Raphael Stevens

More stories

  • 138 Shares199 Views

    in Luxury

    Rihanna’s Neo-Mediterranean LA Compound Just Hit the Market for $7.8 Million

    Barbadian pop megastar and consummate style icon turned newly minted billionaire cosmetics and intimate wear entrepreneur Robyn Fenty, otherwise known around the world as Rihanna, dropped $6.8 million back in the summer of 2017 on a then newly and glamorously refurbished neo-Mediterranean mini-compound near the base of Nichols Canyon in the foothills above the western end of L.A.’s famed Hollywood Boulevard.

    It wasn’t long before an intruder not only breached the property’s perimeter walls but managed to break into and spend the night inside the house before he was tased and arrested by police in the morning. Fortunately, no one was home at the time. There was a second break-in attempt a few months later and the Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty founder lickety-split packed whatever designer things remained in the house and, so the scuttlebutt goes, retreated to the $5.5 million condo in Century City she’s owned since the fall of 2014.

    One of the common areas in the home. 

    Redfin

    The Hollywood Hills property was briefly put up for sale in late 2018, with an asking price pushing up on $7.5 million, before it was taken off the market and set out instead as a high-end rental at $35,000 per month. Since then, the house has several times been available as a rental at the same price. Now, however, with at least four other residential properties across Los Angeles crowding her international property portfolio, Fenty has hoisted the Hollywood Hills home back up for sale at a hair under $7.8 million.
    Listed with “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” stars James Harris and David Parnes of Bond Street Partners at The Agency, the home features steel-framed windows and doors, high ceilings enhanced by arched doorways, and a combination of stone and wood floors. There are a total of six bedrooms and eight full and two half bathrooms between the main house and detached guest suite that together span about 7,100 square feet.

    One of the bedrooms with a scenic view. 

    Redfin

    Elegant formal living and dining rooms, the former with a rust-colored tile fireplace, are complimented by a den/billiards room, an eat-in kitchen, and a family room. The walls of the home theater are painted a sumptuous royal purple and, on the other side of the swimming pool from main house, a detached garage is topped by a city-view guest suite outfitted as a fitness center with private bath and balcony.

    The backyard with a pool. 

    Redfin

    In addition to the roughly 3,500-square-foot high-floor condo in Century City, Fenty owns another substantially smaller and less expensive condo along the Wilshire Corridor. In late 2020 she upped her real estate game with the $13.8 million purchase of a 1930s era home tucked down a coveted cul-de-sac in the Coldwater Canyon area of Beverly Hills. Then, earlier this year, she dropped another $10 million to snatch up the neighboring property before she put the first house up for rent at a whopping $80,000 per month.
    The nine-time Grammy winner, who for a couple of years rented a London mansion that recently came for sale at $41 million, is also widely reported to own a 10,000-square-foot townhouse-style condo in the swanky One Sandy Lane resort complex in Barbados that she scooped up in 2013 for $21.8 million.
    Check out more images of the home below.

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin

    Redfin More

  • 113 Shares99 Views

    in Luxury

    Kanye West Buys Malibu Beachfront Home For $57 Million

    Billionaire rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, businessman, and fashion designer Kanye West has just purchased this beachfront home in Malibu, California for $57.25 million. It was first listed in April of last year for $75 million. Located at 24844 Malibu Road, the 3-story concrete home was designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando and features approximately […] More

  • 163 Shares189 Views

    in Luxury

    LeBron James Just Unloaded One of His 3 LA Mansions for $19.6 Million

    After first bouncing onto the market with a $20.5 million asking price about six months ago, LeBron James has officially sold his Brentwood Park mansion, one of two Brentwood estates he owns. Records reveal the property, which hasn’t been occupied by the NBA superstar for several years, went for $19.6 million in an off-market deal to Hon “Alexander” Shing, founder of the privately-held, LA-based real estate investment firm Cottonwood Management.

    The sale netted King James a lot of money, but it’s also a technical loss—a whopping $1.4 million less than the $21 million he paid for the place nearly six years ago, back in October 2015, when he was still serving it up for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    Nestled on over a half-acre parcel in the affluent Brentwood Park neighborhood—on the same Rockingham Drive that was made infamous by O.J. Simpson all those years ago—the walled and gated estate was built in 2011, and includes a traditional white brick and stone mansion offering views of the surrounding hills.

