Inside the Brenham ranch install: Heat, hustle and a high-design finish

This is the fourth installment about JDuce Design‘s work on a Brenham, Texas, ranch project, following her first, second and third installments.

By Jessica Duce, JDuce Design

It’s go-time in Brenham! Every designer knows the final push is everything, so we went back on-site to bring this incredible ranch to life. It’s time for the deliveries and installations that readied the property for the owner’s trial run Labor Day weekend. The trial run, a last-minute idea from the client, preceded our agreed-upon install date. But when a client wants to make a memory, you make it happen. Our team shifted into high gear for a whirlwind two-day install, and we absolutely nailed it.

We have to give credit to Star Furniture for making this install simple and efficient. Their new trade program for interior designers is a secret weapon: they receive, warehouse and deliver the furnishings. Even if you’re buying a brand they don’t carry, they will warehouse and manage the delivery for you. Seriously, who else does that?

The best part? Everything arrived at ONE TIME. I’m talking about multiple truckloads with white-glove delivery. While it might sound overwhelming to some, the team of installers from Star Furniture was on site all day, hanging art, placing rugs, arranging furniture, and it made the entire process so much easier. And our friends at ICON Bunks flew in from Montana to install the bunk room. With the work of all these teams together, we crossed the finish line just in time.

Cooling off in the Texas heat

The legendary Texas heat greeted us on the first day in all its 103-degree glory. Our team stayed at the property during install, one of the perks of STR design, and swam in the guitar-shaped pool at night to cool off. Because this is Texas, and because the owner wanted the bottom of the pool to be black, it has a chiller (with its own power source) as well as a heater. That pool feels good 365 days a year, at a perfect 82-degree water temperature. It almost makes you forget about the Texas heat. Almost.

The final install is always controlled chaos and this one was a full-blown production. Many craftspeople were still on the property during install, finishing elements like lighting, banquettes and built-in beds (with storage stairs), so we had to give everyone a little grace and space and work around, beside and almost on top of each other. But the best part was watching our custom wallpaper come to life as it went up on the walls.  We designed six unique, guitar-themed wallpapers for the house, and seeing them installed in the kitchen, speakeasy and four bathrooms was a thrill. Now the real fun is finding the secret guitar we snuck into every single design!

One of the most incredible things about this project is how the property completely transforms after dark. The owners went all out with a programmable lighting system that makes the whole property pulse with energy. Every building is outlined with lights that sync to music, and you can even change the color of the pool water. For the Labor Day trial it was glowing in red, white and blue. This will be a big selling point for people who want to hold an event at the ranch.

At JDuce Design, we have one simple, unbreakable rule for our rental properties: everyone gets a seat at the table. Literally. My biggest pet peeve is rentals designed to sleep 10 or 16, with dining tables that can only accommodate six people. Where is the hospitality in that? The ranch sleeps 26 at maximum capacity, so you better believe we made sure all 26 can eat together comfortable between the main dining area and the kitchen banquette.

Show stopper

Sometimes in design, you have to let the client experience the “why” for themselves. In the bunk bathroom we originally specified swinging, saloon-style glass doors, but for budget and maintenance reasons, we went with shower curtains instead. That lasted exactly one weekend. After the owner’s trial run, he called and gave us the green light for the original doors – now with frosted glass for privacy.  Very apropos.

Honestly, designing the bunk house bath was an unexpected blast and became one of my favorite rooms. The walls are plastered in black and white tile, with pink toilets on the women’s side and a black urinal on the men’s side. This is exactly what I love about STR design – you get to tackle unique challenges that stretch you creatively, and the bunkhouse definitely did that for all of us.

Three sheets to the … bed

Let’s talk about bedding. To make sure guests enjoy a comfortable sleep experience, we adopted a bedding trick borrowed from the hospitality industry – triple sheeting. It’s a popular concept in hotels because it simplifies the housekeeping process by using only one type of sheet. You know what this means? No fitted sheets!  It’s not like anyone will miss those difficult-to-fold, impossible-to-maneuver linens anyway.

It’s a simple but revolutionary idea. We ditch the fitted sheet and instead layer three flat sheets around a fluffy comforter. One sheet protects the mattress and the other two create a clean cocoon around the insert. This means the only thing that ever touches your body is guaranteed to be fresh, crisp and immaculate for your stay. No mystery comforters, blankets or bed scarfs – just a perfect, clean bed every single time.

After weeks of fun and challenging installation work, the ranch is ready to rent! But we still have work to do. More art will be delivered and hung this fall, and we’ll finally capture this incredible project in a professional photo shoot.

Houston-based interior designer Jessica Duce works in the short-term luxury rental market, creating memorable experiences in vacation rentals from coast to coast.