Below the pool, adjacent to the butterfly garden, there sits a dilapidated old bench, time-worn by the heat of the Texas sun and the thunderstorms that sweep down the hills of Skyline Ridge Estates. Before October 2011, this bench is where you would often find Jay and Martha Nichols sitting and picnicking, planning the house of their dreams. The preservation of this bench, found on the property when they purchased the land, as well as the care taken to preserve a slender post of cedar that held the wires that brought electricity to the old farmhouse that once stood on the hill above them, is at the heart of who this couple is, and the lovely home they created.

Upon entering the house your first impulse is to walk toward the wall of windows in the great room and take in the expansive view. But before you do, step back, and admire the wonderful shiplap wall treatment in the entryway. Inspired by a trip to a restaurant in Johnson City, Martha told her builder she had to have it. Painted a soft creamy gold, it is the perfect introduction to the comfortable, rustic elegance of the rest of the home.

Along with an area for formal dining, nestled in a corner of the great room is a large gourmet kitchen. The extensive storage, Copper Canyon granite counter tops, a wonderful six burner gas range, double ovens, wine cellar, oversized island and two sinks, makes this a kitchen of any woman’s dreams.

Another unique touch, and nod to days gone by, is a worn and weathered screen door that separates the walk-in pantry from the rest of the kitchen. Furnished in an eclectic style, with pieces taken from three homes, Martha says, "It was like putting together a puzzle." A chair from a former living room now graces an elegant guest room; also in this room are bedside tables from each set of parents and a dresser that belonged to Martha’s grandmother. Lovingly touching this piece of furniture, she mentions that her grandmother would be surprised to know that she is still dragging "that old bedroom dresser of hers from house to house."

In the master suite you will be wowed by the lure of a large soaking tub adjacent to a picture window. This wing also contains a utility room to envy, a butler’s pantry, a charming powder room, and a sewing room filled with some of Martha’s favorite treasures.

The north wing boasts a welcoming study, as well as guest quarters designed for the comfort of visiting children and grand children.

History, love and a treasure trove of items which convey a sense of family fill this new home, and many stories are hidden in each object; from the extensive framed arrowhead collection of Martha’s father, to the Indians of this land that shaped them, to the hand-carved chest in the entryway filled with silks from the orient and shipped to America by Jay’s father in 1938, to the framed poem, High Flight, on the wall of the study reminding Jay of his time as a jet pilot in the US Air Force, to the old bench out back where it all began, and more.