There is nothing like the King of Country’s spectacular mansion.
The country singer George Strait has sung about all his ex-girlfriends living in Texas, but now he can also claim some of those ex-girlfriends are his own homes. His newly listed San Antonio mansion, commissioned by him and his wife, Norma, is among his most beloved. On a hilltop surrounded by 12 acres of very private land, the 7,925-square-foot home sits for .5 million.
Tamara Strait, Strait’s daughter-in-law, has the listing and speaks eloquently about the property, which she has visited on numerous occasions since marrying Strait: “I love this house. It was special to see Bubba’s old bedroom become our son Harvey’s bedroom over time when we first met them.
Despite being part of the Dominion Country Club’s gated community, the home is also a true scenic oasis with 14 hand-sculpted fireplaces, a copper-topped bar, custom tiles and sconces, and even custom refrigerator doors. Membership includes access to the golf course, tennis courts, pool, fitness facility, and restaurant. Architect and artist Bill Tull collaborated with the Straits on these artistic touches.
In the mid-1990s, the Straits purchased the land, according to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. Beginning in 1995, when Tull was 14 years old, Bubba laid the first adobe brick, Tull moved his entire crew from Arizona to San Antonio to build the home. Tamara Strait shares that after interviewing many architects, they knew when they met Bill. “He had a vision unlike the others. She said when he came to walk the property for the first time, he already knew which part would go where. And that vision remained true.” The main residence has three bedrooms and six baths, and a detached casita has another bedroom and bath, along with a living room, kitchenette, and one of those magnificent fireplaces.
The formal dining room, breakfast room, and living room flow seamlessly into the outdoor entertaining areas, perfect for hosting a grand party. Located just around the corner from the bar is the home office. It has a copper counter designed by Tull and intentionally exposed adobe walls instead of the hand-plastered walls in most of the house. A mix of concrete and long-leaf yellow pine is used throughout the house. A full suite of top-notch appliances, including two Sub-Zero refrigerators, are located in the chef’s kitchen, which has tiled countertops, again designed by Tull. Intricate and unusual copper design treatment was applied to these doors, which were then finished in silver. It is just a few steps away from the kitchen, where the wine cellar can be found. Tull’s original sketches are still with the house and are signed by him.
The Straits valued privacy and security—not only are there three gates (the first one is guarded) to pass through before getting to the property, but there is also a walk-in safe inside the mansion. “We do that down here in Texas, so you can store your guns there,” Tamara says, as well as jewelry and other valuables.” Other special rooms include a home gym with a sauna.
There are rarely second stories in adobe houses due to the massive weight involved in building such walls, but this home has one dedicated to the primary bedroom suite. Additionally, there are two separate bathrooms and walk-in closets in addition to the bedroom.
You can see downtown San Antonio through the soaking tub in Norma’s bathroom. In spite of her displeasure over the years, George’s closet was the bigger one (a design error during construction), but she wanted to keep her view. More evidence of Tull’s artistry can be found up here in the stained-glass windows.
The outdoor spaces are no less spectacular, with the four-car garage including more exposed adobe and custom lighting on the exterior. The pavers used for the driveway, motor court and back patio were reclaimed from a dug-up road. In the years following a hailstorm, the entire exterior received a makeover, including new roof, windows, hand plastering, and painting.
Infinity-edge pool with glass tiles is the centerpiece of the covered terrace, which includes another sculpted fireplace, an outdoor kitchen with grill, fridge, and icemaker.
On-site sports facilities include tennis and basketball courts.
The Straits are selling because they want to be even further away from the city, but they still love their home. If Bill Tull hadn’t died, I’m sure they would have engaged him again.
