Luxe Living

In case you missed some of the hubbub, but today is 12/12/12, and supposedly the last repeating date of our lifetimes – depending on how long you live, of course. On a slow celebrity news day we decided it was a good time to show off one of the most fabulous 12+ bedroom 12+ bathroom homes you will ever see, whatever your lifespan is.

Known as Chateau D’OR, this home is located in exclusive Bel Air above Los Angeles. Once you get past the two gated entries and the landscaped grounds you come upon the 22,900 square foot home, located on 1.7 acres of prime real estate. With a grand total of 15 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms there’s plenty of room for a big family, fabulous parties, or both.

Ornate, hand crafted details fill the home as you make your way through the huge dining room that seems fit for Louis the XV. Guests then enter a sitting room that featuring a two-story mantle in front of a massive fireplace. The posh interior continues on to the luxurious royal master bedroom suite and the remaining bedrooms.

The property includes several additional buildings including a 6-bedroom guesthouse, and a separate structure with professional fitness center, pavilion and of course a koi pond.  It doesn’t get more luxe than this.

The historic, one-of-a-kind W.C. Fields estate is back on the market with a bump in its asking price! Last listed for $11 million in 2009, the estate made its return to the market in September 2012 with an asking price of $7.195 million. With no takers, it came off the market but returned this week with $300k tacked onto the asking price! Perhaps the current owners are hoping someone gets into the holiday spirit and buys the estate.

According to the Curbed archives, the home was owned by studio executive Dennis Rice and was last sold in 2004 for $4.437 million. It also once belonged to Lily Tomlin, who famously painted it pink, inside and out.

Completely private and secure, the home is nestled in the exclusive Laughlin Park gated community on nearly an acre. It sits on De Mille street, named for the famed director Cecil B. De Mille, who once lived in a massive estate just up the street.

While the home is a historic gem, it has been completely restored to it’s original glory and has all the luxuries of today’s technology. While the current interior decor may cause some people to immediately scream “makeover!,” the elegant home is perfect for formal entertaining, as well as informal family living. Scalloped ceilings, original woodwork, and a copper sun room make this home a very special property that rarely comes on the market.

Ever dreamed of living like a high-paid country crooner? Well, now you have a chance to own the real-life pad of the fictional “Rayna James,” the Faith Hill-esque character played by Connie Britton on the smash ABC hit “Nashville.” Located in — you guessed it— Nashville, TN, the home just hit the market for $19.5 million.

For months, the show filmed in the Belle Meade home on Page Road owned by Sylvia Roberts and her family. According to The Tennesean, The “Nashville” team shot Roberts’ space exactly as-is — including the bedroom, kitchen, and foyer. Later, the show decided to move most of its Jaymes home scenes to a local soundstage, where set decorators cloned several of its rooms and styled them exactly as they appear in the original home.

While one can’t exactly live on a soundstage, you can live large in this incredible 6-bedroom, 12-bathroom, 20,533 square foot home, accented with unique marbles, stones, and woods from around the world. It’s got an exceptional pool and guesthouse, to boot. This show stopping estate was designed by Mark Harrison of Adkisson/Harrison.

Steve Fridrich of Fridrich & Clark holds the listing.

As a comedian, actor, voice-over artist and author, Tim Allen has been entertaining audiences for years. But he’ll always have a place in everyone’s heart as the bumbling, yet lovable Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor in one of the greatest sitcom hits of the 1990′s - Home Improvement. It’s safe to say the royalties of that show, plus his work in major motion pictures, continue to pay off for Allen much more than any hosting gig for Tool Time ever could have. Case in point: the recent purchase of a rustic $1.4 million Los Angeles retreat just off legendary Mulholland Drive.

It’s doubtful you’ll encounter the partially obscured face of Wilson just across the fence from this property, but we think the Taylor family would still feel at home in this serene ranch-style retreat in the Hollywood hills. The 2,604 square foot home includes 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and custom Vermont pine floors with wood finishes throughout. The open floor plan, which connects the living room, dining room and den, features French doors and a wall of windows that open onto stunning views of the canyon.

The chef’s kitchen features an expansive stone island that seats ten and the requisite Viking range. Additional amenities include a stone fireplace in the living room, a built-in, high-definition television and sound systems throughout the house.

Once outside, it’s hard to imagine Al uttering the words, “I don’t think so, Tim,” as you gaze at the canyon from the full-length deck in the yard that features a fire pit, water feature and luxurious outdoor shower. Sorry Al, I’m siding with Tim on this one.

