Catrina's Interiors

And what a home it is. Incorporating influences from Spanish-style haciendas and classic ranches of Texas and the Southwest, the 17,000-square-foot stunner features rough-beam ceilings, dark wood and heavy iron accents, and dramatic touches throughout — arches, stained-glass windows, richly detailed boveda ceilings, and statement pieces such as the stand-alone copper vanities in the bathrooms and the colossal 7-foot antler chandelier over the pool table. Built around a large center courtyard, the home’s outdoor living features are as comfortable as those indoors. As artistic as it is inviting is the infinity-edged “spool” — “bigger than a spa, smaller than a pool,” Betty says. Regularly spaced nichos display crosses, pathways meander, and a prominent tower facilitates stargazing.

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The outdoor gardens are xeriscaped to be water-friendly — one of many “green” features of the property, which also include reclaimed wood and rafters, walls plastered with earthen clay, hand-made clay tiles, geothermal heating and cooling, and double-paned windows and doors. No detail was overlooked during the three-year construction and design process, says Betty, who worked with architect Dale Dibello of New Braunfels, project manager Judy Ramsey of Utopia, designer Catrina Kendrick of Boerne, and countless other subcontractors and suppliers throughout the Hill Country and beyond. “All of the many details that made the project successful took major detailed lists and follow-through,” Betty says. “Just finding the hardware for the doors and windows with a rustic authentic design took major research.” In the thick of things with the Martins was Ramsey, with whom Betty became close friends during the building process.

 

Having moved to Utopia at the age of 7, Ramsey is a near-native of the area who says that her rearing taught her “to treat people with respect and honesty” and to give 100 percent in all that she does. These character traits served her well during the Martin project. “When you take on a project of this magnitude out in the rural area of Utopia, you know without a doubt there are going to be some big challenges,” she says. “I realized after a few weeks with Mrs. Martin that this was not going to be your run-of-the-mill house. I knew there was going to be a ton of research because of all of the intricate details and specialty items the Martins wanted.”

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The first step was to address drainage and lay out the house accordingly. But despite the magnitude of the project and possibility of things going wrong, she insists that “God truly blessed” the entire process and says she is in awe of the dedication of the contractors, subcontractors and vendors, whom she calls “the cream of the crop.” Like Betty, Ramsey found the home’s remote location to be the biggest challenge. From the transport of supplies to the overseeing of workers, the intricacies of constructing the mammoth showstopper required extensive forethought and planning. And that’s before the interior design process even began.

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It was in every way, Ramsey says, a once-in-a-lifetime professional and personal experience. “My favorite part of this project was the glow on John and Betty’s faces upon the completion of the hacienda,” she says. “They became not only satisfied clients, but friends for life. It was very challenging but so rewarding.” Helping her and the Martins embrace the home’s challenges was Kendrick, who has been in the design business for more than 40 years. Despite her long career, Kendrick admits to being speechless when she first viewed the ranch’s blueprints and renderings. “The central courtyard had a bell tower over the front entrance gate — a real one,” she says. “The main house had an observation tower that overlooked the dammed-up river and a picturesque view of heaven on earth. There was a magnificent outdoor kitchen off of an enormous porch. This home was to have all the bells and whistles, with unimaginable details, while sparing no expense.”

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All three women embraced the challenges of creating the Kemosabe Ranch abode, including designing and building 58 chandeliers and sconces, dozens of custom doors and cabinets, two fully tricked-out kitchens — one inside, one out — and myriad accessories such as candle holders. Regardless of a proposed element’s complexity, like the hammered copper panels in the cabinet doors, Kendrick’s response was the same: “No problem.” Betty Martin is as apt to talk reverently about all of the craftsmen, contractors and suppliers who worked on her home’s features, from the 10-foot Mexican limestone fountain in the courtyard to the outdoor fossil art wall, as she is to want to bask in the grandeur of the finished project. That’s not surprising, given its scope to rival that of the Taj Mahal. But having been so intimately involved in the process has given her an even greater sense of pride in ownership of her dazzling dwelling. “It’s hard for me to pick out the part of the project that I love the most,” she says.