    The front yard of the white brick and stone mansion. 

    Realtor.com

    Inside, more than 9,000 square feet of living space on two levels is highlighted by a double-height foyer sporting mustard-hued walls, and a wallpapered formal living room with burnt orange curtains. A family room adorned with fuchsia accent chairs opens via two sets of sliding doors to a loggia ideal for al fresco dining, while the kitchen is outfitted with marble countertops and has an adjacent breakfast room. The main level also holds a formal dining room with a fireplace and a second family room, plus a wood-paneled office.

    One of the room’s in the home with a wood-burning fireplace. 

    Realtor.com

    Upstairs, there’s a master retreat and five additional bedrooms, along with a communal family gathering area/lounge, mudroom and gym. The undeniable star of the show, though, are the picturesque grounds, complete with a grassy lawn that abuts an infinity-edged pool and spa accompanied by a sun deck and cabana. In addition to the Brentwood Park property, James also maintains a spec mansion elsewhere in Brentwood that he bought for $23.5 million in 2017 and a hilltop 90210 compound—a mansion once owned by Hugh Hefner and occupied by Katharine Hepburn—for which he plunked down $36.8 million last year.
    As for Shing, just last month he slammed down another $29.5 million for a 12,000-square-foot home in Beverly Hills, meaning he now has two posh L homes worth a combined $50 million.

    Check out more images of the mansion below.

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com

    Realtor.com More

  • 188 Shares179 Views

    in Luxury

    Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Just Dropped $10.2 Million on This Stunning Beverly Hills Mansion

    Earlier this summer, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden sold their 90210 home to music superstar Adele, Nicole’s close friend and the couple’s longtime next-door neighbor. But the Richie-Maddens aren’t straying far from their proverbial neck of the woods. Records reveal they’ve have splashed out $10.2 million to upgrade into a bigger, fancier house just up the hill, as it were.

    The new house is actually only a five minutes’ drive away from the old house — and both are located high in the mountains above Beverly Hills, near the Coldwater Canyon section of town. While the former digs were in the exclusive Hidden Valley Estates enclave, the current place is tucked away within another guard-gated community known as The Summit, where other celebrity residents include Serena Williams, Hilary Duff, Pete Wentz and Sebastian Maniscalco. Britney Spears also owned a mansion within The Summit’s gates back in 2007, during the time of her infamous public breakdown.

    Richie, 39, is the eldest child of Lionel Richie, who adopted her as a toddler. She rose to fame by appearing on “The Simple Life” with then-BFF Paris Hilton, and has continued to appear in various television projects ever since (“Fashion Star,” “Candidly Nicole,” “Great News”). She’s also recently expanded House of Harlow, her lifestyle brand that sells a line of jewelry, apparel and home goods products.

    Madden, 42, is best known for cofounding pop punk band Good Charlotte, which came to prominence in the early 2000s with hits like “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” “The Anthem” and “Girls & Boys.” He’s since appeared as a judge on “The Voice Australia” reality TV competition show.
    Drew Fenton and Justin Paul Huchel of Hilton & Hyland held the listing; Brett Lawyer of Hilton & Hyland repped the buyers.

    The welcoming front exterior of the property. 

    Redfin

    Originally built in 1987 and initially styled as a rather unattractive, quasi-French chateau, the house underwent a big remodel in 2019 by the talented folks at SIMO Design. Husband-and-wife duo Sam Gnatovich and Alexi Rennalls—SIMO’s founders—subsequently used the 6,100-square-foot house as their personal residence.
    Last year, the property was photographed and featured in Architectural Digest.

    The expansive backyard with scenic views. 

    Redfin

    Gnatovich and Rennalls, who’ve previously designed a stunning 90210 mansion for music executive Aaron Bay-Schuck and a house for actor Jon Hamm, drew inspiration for their latest project from “the Chanel store in Paris and ancient stone [Parisian] buildings” to “honor the push and pull of old and new.”
    Indeed, the Richie-Madden home’s interiors are a mix of old-world details and contemporary trimmings, with intricate millwork, wide-plank hardwood floors and book-matched, decidedly graphic slab of Carrara marble throughout.

