From Marfa to Montana, Garnett’s rural retreats seamlessly blend design-driven sophistication with rugged terrain and wide-open western views. In the few short years since he left the easy familiarity of urban downtowns and established his award-winning studio in rural Glen Rose, TX, Jeff Garnett has emerged as the architect- of-choice for design-driven ranch retreats for a select clientele throughout Texas and beyond. Garnett understands what his clients are looking for. It’s what he was looking for when he established that studio in Glen Rose. It’s what we’re all looking for when we head out of the cities to find places where we can breathe, where our eyes can rest on natural beauty and our minds can focus.
Jeff Garnett’s Background
Garnett’s architectural journey is deeply rooted in the Texas landscape. It began as a childhood fascination with the old barns and stone ruins glimpsed through the rear window during family road trips. That fascination evolved into a practice that includes urban properties and public installations — but finds its greatest scope in the wild places where those barns and ruins once stood. “I’ve always wanted to be an architect since I was a little kid. I would spend hours staring out the window, looking at the landscape. I love old barns, the utilitarian roadside structures you see, and the old ruins, which have sadly almost disappeared now. I’ve always been drawn to the modern aesthetic, but I never let go of the Texas side of things and the natural materials. Seeing an old stone barn structure in the middle of a field is still such an inspiration for me.” Prior to forming his own studio in 2016, Garnett worked on a wide range of residential and commercial projects with leading architecture firms in Austin, Texas. Since 2016, Garnett has served as the resident architect for the high-profile Residences at Rough Creek Lodge development, while also coordinating and designing the adjacent Rough Creek Ranch Estates and Ranchette communities nearby.
Design Philosophy
Though Garnett resists putting a label on his design philosophy, we’re calling it “Texas Modern” or “Modern Ranch.” It’s a style that embraces a minimalist ethos, while prioritizing the integration of the surrounding landscape into the work and emphasizing the importance of retreat and serenity. Garnett’s style is modern, but it’s never slick. His ranch homes are rustic, but they are never countrified. Rather, they are the perfect fit for the raw and sometimes austere natural beauty of the landscape that surrounds them. For each new design, Garnett draws inspiration from the specific site and region, immersing himself in the landscape and the natural world before sketching any designs on paper. “Experiencing the breeze, the sunset, the surrounding wildlife — all these things must be taken into account to properly integrate a home into its site. Each new build is ultimately a disruption to the natural environment, so the stakes are high. My designs are modern, but I almost always use local materials: stone, wood, and glass. I’m trying to create timeless architecture that seamlessly blends modern aesthetics with the natural elements of the ranch landscape.” With native wood and stone, glass, leather, steel and concrete, Jeff Garnett speaks the language of the wide-open spaces of the west. For those lucky to find a place in the handful of projects he takes on every year, Garnett designs ranch homes and rural compounds that perfectly match those spaces.
Ranch Living
The modern ranch lifestyle has never been more popular, as it combines aspirational values of sustainability, technical innovation, and luxury with age-old values of family connection, land stewardship, and conservation. Modern ranch home-ownership offers more than just unlimited outdoor activities — though the activities are amazing. It offers a sense of continuity and belonging for families seeking to establish roots deep in the land itself. In a Jeff Garnett designed ranch home, suffused with natural light, with inspired material choices blurring the line between indoors and outdoors and framing vistas of the world beyond, it also provides sanctuary and retreat from our increasingly stressful lives. “I design places for people and strive to make each place a haven from the demands of today’s society; a sacred place for clients to call home with a strong connection to the natural environment. Whether it’s a full-time ranch or a vacation home, I want to create a place where you can set the briefcase down and just be — in that moment, in that space.”
About Jeff Garnett ARCHITECT
Jeff Garnett Architect was formed with the primary goal of creating meaningful, design-driven architecture. Clean lines, thoughtful details, and highly creative design solutions are the foundation of this practice. From schematic design to final construction, every project is approached carefully and uniquely with a sharpened focus on design and client collaboration.
Want to know more about Texas Modern Ranch Style? @JEFFGARNETTARCHITECT
