Raphael Stevens

More stories

  • 138 Shares199 Views

    in Luxury

    Toni Morrison’s Book-Filled Manhattan Loft Hits the Market for $4.75 Million

    Size: 2,319 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
    Year: 1901
    Architect: Henry Janeway Hardenbergh

    Not all artists and/or intellectuals are starving. Case in point is the lower Manhattan loft of late literary lion Toni Morrison that’s come for sale just over a year after her passing, in August 2019 at 88, with an asking price of $4.75 million. The Nobel Prize winning writer and university professor, whose Pulitzer Prize winning 1987 novel “Beloved” was adapted into a 1998 film of the same name starring Oprah Winfrey, purchased the slightly more than 2,300-square-foot tenth-floor spread, according to tax records, in the early days of 2014 for $3.8 million.
    The loft’s clean-lined and carefully unadorned architecture is softened with gently worn antiques, plush upholstered sofas, an eclectic smattering of artworks and, of course, books, lots and lots of books. The comfortably commodious main living space stretches forty feet from end to end. Just off the main entrance, the kitchen anchors one end of the space, while the other end has a simply designed fireplace as its focal point. The convivial center of the room holds a trestle-style dining table and book-filled bookshelves extend from floor to ceiling. One of the two guest bedrooms was opened up to the living room, and served as Morrison’s library and writing room, while the primary bedroom offers open city views to the north and east, plus a spacious walk-in closet/dressing area and a bathroom with both a deep soaking tub and a glass enclosed shower.
    A glimpse into the home’s airy bedroom.  Brown Harris Stevens

    Built at the turn of the 20th century and known as the Textile Building, the grandiosely embellished Neo-classical building was originally designed as a commercial structure by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, whose other more legendary handiwork includes the Plaza Hotel and the The Dakota apartment house. Restored and refurbished by architects Karl Fischer and Alan Ritchie, and converted to residences in 2001, the full-service, pet-friendly boutique building offers residents a 24-hour attended lobby, a package room with cold storage for grocery deliveries, a fitness center, a library/media room with full kitchen and wet bar, and a 5,000-square-foot landscaped roof terrace. Of course, residents pay dearly for the plethora of premium services; Morrison’s unit carries monthly maintenance charges of $2,350, plus another $2,500-or-so per month in property taxes, according to listings held by Brown Harris Stevens agents Amanda S. Brainerd, Simone Mailman and Gerard Ryan.
    Morrison, who once kept a historic Colonial-style home in Princeton, N.J., where at the time of her passing she served as the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Humanities, Emeritus, at Princeton University, previously owned a duplex apartment at the renowned Police Building on the frenetic border between Soho and Chinatown. Tax records show the “Song of Solomon” author sold the top-floor one-bedroom and 1.5-bath aerie in 2012 to businessman Dane Neller who combined it with a neighboring unit before he flipped the whole kit-and-kaboodle in 2013 for $4.3 million.
    Morrison’s real estate legacy is, however, not so much tied to lower Manhattan or Princeton as it is to a tiny sliver of a community known as Grand View-on-Hudson, about 25 miles north of Manhattan, where in the late 1970s Morrison bought a converted boathouse along the banks of the Hudson River for $120,000. In 1993, a fire destroyed a significant amount of the house and prompted a rebuild of the historic property that now includes a private dock. Tax records indicate the property was transferred to Morrison’s elder son in the months after her death.
    See more photos of the apartment below:
    Brown Harris Stevens

    Brown Harris Stevens

    Brown Harris Stevens

    Brown Harris Stevens More

  • 113 Shares189 Views

    in Luxury

    Incredible 69,000 Square Foot Mega Mansion In Caesarea, Israel

    Rear Exterior & Pool

    LOCATION: Caesarea, Israel
    SQUARE FOOTAGE: 69,000
    BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 4 bedrooms & 7 bathrooms
    PRICE: $73,868,361 USD
    This lavish mega mansion is located in Caesarea, Israel and is owned by billionaire Valery Kogan.

    It features approximately 69,000 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 5 full and 2 half bathrooms, 2-story grand foyer with staircase, formal living & dining rooms, gourmet kitchen, breakfast room, billiards room with wet bar, game room, home theater, indoor swimming pool and much more.
    Outdoor features include a gated entrance, fountain, patio, swimming pool and more.
    It is listed at $73,868,361 USD. More

  • 238 Shares189 Views

    in Luxury

    Home of the Week: Inside the $17 Million London Mansion That Tom Ford Turned Into a Den of Style

    The stately London mansion once owned by fashion icon, perfumier and filmmaker Tom Ford, and with the designer’s stunning interior touches left intact, has just hit the market for $17.4 million.
    While clean and elegant on the outside, the inside of this four-story Victorian is all stainless steel, black glass, striated Macassar wood, and jet-black wall paneling. Sexy doesn’t even come close.

