining space is perfect for formal entertaining, but with an easy, put-your-feet-up sensibility guests will embrace.

Red, White and Blue Bunkhouse

"When you think of Texas it's all checks and plaids, and those basic fabrics that are the network of America," designer Linda Woodrum says. "Iron-frame beds and board-and batten wainscoting harken to a Texas from an earlier era. The black and camel colors are very charming and graphic, and we've topped them off with a little red-and-white checked star."

Deep Sleeper

The basic fabrics are also plush and super-soft, and, combined with the patter of rain on the metal roof, the bunkhouse might offer the most restful sleep of any of the four bedrooms.

Unique Enclosure

Soaring high above the rest of the house, the bunkhouse bedroom is more like the hayloft of a barn. "One of the lovliest surprises we have up there are two punch-out windows that enable us to look down on the great room," Linda says. The scissor trusses are so synonymous with the great room and are featured here along with a corrugated metal roof.

Rustic Space

A guest bedroom wouldn't be complete without a private bathroom. The double doors lead to a bathroom that uses earth tones and outdoor-inspired accessories to continue the rustic theme of the bunkhouse.

Designed for Comfort

Located at the walk-in level of HGTV Dream Home 2005, the decorating theme of the entertainment room is rustic, comfortable and cozy. The soft, cushy chenille sofas and big-screen TV complemented by a THX-certified surround system make this home theater the envy of the neighborhood.

Relaxed and Accessible

Of any space in HGTV Dream Home 2005, designer Linda Woodrum set out for the entertainment room to be the most relaxed and accessible. "It's an area, again, that's so cozy and warm, and it's the batten board with the stain, the wonderful fabrics on the upholstery — so rich and soft," she says.

Nature-Inspired Tones

As part of the walk-in level, Linda chose to blur the line between indoors and out with woodsy, earthy tones. "The media room has this wonderful rich kind of olive green on the chenille sofas," she says. "I borrowed that green and lightened it up and put it in the guest suite (adjacent), adding a nice contrast to the rest of the house. It's still woodsy and natural, but not so much about the wood. It's more about ... green and leaves and trees."

Hidden Snack Room

Not only can a crowd sit comfortably and enjoy a movie with the jaw-dropping surround system, but there is even a snack room tucked behind the sectional sofa with its own microwave, mini-fridge and plenty of shelves for your favorite snacks.

Limestone Archway

Guests will feel right at home in the guest bedroom suite, a comfy hideaway with convenient access to the swimming pool and entertainment room. The suite is divided into sleeping and sitting areas to give visitors plenty of space to relax while on vacation.

Easily Separated

Simple curtains separate the sleeping area from the conversational sitting area. The comfy hideaway gives the suite a certain coziness that puts visitors right at home.

Soft Tones

Green walls and white furnishings create a soft color palette that delivers a calm and relaxing feel. Fresh flower arrangements bring the outdoors in and provide an unexpected splash of color.

Casual Elegance

Open to the entertainment room and nestled in one side of the walk-in level, the sleeping and sitting areas are defined by a limestone arch with a rustic, cedar-lintel beam.

Private Bathroom

The bathroom is an excellent place to clean up after a long trip, and it doesn't hurt to have a 27-inch plasma screen television to take in your favorite HGTV shows.

Cottage-Style Master Bedroom

Separated from the main house by a breezeway, this space is literally a small cottage with a luxurious master bathroom and even a juice bar to keep you comfortably separated for days.

Earth Tones

Contrasting with the barn-red exterior are the earthy interior colors and soothing views of the water and woods, transforming this master bedroom suite into a serene getaway. "It's almost like a surprise walking in," designer Linda Woodrum says. "You move from the rich, barn red into this peaceful, tranquil room that's cozy and wonderful." Linda chose suede and plaid fabrics for the bed linens, conjuring up a sophisticated yet down-home feel for a warm, rich and appealing bed.

Reading Nook

Matching leather chairs hug a large window, creating a little nook of comfort and serenity with a great view of the lake. Linda matched a geometric rug pattern with the deep luster of the plank flooring, skillfully weaving together texture, patterns and a controlled color palette.

Organized Walk-In Closet

Through two saloon doors is a roomy walk-in closet perfectly organized for accessibility and loads of storage.

Convenient Space

Opposite the closet is a dressing area that, with some smart additions, evolved into a juice bar. A countertop desk serves as a work center with a high-speed Internet connection, coffee maker and a two-drawer refrigerator to hold tasty snacks and cold beverages.

Large, Inviting Bathroom

Rich hardwood floors lead you into a spacious and luxurious master bathroom. Earth tones combine with white shelving to create a welcoming, spa-like experience.

Unique Dual Mirrors

The two mirrors are unique additions, framed with wood bolted directly into the stone. This subtle decor contributes to a sense of history and age — a restrained but significant theme that designer Linda Woodrum interlaces through various rooms of HGTV Dream Home 2005.

