< Previous120 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Counter Culturenicely landscaped the perimeter of the garden with fruit trees, flower-ing bushes and some succulents. They had additional lighting mount-ed and piped in music from their sound system inside.Along the house, they had a 14-foot-long granite bar built. The bar is long enough to seat four people. They purchased large oval tables for dining and drinks. They installed a sink and storage and moved the grill and smoker to the area. In no time at all, they had created a valuable entertaining space they use on a regular basis. A cool breeze constantly drifts through the area, making it comfortable day or night.They had a terra cotta-colored cement slab poured, with a geomet-ric design to add to the outdoor space and existing patio. And after (From top) Family friend Gabby Parker pulls up a seat with an amazing view of Offatts Bayou and Moody Gardens. The 14-foot-long granite bar serves as a buffet table for food, drinks, plates and utensils. COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 121having their sloped yard graded to accommodate three large steps, they were easily able to access their deck and boat, where they can fish or relax.Fishing is convenient from the dock and here they can catch them, clean them, cook them and consume them — without having to go to the inside kitchen.And, because of the location, their yard and outdoor kitchen is the perfect place to watch the sunset.“At the summer solstice, the sun sets right there over the Moody park pier,” said Scott, pointing to the dock across the way. “We kiss at sunset.” (From top) Guests sit around large oval tables the Cryders purchased for dining and drinks. Carson Lawhorn pours a glass of lemonade during an afternoon gath-ering at his grandparents’ home in Galveston.122 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Homeport‘I could never leave’A San Leon homeowner carries on the work of a home and garden magazine founderStory by Sue Mayfield Geiger Photos by Stuart VillanuevaThere’s a certain vibe that Julie Hall felt when she first saw the San Leon house she bought in 1998. Built entirely of concrete blocks, it wasn’t much to look at with living quarters sitting atop an unfinished area be-low. But it had a water view and it spoke to her, she said.“I had been longing to move from Hous-ton and live near the water,” said Hall, who searched for a coastal place for more than a year.She knew the house needed work, but once she discovered the previous owner was Mark Inabnit, who launched and sold a variety of publications, including the glossy Houston Home and Garden magazine, she knew she was the perfect person to com-plete what he had started.Originally built after World War II, the structure was once a plumbing business downstairs with living quarters upstairs. It had several owners before Inabnit, who was in the process of converting the lower bays into housing units when he died in 1997.“He died in the midst of building his dream home, and I felt a calling to finish his project,” Hall said.And she’s been updating the place ever since.With Hall’s background in interior design, she has turned the two-story structure into an artsy showplace and has made remark-able improvements over the years.The downstairs features two vacation rent-als — The Gallery and Windhaven — and Hall lives upstairs.The place came with challenges, however, COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 123Julie Hall stands outside of her one-of-a-kind home in san Leon. she lives on the upstairs floor and rents out the two units below as the Windmill gardens Inn.124 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Homeport COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 125especially after Hurricane Ike 10 years ago.“I had a lot of damage, but with a house constructed entirely of concrete, I fared better than most,” said Hall, who raised the upstairs ceiling by more than 1 foot.The exterior of the house is painted a soft teal, and is surrounded by tall bamboo and tropical plants, including a vine-covered arbor. Bronze angels flanking a doorway are from a bridge in Paris. Yet, the most striking feature is the tall windmill atop the roof, built by Hall’s long-time companion and friend, Rod Clifton. The house is appropri-ately named Windmill Gardens.The two rental units have Hall’s trademark touches — beautifully furnished and acces-sorized — with walls full of exquisite art.“I inherited a tremendous amount of fine art a while back, and only had so much room for storage, so I ended up building a small structure out back for display,” said Hall, who opens the studio twice a month for viewing.Much of the art has found its way into Hall’s home filled with antiques, art deco items and eclectic treasures. The front door opens into a combination den/music room that Hall likes to call her piano room, referring to a 1903 Wm. Knabe & Co. baby grand piano that was played by Liberace, a previous owner said.A Deutsch Brothers Louis XV style settee in eggshell blue is a rare find Hall stumbled across at an estate sale. She has it grouped with a vintage cello, 18th-century French cabinet and English empire chair — all nes-tled next to a cozy corner fireplace.Although just 1,400 square feet, the space seems much larger because of a loft that runs the entire width of the home. The loft is filled with décor and art.“I opened up the loft area, and added a master bedroom and bath,” said Hall, who made it a point to include a few curved walls.The den/music room flows directly into the open living room/kitchen area where faux Venetian walls and more art. A col-orful kitchen of caramel and cobalt blue, architectural embellishments and a 1939 Chambers stove beneath a hanging rack of copper bowls are testament to Hall’s eye for placement.(Opposite page, clockwise from top) A tall windmill atop the roof was built by Julie Hall’s long-time companion and friend, Rod Clifton. In addition to serving as Julie Hall’s home, the Windmill Gardens Inn features two guest rooms and a secluded garden. A cherub sconce originally from Paris adorns an exterior wall. (From top) A living area is seen through a bar window in a guest unit. Sunlight streams through the double doors of a breakfast area in a guest unit.126 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018Homeport(Clockwise from above) Julie Hall’s master bedroom featuring a queen-sized sleigh bed and a ship’s ladder to a loft filled with décor and artwork. French doors to the right of the den/music room lead to the master bedroom. Julie Hall flips through fine art prints. COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 127(Clockwise from above) Family mementos atop an antique baby grand piano in the music room. The master bath featuring a Jacuzzi framed with glass tiles. Artwork and a leather sectional create an inviting atmosphere. The former master bedroom with a traditional four-poster bed.128 COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018“The stove belonged to Inabnit and I was adamant that it had to stay or I would not buy the house,” Hall said. Snaking around the corner and through an office area is the guest room — Hall’s former master bedroom before the additions. With a traditional four-poster bed and Tiffany ceiling fan, the adjoining bathroom includes a hand-painted, vine-leafed shower stall Hall designed and a Talavera sink.The new master bedroom and bath can be found through open French doors to the right of the den/music room. A queen-sized sleigh bed, antique chest, writing desk repur-posed as a vanity, and gauzy white curtains reflect Hall’s style. A ship’s ladder makes it possible to make the steep climb to the loft.The master bath in shades of teal and gold, Venetian ceiling, a Jacuzzi framed with glass tiles, and walls of glass blocks add light and serenity.The art studio, built with a combina-tion of bleached and raw wood, makes the perfect setting for all the art Hall has acquired. It’s small, but enchanting, hous-ing a mix of lithographs, serigraphs, oils, etchings, prints and vintage posters.Homeport COASTMONTHLY.COM / August 2018 129Although Hall has been a nurse, top fur-niture sales associate and owner of an insur-ance agency for 25 years, her main passion has always been interior design, she said.“People have told me that I could make a mansion out of a shack,” she said. “I’m totally in love with what I’ve created. I could never leave this place.” A colorful kitch-en of caramel and cobalt blue features a 1939 Chambers stove and copper cookware. 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