    Ford, who’s credited with reviving the fortunes of Gucci and YSL before launching his own brand in 2006, is believed to have purchased the house in 1997 for £2.55 million—around $4.08 million at the time.

    His exhaustive makeover saw the interior gutted and the Texan designer’s own inimitable style reflected in every room. Back then, the 3,700-square-foot house featured just two bedrooms.
    For Ford, the home’s considerable appeal was no doubt its coveted location in the Boltons, a swank enclave of just 30 sprawling Victorian houses in West London’s A-list Chelsea district.
    The living room.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    Current or former neighbors have included Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, the late David Bowie and George Michael. Rumor has it that the home’s previous owner was Duran Duran keyboard player Nick Rhodes.
    It’s not clear how long Ford and his longtime partner Richard Buckley lived in the house. All we know is that it was listed in 2009 for £8.5 million—roughly $13.3 million.
    The cozy study.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    We suspect that some time between 2009 and 2012, the house sold in an off-market deal, with the new owner adding a third bedroom, but leaving all the fabulous Tom Ford design cues in place.
    Eventually the home was sold in 2014 for £12 million ($18.7 million), with the new owner again electing to leave the Tom Ford design features intact, an homage to the longevity of designer’s creative talents.
    The dining room with its black walls.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    Today, imposing black double gates, under the watchful eyes of a barrage of security cameras, lead to the home’s white stucco-style facade. While photos might give the impression of the double-fronted mansion being free-standing, it’s actually joined to a row of similar-style homes at one side.
    Steps lead up to the single front door and into an entrance lobby with its stunning, alabaster marble open staircase edged with mirror-finished black glass walls. To one side there’s a black-walled, black sofa-filled reception room, on the other an elegant wood-paneled dining room.

    A guest bedroom.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    Large, floor-to-ceiling windows in the reception room look out on to a quiet, serene courtyard that’s hidden away behind towering trees and hedgerows.
    Back inside, stairs descend to the lower ground floor—don’t call it a basement—with its stainless steel and stark white kitchen, ensuite bedroom, compact gym, steam room and wine cellar.
    The primary bedroom with its stainless steel walls and ceiling.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    Now take the stairs—there’s no elevator in the residence—to the second level and there’s a gorgeous Mad Men-style Macassar wood-paneled study on one side and a cozy, gray-paneled guest bedroom on the other.
    You’ll find the true Tom Ford style, however, in the third-floor primary suite with its jaw-dropping bedroom with three walls and even the ceiling, lined in matte stainless steel. It might seem a little strange, sleeping in a steel box, but it works.
    The marble staircase appears to float.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    Across the hallway is the spacious, though uninspiring all-white master bath and the huge dressing area with endless closets, no doubt once filled with those trademark Tom Ford black suits and crisp, white dress shirts.
    Keep heading up the staircase, and you’ll step out on to the vast rooftop deck with views of the London skyline.
    The private courtyard.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank

    Charles Olver, partner and head of sales for listing broker Knight Frank, says the interior of the house gives “an overall sense of being immersed in an exquisite piece of fine art.”
    “With an interior created by none other than one of fashion’s biggest creative names, Tom Ford, perhaps you’d expect nothing less. But still prepare to be blown away,” he adds.
    The home sits in one of London’s best districts.  Photo: Alex Winship/Knight Frank More

  • 113 Shares179 Views

    in Luxury

    $14 Million Newly Built Duplex Penthouse In Atlanta, Georgia

    Foyer

    LOCATION: 3376 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia
    SQUARE FOOTAGE: 8,266
    BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 4 bedrooms & 5 bathrooms
    PRICE: $13,950,000

    This stunning newly built duplex penthouse is situated atop the Waldorf Astoria Buckhead Residences located at 3376 Peachtree Road NE in Atlanta, Georgia.
    It features approximately 8,266 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, foyer with floating staircase, living & dining rooms and a gourmet kitchen.
    It is listed at $13,950,000. More

  • 125 Shares169 Views

    in Luxury

    Ellen DeGeneres Lists Balinese Inspired California Estate For $39.9 Million

    Aerial

    Talk show mogul & comedian Ellen DeGeneres has listed her Balinese inspired California estate for $39.9 million. Located at 2955 E Valley Road in Santa Barbara, Ellen and her wife Portia purchased the property in early 2019 for $27 million. It boasts a main house, guest house and cabana/gym. It features over 10,000 square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, open concept living & dining room, gourmet kitchen, library and more. Outdoor features include a gated entrance, patios, fire pit, koi pond, pickle ball court, infinity pool and more. More

  • 88 Shares169 Views

    in Luxury

    $9.5 Million Home In New Delhi, India

    Front Exterior

    LOCATION: New Delhi, India
    SQUARE FOOTAGE: 10,000
    BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 7 bedrooms & 8 bathrooms
    PRICE: $9,538,214
    This luxurious home is located in New Delhi, India.

