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Kelli’s horses, many of whom are blind, locate drinking water with the help of a custom concrete aerating fountain. It’s quickly become a favorite feature of the animals: “They all congregate around it in the summer, and it's almost like they're having a meeting,” says Ford.

The property, including the barn, accommodates the horses’ impairments with wider-than-usual doorways and therapeutic mattresses in the stalls.

The climate-controlled feed room doubles as a place to relax with a cup of coffee or host guests for a glass of wine. The stone sink began as a planter that Ford imported from Italy and customized to function within the space.

The two chairs in the feed room are family heirlooms that first belonged to Kelli’s grandfather. He had them in what he called his rest space, which referred to the small cabin on their family’s farm in Burleson County, Texas.

The bathroom is finished with a marble shower that complements the marble countertops in the kitchen.

Proximity to her animals is not just a logistical requirement for Kelli—it’s also one of the joys of her new home. “One of my favorite horses is in that stall right below my bed,” says Kelli. “I can see him coming in the early morning hours to have a bite to eat or whatever, which is really sweet.”

Natural light and landscape views come most notably through the floor-to-ceiling windows in Kelli’s bedroom. However, the open layout means that they flood the entire space with light and landscape views.

Kelli spent $6,500 on antique cypress doors inside the loft.

The dining table was designed and built by Ford using antique pine. The sculptural oak chairs are from the 1970s. They were sourced from the Netherlands with the help of local designer Hailey Kolbe.

For the countertops, Ford sourced distinctive Calacatta Viola marble from Italy.

Inside the loft, the antique hardwood floors add a layer of character thanks to their uneven planks and varied tones.

In additional to her residential work, Ford has developed a speciality for designing boutique barns, which made her an ideal guide for Kelli. “I grew up with dirt floor barns, which are special in their own way,” says Kelli. “I didn’t know this was possible.”

Kelli sits on the plywood staircase that connects the stables to the loft. A landing halfway up provides a floor-to-ceiling view.

Kelli spent $73,890 on the exterior siding. Ford sourced a particularly durable Japanese cypress to complement the corrugated metal roof.

Kelli de la Torre enlisted her neighbor, designer Tina Ford to create a 2,946-square-foot barn with an unexpected addition: an 876-square-foot loft that her family now calls home.

The sitting room has a large bay window behind a yellow daybed that doubles as a sofa to save space. The bay window was upgraded with new glass during the renovation, but otherwise the existing home was retained as it was following an earlier renovation in 2016.

Access into the garden is through the side of the kitchen and not the rear. This means the rear is protected for wildlife and the family do not have to go through the garden to access the BBQ and hard landscaping.

The green roof is a 20cm-thick wildlife sedum blanket carpeted in yellow flowers that attract bees. “Green roofs play an important role as pollinating surfaces,” explains architect Helena Rivera.