Dakota Mountain Residence living area

This Clever, Affordable Homestead for a Retired Texas Couple Is Two Houses in One

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"My mom really wanted a fireplace, even though they don’t make sense in Texas and generally are an energy drain—and she wanted it to somehow serve the living, kitchen, and dining spaces," says architect Ryan Bollom. "So, we wound up using a clean-burning fireplace insert designed to fit in the transition that distinguishes each of the spaces without making them feel like different rooms."