Airstreams, Yurts & Cute Critters: A Modern Day “Green Acres”

Name: Kirsten and Brandon Dickerson, plus their son and daughter
Location: Our homestead know as Green Acres Retreat, just east of Austin in Elgin, Texas
Size: 25 acres that includes our personal dwellings: a 1955 Spartan Mansion just under 350 square feet and a 1967 Overlander Airstream just under 180 square feet, as well as an open air vintage barn and Lotus Belle yurts for guests.
Years lived in: Full time living in both of the vintage trailers for 1.5 years

Green Acres update! Kristen and Brandon have sold Green Acres since this tour was filmed. It’s now owned by friends @bradotts, @noelleotts, @jamieivey and @aaronivey. “Green Acres is a boutique events, retreat and glamping experience just 24 short miles east of Austin in this rolling hills of Elgin, Texas. With a vision and a desire to serve through hospitality and beautiful spaces the team at Green Acres has five yurts, two vintage trailers and a 672-square-foot sustainable-built cabin.”

Just outside of the Austin city limits you will find the Dickerson family homestead they call “Green Acres.” You’ll find no shortage of wild life…deer, donkeys, alpacas, and all types of critters call these 25 acres home. The Dickerson family is spread out between two vintage trailers, one being a 1950s Spartan Trailer and the other a 1960s Airstream. Also among this vintage village is an out house, guest yurts, a fire-pit corral and a backyard communal barn.

Although together the Spartan and Airstream total only 530 square feet, size doesn’t inhibit this family’s style; From Moroccan to mid-century modern influences, you’ll find an atmosphere that contains rich global texture, patterns and great design. The main home is the Spartan that has a living room, dining area, kitchen, bunk bed for their daughter and a master bedroom at the rear of the trailer.

The Airstream is the teenage boy’s room, which has hardwood floors, Godzilla props and vintage cameras that all mix for a cozy, country and modern look.

Great homes come in many shapes and sizes, as Kirsten shows us in this house tour. This is a family that embraces the natural, outdoor elements of a home, as well as the idea that home can be a community. Their communal kitchen and hang-out barn as well as the yurts are designated for guests who feel like “glamping” in a serene setting and for the family to enjoy. This family, as well as the animals that inhabit the grounds, all work together to make themselves a truly unique, peaceful home.

Our Style: Mid-century Moroccan (or rustic mid-century)

Inspiration: We are inspired by clean design, mid-century architecture, textures and patterns from global textiles, and all things Moroccan

Favorite Element: I definitely LOVE being surrounded by so much nature! I can sit on my couch and watch a beautiful scene every morning via the birds, trees, and our farm animals grazing in the field. I also love the built-in wood details, large windows that bring in the gorgeous natural surroundings and light, and the original vintage cabinet knobs. We restored the rest of the Spartan to have the same original wood interior look, including the bunk beds!

Biggest Challenge: Being thoughtful about cleaning up as we go since things can easily get messy and crowded otherwise! That’s pretty easy for me, but the kids and my husband have had to learn to adapt this habit. We constantly have to tell the kitties to stay outside too! They were feral cats/stray cats that we adopted, but now they are now extremely friendly to all people (but still excellent farm cats and hunters).

What Friends Say: Our home is magical and peaceful.

Biggest Embarrassment: The back deck becomes a catch-all for muddy shoes, boxes, and the cats!

Proudest DIY: We call our homestead Green Acres for a good reason…we are city folks that have no idea what we are doing in the country! The whole adventure on our land has been one huge DIY project. When we look around, we are amazed at how it’s all come together with lots of creativity and patience. However, our first two DIY projects were building a fire pit in the vintage corral as well as a half pipe skate ramp. I think its funny that we started with those two projects.

Biggest Indulgence: Nelson light in our Spartan, Keith Kreeger bowl and vintage Moroccan decor (lots of leather floor poufs and Berber wedding blankets)

Best Advice: Surround yourself with items that tell a good story. Designs you love. Designs that will last. Designs that make a positive impact on people and the planet. I believe in buying less, being patient and creative, and being willing to spend more on items that you will love for a long time. I’m a huge fan of supporting local makers, paying fair wages to global artisans, and buying special vintage pieces.

Dream Sources: Design Within Reach, Mockingbird Domestics, Raven + Lily, M. Montague

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