    The minimalist dining room. 

    Redfin

    In the dining room, the off-white wall paint contrasts neatly with the dark floorboards. The library sports a fireplace with a veiny black marble mantle, and there’s a daybed for photogenic lounging about. The kitchen features top-of-the-line appliances, naturally, and the striking marble countertops and backsplash take visual center stage. Open to the kitchen is a combo family room/casual dining area, which in turn opens to the backyard.

    The home’s library. 

    Redfin

    The hilltop lot spans about a third of an acre, with a swimming pool, outdoor fireplace and grassy lawn out back. Views take in both the San Fernando Valley skyline and the hills of Beverly, with the Pacific Ocean visible on a clear day. There’s also a picture-perfect alfresco dining patio shaded by four olive trees.

    Glowing views of the landscape from the backyard. 

    Redfin

    The entryway hosts a curved staircase. All of the home’s family bedrooms — all of them with ensuite baths — are located upstairs. There’s also a service wing on the main floor, ideal for a live-in staff member, with direct access to the three-car garage.
    Upstairs, the master bedroom hosts a sitting area and cavernous fireplace, plus a private balcony with city lights views. A spa-style master bath is slathered in marble, and connects to private dressing room/closet.

    The cool-toned master bedroom. 

    Redfin

    Check out more photos of the home below:

    The spacious kitchen island. 

    Redfin

    The indoor-outdoor dining room area. 

    Redfin

    The quaint outdoor dining area on the grounds. 

    Redfin

    The distinct curved staircase in the home’s entrance. 

    Redfin

    The master bathroom. 

    Redfin

    The luxe private dressing room with lots of space. 

    Redfin More

  • 150 Shares169 Views

    in Luxury

    Inside a $21 Million Midcentury Modern Estate Frank Sinatra Once Called Home

    It’s not exactly in “New York, New York,” but Frank Sinatra’s old Los Angeles digs still have plenty of midcentury-modern charm. Fans of the singer can now snap up the estate, located in the quiet suburb of Chatsworth, for $21 million.

    The home has a long history: It was built by architect William Pereira in 1949 and is one of only a small handful of private residences that he ever designed. Best known for his future-forward structures, Pereira’s résumé includes buildings such as the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The property was created for bank heiress Dora Hutchinson, who leased the place to Sinatra. He lived there in the ’50s and ’60s.

    The living room 

    Scott Everts/Fox/Agency

    The 8,200-square-foot main home has since been meticulously restored recently so that it closely resembles its original design. It’s a seven-bed, seven-bath residence, with a separate guest house for visiting friends and family. Guests can have a few drinks outdoors at the 2,000-square-foot outdoor lounge area or take a dip in the 50-foot pool. (The guest house also has its own small pool.)
    There’s opportunity to make money on the estate, too. Given its distinct architecture, the home has been featured in TV shows such as Mad Men, Big Little Lies and Californication. According to the listing, this production business brings in revenue of about $1 million a year–if you’re comfortable with your home being on the big screen, that is.

    The pool 

    Scott Everts/Fox/Agency

    One of the property’s biggest opportunities has to do with its acreage. It’s a 14-acre parcel altogether, and the estate comes with approval for 10 additional homes with separate entrances from the old Sinatra house. That’s great for a family compound, but you can also develop equestrian facilities, a greenhouse or a gym on the property if that’s more your thing.
    Plenty of room to put your own spin on the listing, or just leave it as is. In the words of Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, the best is yet to come.
    Check out more photos below:

    One of the bedrooms 

    Scott Everts/Fox/Agency

    The kitchen 

    Scott Everts/Fox/Agency

    The guest house and pool 

    Scott Everts/Fox/Agency More

  • 213 Shares139 Views

    in Luxury

    Home of the Week: Country Superstar Kenny Chesney Lists His 56-Acre ‘Tennessee Tuscan’ Estate for $14 Million

    With one of his biggest hits entitled “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”, and with his Franklin, Tennessee, estate sprawling over 56 acres, you would expect country music legend Kenny Chesney to know a thing or two about tractors. In fact, in a recent interview, the six-time Academy of Country Music Award winner and four-time Entertainer of the Year admitted to owning not one, but two.
    Just don’t expect to find them on his recently listed property.