9021…oh my! Perched high atop the famed streets of Beverly Hills sits a private, gated Mediterranean stunner for sale. Purchase price? $9,995,500.

Listed with Southern California power agent Sally Forster Jones of Coldwell Banker Previews International, this beautiful 6-bedroom, 9-bathroom, 7,294 square-foot home seeks a sophisticated buyer in search of prime Beverly Hills real estate. With panoramic ocean and city views, there isn’t another property like it in 90210.

A long, private driveway leads prospective buyers to a cobblestone motor court with parking capacity for 14 cars. The grand kitchen, formal dining, and formal living rooms all have breathtaking views, and a huge master bedroom offers his and her baths, two terraces, and a study. The property also boasts three additional suites, as well as maids quarters, a media room, and a separate guesthouse.

Outside, the expansive grounds feature a stunning pool area and terraces throughout.  Rounding out the Beverly Hills lifestyle is a party deck with a commercial bar & grill and putting green. Now that’s the epitome of California living.

Perched atop one of the Sunset Strip’s most coveted ‘Bird Street,’ Nightingale, this newly constructed modern home has all the elements befitting this grand and hip location. Listed with Los Angeles super agent, Gary Gold of Hilton & Hyland, this cutting edge design mixes concrete, stucco and wood in a striking combination that creates warmth rarely seen in a modern estate of this size and scale.

A massive front doorway leads to high-ceiling public rooms that have fantastic volume, perfect for entertaining. How perfect? Well, Celebrity chef Michael Mina teamed up with Robb Report magazine to for an incredible dinner party and they chose this stunning home as the venue.

What makes it the quintessential and perfect Hollywood Hills home? To start, the home features floor-to-ceiling windows throughout that open up to bring the the outside in and help provide a spectacular backdrop – panoramic views of the city below. Twinkling city lights and the stunning California sky are this home’s never-ending front yard. A spacious chef’s kitchen has the latest and best in appliances and amenities. The private master bedroom and bath have their own fantastic views from the Hollywood Hills as well. A screening room, wine cellar, office and guest bedrooms round out this stunning hillside estate’s features.

Outside, a fantastic infinity edged pool and spacious fire pit area rival the home’s interior for entertaining possibilities.

For sale for $15 million, this home is also available for lease for $55,000 a month.

Apparently Brad and Angelina have a new next door neighbor. He may not have attained icon status, like the international phenomenon that is Brangelina, but Giovanni Ribisi is a heck of an actor and seemingly a budding real estate mogul. Earlier this summer he spent $1.4 million on a whimsical property he purchased from famed artist, Mineo Mizuno. His latest acquisition, just 4 months later, is a gorgeous $2,950,000 home located on the North side of Hollywood.

Settled behind an exclusive gated street on a corner lot in a beautiful wooded neighborhood, this home is the epitome of a Hollywood retreat. With 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms the home boasts an impressive 18,830 square feet of living space, including an expansive formal dining room, fully outfitted library and a hidden bar with fireplaces and bay windows throughout. The large master bedroom provides commanding views of the lush private grounds, which include rolling lawn and a playhouse for kids. Of course, the home wouldn’t be complete without a gourmet kitchen with mahogany counter tops, top-of-the-line appliances and a separate maids quarters – just in case that’s necessary.

In classic California fashion, the home seamlessly interacts with the surrounding property, and most rooms open to the gardens allowing comfort both indoors and out.

When you make it outside you’ll find a fully landscaped property that includes a lagoon-style pool, spa and cascading waterfall, making this the ultimate home for either entertaining or just relaxing above the chaos of Los Angeles.

The Agency, the new luxury real estate brokerage with some of the most incredible and unique listings in the world, has added another stunning property to their for-sale roster: 655 Sarbonne Road in Bel Air.

Located in prestigious lower Bel Air and listed for $16,495,000 by Mauricio Umansky, this stunning property overlooks the Bel Air Country Club and boasts both city and ocean views. Because it back right up to the prestigious Bel Air country club, the home has is both quiet and ultra private – a rarity in this part of Los Angeles.

As you enter into a grand 2-story entry hall that will take your breath away, and you’ll be amazed by the craftsmanship throughout this home. Featuring 7 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms of the finest quality and design, this estate was built for the most discriminating client. It really does have it all. The home includes an incredible master suite with “his” and “her” closets, large gourmet kitchen that opens to a gorgeous family room with fireplace, grand and elegant living room, wood-paneled double library, and spacious dining room with incredible ceilings. The home has a great flow for entertaining, perfect for those that enjoy the indoor/ outdoor Californian lifestyle.