    It features approximately 10,000 square feet of living space with 7 bedrooms, 7 full and 1 half bathrooms, 2-story foyer with staircase, formal living & dining rooms, gourmet kitchen and much more. There is also a small guest house that consists of 2 bedrooms, a living room and a kitchenette.
    Outdoor features include a gated entrance, porte-cochere, balcony, patio and fountain.
    It is listed at $9,538,214. More

  • 163 Shares119 Views

    in Luxury

    Rob Lowe Just Sold His Epic Montecito Estate for a Cool $45 Million

    It took a few years, but Rob Lowe has finally managed to offload his majestic Montecito estate for an equally majestic price, as was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The $45.5 million, off-market deal is one of the priciest to ever close in the celeb-studded seaside enclave, and it’s perhaps the largest since 2001, when Oprah Winfrey paid $50 million for her world-famous (and ever-expanding) compound, the so-called “Promised Land” estate.
    The new owners of Lowe’s former residence are healthcare-focused private equity executive Jack McGinley and his wife Julie, who have long been based mainly on the East Coast. But the couple are not new to Montecito, or to record-smashing sale prices, for that matter. Way back in 2012, the couple agreed to pay somewhere around $50 million for a different but no less sumptuous estate that happens to sit right next door to Oprah’s house. But for publicly unknown reasons, that deal collapsed and the mansion, long owned by now-deceased professional sports tycoon Ed Snider, was eventually sold in 2017 for a relatively paltry $35 million to cosmetics mogul Jamie Kern Lima. (The McGinleys instead paid $27.5 million for a smaller Montecito estate; records show that property was quietly sold last month for $27 million to an as-yet-unidentified buyer.)
    Although Lowe initially floated the property on the market for an even $47 million back in 2018, the final sales price is actually well above the $42.5 million that the Parks and Recreation star last asked for the property, which he custom built for his family.

    Known as Oakview, the 10,000 sq. ft. structure is sited on a 3.4-acre lot in a neighborhood filled to the brim with other megamansions, though the Lowe estate is certainly one of the bigger ones around. The East Coast-style construction was inspired by the antebellum architecture that graces the Virginian countryside, and is clad in white clapboard and accented with striking black shutters. Inside, the place was completely tailored for the Lowes by a small army of designers, among them acclaimed architect Don Nulty, who worked in tandem with Feng Shui expert David Cho, while the interiors were done up by designers David Phoenix and Kyle Irwin. The impeccably manicured, park-like grounds were dreamt up by Mark Rios.
    Four Doric columns stand guard in front of a Greek Revival-style portico that features a black coffered door. Inside, the styling follows the same grandiosity as the exterior—albeit with a modern twist. Pure white walls, handsome hardwood floors, bespoke architectural details and recessed lighting can be found throughout the space. The formal living room boasts an oversized traditional-style fireplace with an elaborate, all-white mantle, two eye-catching chandeliers, a series of three motorized pocket glass doors that lead out to the patio and delicate handcrafted moldings. The room is generously spacious and bathed in natural light, thanks to the glass doors.

    The kitchen is luxuriously roomy and offers an oversized island that works overtime as a kitchen prep area, breakfast bar. and a place to house the dishwasher and a proofing oven. The room is lit with a smattering of recessed lights, and by three pendulum lanterns that hang over the island. The kitchen also offers a tongue-and-groove coffered ceiling, plenty of cabinetry, Carrara marble countertops and chef’s grade appliances—including an industrial-sized gas range. Adjoining the breakfast bar, there’s a casual dining area located underneath a modern chandelier.
    On more posh occasions, meals can be taken in the mansion’s formal dining area, a regal space that boasts tastefully coffered walls, custom crown molding, fancy bronze wall sconces and a show-stopping chandelier. For large events, there’s also a secondary catering kitchen located in the basement, connected to the dining room via an old-fashioned dumbwaiter.

