Just a few years ago, Jim and Linda Middleton lived in San Antonio but longed for a Hill Country view. They charged builder Don Craighead of Craighead Homes with the job of finding it and willingly waited for just the right one. Three years ago, on a day that felt like 110 degrees, Don, Jim and developer Tom Dreiss climbed up a hill to a lot in Anaqua Springs Ranch, an upscale acreage community just north of San Antonio. And there it was, the perfect site overlooking acres of unspoiled landscape. Jim and Linda committed to buying the home on the site, already under construction for that fall’s Parade of Homes. They realized the home’s designer had already taken advantage of the spectacular view, and the house had one other thing the couple had hoped for—just one level.  But one story didn’t mean small square footage. With 6,500 of living space, it stretches across the ridge with Old World, Mediterranean elegance. Featuring a cupola-topped silhouette and bell tower-like structures that recall the Florence skyline, the house stands out along the hilltop. “It’s the longest house I’ve ever built,” Don says, revisiting the 188-foot-long home.

Exuding Old World Charm
Visitors pass beneath a rotunda-like, exterior entry, with brick detailing in the rounded ceiling and handsome, large-scale light fixtures. They enter through a pair of arched, alder wood doors that have a textured glass surround protected by a handcrafted, wrought iron framework. Inside, guests cross an artfully designed tile-and-hardwood passageway and enter a formal gathering space, where an arched glass window showcases that million-dollar view. A border of distressed-looking brickwork frames the window, adding an aged feeling to this newly built home. The groin vault ceiling, with a stone-like finish and thick, grout-like seams curving up from the four corners, gives the room an ancient yet intimate feel. A massive, dual-sided fireplace separates this gathering area from a matching space that serves as the formal dining room. There, a French dining table and chairs dating to the 1750s offer guests the same view through another picture window made of frameless, arching glass. Adjacent to the dining area, a full-service bar opens into a grotto-like wine storage area. Handcrafted wrought-iron doors, with intricate swirls, iron-cast grape clusters and a bronze-like finish guard the collection.

Adding Character
Don’s wife, Nell, designed the tile-and-distressed wood-flooring pattern that stretches down the length of the home’s front passageway like an Italian promenade.

Off this main axis, a short hall leads to a cozy guest room and a small guest suite on the front of the house. Set in the high ceiling, an ornate iron grate serves as a focal point. The main promenade passes Jim’s office space, decorated with memorabilia from his days as an Air Force officer. Then the passageway approaches the master bedroom wing, separated from the rest of the house for privacy. The entry to the master suite features a small rotunda before turning into the master bedroom, where a high bed with sumptuous linens commands attention. A seating nook features a pair of love seats and an ottoman that serves as a table—all backed by expansive windows with a row of decorative, porthole-style windows above.  The master bath opens onto Linda’s sewing room on one end and an exercise area and spacious walk-in closet on the other. In the middle, luxury abounds—with a soaking tub backed by a curving wall that hides a tiled shower with dual showerheads, a steam room and water closet.

Gathering Spaces
The great room features a massive trey ceiling with timber beams framing a brick-like ceiling panel. Double doors open onto the large and lengthy rear terrace, where an outdoor grill and fireplace surround a seating area. On other parts of the rambling terrace, a dining table hosts outdoor meals, while on the far end a table for two welcomes guests from a third guest room for morning coffee. Back in the kitchen, which opens onto the great room, granite comprises the counters and top of a work-friendly island. Nell worked on the kitchen design, choosing the same dark-stained alder used throughout the house for the cabinets. More faux brickwork decorates walls and frames the cook space, creating the feel of an Italian hearth and home.  First-time guests can’t miss the antique pool table in the recreational area off the great room, or the adjacent home theater with its big screen and cushy chairs, complete with cup holders and a popcorn machine nearby.

See more images of this Don Craighead home . . .