    “I think he liked his tractors so much that he took them with him,” explains realtor Laura Stroud of Nashville-based French King Fine Properties, who together with colleague Lisa Wilson holds the listing for Mr. Chesney’s spectacular Nashville-area home.

    Featured materials include reclaimed walnut, Venetian plaster and Santa Fe clay barrel tiles. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    Chesney, 53, bought the Tuscan-style villa as a spec build back in 2009 for a reported $9.25 million. Called Bella Luce, Italian for “beautiful light”, it was designed by local Nashville architect Brad Norris, who was given free rein by builder Jimmy Franks of Old South Construction to use some of the most authentic materials available.

    For the exterior walls, he specified 150-year-old brick and carved stone, along with Santa Fe clay barrel tiles for the multitude of roofs. Inside, it’s all rich, reclaimed walnut floors, hand-carved Mesquite-wood doors and massive cedar and Douglas fir exposed wood beams.

    “What makes my heart sing are the exquisite Venetian plaster walls throughout the entire house,” says Stroud. “It involves a remarkably time-consuming, and expensive, process where several layers of plaster are hand-troweled and then given a wax finish to produce this beautiful luster and sheen.”

    The master bedroom suite. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    Naturally, for such a high-profile artist like Chesney, the original appeal of the property was no doubt its security and privacy. Imposing gates off Franklin’s Lake Valley Drive open to a half-mile-long driveway leading to the tree-shrouded home’s stunning, brick-paved circular motor court.

    When Chesney bought the estate it included more than 30 acres of land but, according to Stroud, over the years the singer quietly acquired additional plots for added privacy, as well investment.  “If a buyer wanted to, there are parcels that could be developed and sold off while still keeping the property as a very sizable estate,” she says.

    The home theater. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    Talking of size, the home comes with over 12,000 square feet of living space spread over four, elevator-connected floors. The main ground floor includes a spectacular reception room with soaring beamed ceilings, giant wrought iron chandeliers and two 25-foot-high limestone fireplaces, one at each end of the room. An archway leads into the home’s cavernous yet cozy kitchen/dining room/family space with its huge center marble-topped island, professional-grade appliances and stone fireplace.

    This ground floor level also includes the stylish master suite with huge wooden beams, vaulted ceiling and Romanesque stone pillars. Here, you’ll also find a sitting area, dressing room and French doors that open on to a private patio.

    The custom gym occupies the basement level. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    A wood and hand-painted tile staircase leads up to the second floor with three more ensuite bedrooms, each with its own balcony overlooking the grounds. One more elevator ride upwards takes you to a whimsical lookout tower offering 360-degree views all the way to Music City in the distance.

    The cavernous 2,538-square-foot basement area was outfitted by Chesney—often referred to as “the fittest man in country music”—as a state-of-the-art gym. Other stand-out features of the main house include a movie theater with oversized leather recliners, a billiards room and an elegant office with built-ins and arched glass doors leading out on to covered terraces.

    The home features lots of outdoor living areas. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    In total, the home boasts over 3,000 square-feet of covered terraces and walkways, an infinity-edged saltwater pool with a waterfall feature, and a covered outdoor kitchen. “The outdoor spaces are truly exceptional,” explains Wilson. “Because the home sits on a hilltop, the views across the meadows to the large pond are spectacular. There is a real feeling of peace and serenity here.”

    One major addition Chesney made to the home was building a detached four-car stone garage in addition to the existing attached six-car garage. He also added two 500-gallon fuel storage tanks—one for diesel for those tractors, the other for gas for the singer’s car collection.

    Talking about the estate, Stroud describes it as  “a little slice of Tuscany less than 20 miles from downtown Nashville. While there are other large estates in the area, none have this level of character, this kind of architectural style and this much over-engineered quality.”

    Sadly, however, no tractor is included.
    Check out more photos of the home below:

    The main living room. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    The hand-painted tiled staircase. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    The game room. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    The Tuscan-inspired main house. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    A guest bedroom. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis

    The open kitchen. 

    Courtesy Soloman Davis More