    Conveniently, each of the house’s guest and family rooms have their own ensuite bathroom. Several of the upstairs bedrooms have French doors that open up to a huge shared veranda with ocean views, plus ample seating and billiard and ping pong tables. The elegantly subdued master suite is stunning, with an obligatory fireplace, a private balcony, plus plenty of built-in shelving for the avid book collector. There are dual marble bathrooms, and a boutique-style closet/dressing room. Outdoors, an approximately 800-square-foot Greek Revival-style poolside cabana has one bedroom and bathroom, and there’s also a standalone two-bedroom, two-bath guest cottage.
    The grounds of the property are just as magnificent as one would expect, with verdantly lush gardens multiple ancient oaks. Lavender-lined paths lead to all of the luxe al fresco amenities, including a 55-foot swimming pool and a sunken tennis court.
    Check out more photos of the property below: More

  • 200 Shares129 Views

    in Luxury

    Home of the Week: Country Music Superstar Alan Jackson Lists His Nashville Estate for $23 Million

    With its $23 million asking price, you can’t say that country singer Alan Jackson is letting his sprawling Tennessee mansion go for a song.
    If it sells for anywhere close to asking, it’ll be one of the most expensive pads ever sold in both the state and in the celebrity-rich enclave of Franklin, just a line dance away from Nashville, aka Music City USA.
    But the massive hilltop estate is certainly not short of curb appeal. Set on 4.3 private acres and surrounded by 120 more of dense woodland, Sweetbriar sprawls over 22,000 square feet, features five bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms and can garage up to 15 cars.
    Country Music Hall of Famer Jackson—he’s sold more than 75 million records worldwide—and his author wife Denise, originally bought the spread in 2009 for $795,000. They commissioned architect-to-the-country-stars Ron Farris to design the imposing stone residence in a style that Farris describes on his website as “New England Country.”
    The grand entryway and staircase fit for Scarlett O’Hara.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Part of the home’s considerable attraction is its security and privacy. It’s part of the upscale Laurelbrooke community with a 24/7 guarded gate, while the heavily-wooded Jackson estate has its own set of imposing barriers.
    A winding driveway climbs up to a large motorcourt in front of the main house. Inside the foyer, with its rich inlaid wood flooring, is a sweeping wood-and-wrought-iron staircase in front of a towering two-story window.
    Decorated in a very traditional and elegant style, the interior is heavy on beautiful wood floors, paneling and arched windows.
    The kitchen.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    There’s a formal reception room with large fireplace, formal dining room with seating for 10, formal sitting room and what listing agent Rick French of French King Fine Properties describes as “grand public rooms.”
    Less stuffy is the wood-walled TV room with its belly-up bar and the 10-seat movie room.
    The formal reception room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Upstairs, the expansive primary suite features a cloister-ceilinged bedroom with doors leading out to a terrace. There are also dual bathrooms, one with a huge, marble-edged soaking tub with tall French doors that open on to a balcony.
    Outside there’s a pool and pool house, a large expanse of manicured lawn, a paved area around a firepit and a vast, covered, poolside loggia with stone arches and stone fireplace.
    When you want to gaze out on to those surrounding woodlands – of which
    The music room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Jackson is said to own another 84 in the area—the main house also includes a sizable roof-top deck with multiple tables and sun loungers.
    For car lovers, the home’s twin, stone-faced garage buildings will no doubt be a considerable draw. Inside there’s room for around 15 cars in heated and air-conditioned luxury.
    The formal sitting room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Jackson is well-known for his motoring passion. No one knows for sure how many cars he owns, but his eclectic collection is said to include everything from a 1929 Bentley Le Mans and a 1928 Stutz Black Hawk Boattail Speedster to an array of 1970s American muscle cars, an Amphicar and a 1977 Ford Bronco.
    Pride of place in the collection however, goes to a refrigerator-white 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible—the car Jackson bought when he was 15 and took his wife out in on their first date. Seems he later sold the car for a down payment their first home. Denise Jackson surprised him by buying the car back for his birthday.
    The formal dining room.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Before building the Laurelbrooke estate, the Jacksons lived in an 18,600-square-foot, custom-built antebellum mansion on 135 acres in Franklin, also called Sweetbriar, which was supposedly modeled after Tara in Gone With the Wind.
    After first listing that home for $38 million, they sold it to Copart salvage car auction founder, Willis Johnson, for $28 million in 2010.
    There’s no word on where the Jacksons and their three daughters plan to move to when they sell. Just don’t expect it to be too far away from the Grand Old Opry.
    The primary bedroom suite.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The ensuite bathroom.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The secluded pool.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The patio.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    The patio at night.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties

    Sweetbriar is surrounded by forest.  Photo: Courtesy of French/King Fine Properties More