Jerry and Jackie Fulton are both sixth-generation Texans. So when they decided to build a guesthouse on their ranch north of Dallas, it's not surprising that they reached back to their roots. "We wanted something that looked like it had been here for 150 years," says Jackie.

Working with Dallas architect Stephen Chambers, the couple drew inspiration from the Sunday houses of Fredericksburg, Texas. In the mid-19th century, these houses were used by farmers and ranchers when they came to town for shopping on Saturday and church on Sunday.

But a reproduction Sunday house wouldn't provide the space or modern conveniences the Fultons needed. So the architect designed a wider and deeper version with the same simple lines of the original. "It's about two or three times bigger than a real Sunday house," says Stephen. In order to provide extra space for the master bedroom, he designed a shed extension on the back.

To allow more usable space in the attic bunk room, the front wall of the house extends about 5 feet above the first floor ceiling. Combined with the slope of the roof, this gives most of the attic an 8-foot ceiling. This one-and-a-half-story arrangement provides extra living space on the second floor without the mass of a full two-story house. Three low windows set above the front porch bring in additional light to the bunk room.