Raised Bathtub

The first thing that greets you upon entering the master bath is the huge step-up tub with a large window and fantastic view. The window is shuttered, enabling you to opt for the view or for privacy. Surrounding the tub is one of Linda's favorite features — the stone wainscoting. "Here again we have more natural materials — rich, simple and yet very sophisticated," she says.

Glass-Enclosed Shower

The luxurious shower is a fine example of how a bathroom becomes an HGTV Dream Home bathroom. The gorgeous stone wainscoting is constant, puncutated by high-end shower heads and multiple water jets to soothe and relax every part of your body. The toilet has its own small room for additional privacy.

Extraordinary Views

Challenged by a topography of patios, terraces and retaining walls, landscape architect Alan King created a series of outdoor rooms, including the swimming pool terrace and dining area with its dramatic limestone arbor and fireplace.

Fresh Landscape

Taking a walk from the dock house to the main house means appreciating Alan's work on the terraced landscape, but also getting a chance to understand the sheer scope of the house and what it took to make HGTV Dream Home 2005 happen.

Top Quality

"I'm very proud to be a part of this Dream Home," says builder Bill Mahaffey. "It was a big challenge — it's a very large home, and we had to work pretty much 24 hours because we didn't want to risk quality in the construction."

Low-Maintenance Turf

While Bill was dealing with exacting details of the construction, Alan was below the main house creating the grassy terrace that came to be called the "Texas Riviera." The grass itself surpasses Dream Home standards. The specially formulated grass, perfected at the University of Texas, is as plush as carpet and needs little maintenance.

Double the Fun

In Texas, everything is bigger, right? But doubly big? It is when it comes to the dock house, which has two stories, two decks, two boat slips and incalculable value.

Full-Service Kitchen

The dock house from HGTV Dream Home 2005 has a full-service kitchen with a Sub-Zero fridge, dishwasher, professional stove, oven and deep-basin sink. The kitchen contains a gorgeous stainless-steel-topped table that has casters enabling it to be wheeled through the garage door opening and out to guests on the expansive deck for a festive sunset supper.

Summer-Inspired Living Room

The living room area faces the lake and gives the feeling of floating on the open water, and designer Linda Woodrum sought to capitalize on that remarkable feeling. "We used a beautiful watery blue color on the ceiling, and that's reflected in the rug on the floor, and then we intensified that color a little bit for the cabinetry," she says.

Ultimate Relaxation

The living room is perfectly situated so one can stay cozy and enjoy the beautiful lake views. A small reading nook provides the most relaxing spot in the room.

Clear Lake Views

Rather than French doors surrounding the kitchen and living areas, architect Antonio Flamenco insisted on something distinctly different — glass-paned garage doors. Throwing open the doors creates a dramatic rush when the lake breezes flow in.

Dock House Deck

"We thought of the dock house as a little floating resort out there," Antonio says. "The expansive deck is a great area for entertaining, and you feel like the deck and the water are actually part of the living space."

Calm Serenity

Calm serenity awaits you or your guests on the second floor of the dock house in the bedroom suite.

Romantic Getaway

The elevation over the lake is almost like floating on air, and the combination of a billowy bed with mosquito netting and wood-plank walls provides occupants with a rustic, romantic getaway. The gentle colors, horizontal wood paneling and the bed are all eye-catching additions to the space.

Conversational Sitting Area

This room brings in an amazing amount of light with two sets of French doors, three windows by the sitting area and the wood-plank vaulted ceiling washed in watery blue.

Lake Views

"There are such wonderful views up here," designer Linda Woodrum says. "And when you're upstairs and it's morning and you want to just sit quietly and enjoy yourself, what better spot?"

Paradise

The best feature of this bedroom has to be the view. As much joy as each day brings, however, it's the sunsets from this serene perch that are truly unforgettable.

A Little Bit of Everything

Gorgeous Texas limestone columns punctuate a broad space that includes a large teak dining table, top-of-the-line gas grill and swimming pool.

Warm Additions

Providing a center of gravity to any size gathering is the stately limestone fireplace, which creates a wonderful focal point while adding a soft glow.

Cool Off Spot

Landscape architect Alan King was especially excited about the prospects of designing with a pool. "What a fantastic element in a house that has ... a fitness feel. Here on the lake (with) boating, fishing and the outdoor environment, we wanted an area where people could come up and cool off and also use this as an entertainment feature."

Swim for Your Health

"It's basically like a swimming treadmill," Alan says about the pool. "You can swim against that current and never get to the end." Combined with the dual treadmills and workbenches in the exercise room, HGTV Dream Home 2005 is suited for active, healthy lifestyles like no other Dream Home before it.

Entertain on a Whim

The "Dream Team" engaged in a spirited discussion on whether the columns would impede the gorgeous views of Lake Tyler. "We felt very confident that we needed to create a perceived wall here, which gives the entire cooking and dining area a more intimate feeling," Alan says.

Intimate Dining

There is so much more to this area — the large cooking space with a state-of-the-art grill, the outdoor fireplace, the large teak dining table and the drapes of the breezeway, which can either shut out the light for the entertainment room or serve as a changing room for poolgoers.

HGTV Dream Home 2008-1997