The exterior features a grand cabana with every amenity, a sparkling heated pool, sport court, and pristine manicured lawns. The home clocks in at approximately 14,000 square feet on a 37,000 square foot. lot. Built in 2004, the home sparkles with newness and modern touches, but it was also designed with the classic elements and grandeur of the iconic real estate within Bel Air.

The Agency was founded by Mauricio Umansky, who gained national notoriety on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” Umansky was recently recognized by The Wall Street Journal as the #1 top-producing real estate agent in Southern California and #7 in the U.S. Joining him in the founding of The Agency are design and architectural specialists Billy Rose and Blair Chang, whose Rose + Chang team was named multiple times as one of the Top 100 U.S. real estate sales teams by The Wall Street Journal. Throughout Los Angeles, you can see The Agency for-sale signs on incredible luxury properties.

Studio City is quickly becoming one of the must-buy neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area. The neighborhoods are already littered with famous faces and entertainment industry insiders, and the latest resident to join the ranks is Emmy-nominated producer Mark Wilding. Wilding’s name may ring a bell from the credits on hit shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal, Charmed, The Tony Danza Show and Ellen Degeneres original sitcom “Ellen.” That kind of resume means that Wilding has some bucks to toss around in the real estate game. According to public records, he just paid $1.825M for his new home on Valley Spring Lane.

Mark Wilding’s new place is the quintessential family home. This 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom custom, newly-built classic home on an expansive lot epitomizes luxurious lifestyle on a liveable scale. The home features both formal dining and living rooms. Richly appointed marble fireplaces, lovely crown moldings, intricate mill work and handsome hand-scraped walnut hardwood floors welcome guests.

Beyond the entryway, a Gourmet Chef’s kitchen with marble counter tops, stainless steel appliances and a stunning center island, spills into a spectacular great room, and out to a lushly landscaped resort-like back yard.  Stunning beamed ceilings with dormer windows, detailed craftsmanship and gorgeous sunlight dramatize most every room. Luxurious master suite comes complete with a sumptuous marble spa-like master bath.

The outdoor area includes a swimmer’s pool with baja step, spa and oversized studio, which can be used as guest quarters.

“Back to school, back to school,  to prove to Dad that I’m not a fool…” Although many kids would rather be home watching school classics like Billy Madison today, it’s back to school they go as a new school year begins for many students across the country!

Even though this time of year may bring back those back-to-school blues, little do students realize, that their parents probably jumped through hoops to get Junior into the best school district possible – and more likely than not, this involved a house hunt and a big move before he or she turned 5 years old.

In the spirit of learning and moving for a good school, we are shining our Luxe Living lens on Dallas, TX – home of America’s best public high school. Recently, US World News & Report ranked The School for the Talented and Gifted the top public high school in the nation and awarded it a gold ranking for its test scores, awards, school data and teaching staff– all of which are said to foster the best well rounded, college-ready students.

For parents in the Great State of Texas who love a little glitter in their lives, that’s good news. From what we hear, Dallas is a growing luxury real estate destination with its downtown area emerging as an up-and-coming tech hub and its flourishing restaurant and shopping scene reeling in the big spenders. With an average listing price of $502,534, it’s on the high end of the real estate scale and this featured $29.5 million, 10.5 acre, 5-bedroom and 10-bath Dallas Mt. Vernon landmark sure does its part to bring up the average.

This old-world style property offers historical charm with a splash of modern renovation. Dark hardwoods line the floors, and crown molding can be found in the study with fireplace and built-in library, bringing the property’s antique personality to life. The three-level open floor plan allows for plenty of natural light throughout and can be enjoyed in any part of the home. The renovated kitchen offers an extra large center island and is surrounded by dark wooden cabinets and a lovely brick arch over a stainless steel stove.

A large heated pool, putting green, lighted tennis courts, and 4-lane bowling center with mini diner allow for a hardworking Dallas student to sit back and relish in a fabulous Texan escape right in the comfort of their own home. When hitting the books, one can catch up on some reading on a lovely country-style porch overlooking the 10.5 acre grounds or in one of the many cozy studies with built-in fireplaces.

Additional luxe amenities include an elevator, 2-story guesthouse, wine storage, 16-car garage and outdoor entertainment area with gazebo, two fireplaces and pizza oven.