Raphael Stevens

More stories

  • 163 Shares159 Views

    in Luxury

    Russell Brand’s Hacienda-Style Hideaway in L.A. Just Hit the Market for $3.5 Million

    Back in fall 2019, Russell Brand plunked down $3 million and change for a hacienda-style hideaway in Los Angeles. Now the British comedian and actor who appeared in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek has decided to offload his secluded property after nearly five years of ownership, with the price tag set at $3.5 million.

    Hidden away behind a gated driveway, amid a half-acre parcel of land nestled within the celeb-studded Outpost Estates neighborhood of Hollywood Hills, the creamy stucco and terracotta-roof structure was originally built back in the 1950s. Since renovated, the three-bedroom, five-bath home offers 3,500 square feet of two-level living space boasting hardwood floors, vaulted wood-beam ceilings, picture windows, and skylights throughout.

    Though images aren’t available, the listing shows a tiled entry foyer that flows to a light-filled living room displaying a wood-burning fireplace tucked into the corner and two sets of pocketing glass doors opening to a covered al fresco dining terrace. An adjacent dining area connects to the “charming” eat-in kitchen, which is outfitted with wood cabinetry and a patterned tile backsplash.

    RELATED: A Horror Filmmaker’s Former L.A. Home Just Hit the Market for $4.2 Million

    Upstairs, the primary suite has a fireplace, a private balcony, and an updated bath with dual vanities, a built-in spa tub, and a shower; and the fully fenced grounds host a swimming pool, an outdoor shower, several seating areas, meandering pathways, and a meditation hut. There’s also a detached carport flanked by a motorcourt, plus a separate kitchenette-equipped guest unit that rests alongside a fountain-clad courtyard.

    Brand, who was recently baptized amid rape and sexual assault claims made by multiple women, has owned other homes in the Hollywood Hills through the years. During his short marriage to Katy Perry, the couple paid $6.5 million for a Mediterranean-style compound that they never even moved into before selling it at a million-dollar loss to Las Vegas-based businessman Lorenzo Doumani. Brand also once owned the former castle-like home of Laurence Olivier, which he sold some years ago.

    It’s no secret that Outpost Estates has long been a favored residential enclave for celebrities. Besides Brand, homeowners have included Orlando Bloom, whose former black-painted mansion is currently on the market for $5 million, as well as Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy, Bob Barker, Winona Ryder, Shaun White, and Charlize Theron. More

  • 125 Shares189 Views

    in Luxury

    Helen Hunt Just Scored Another L.A. Home for $6.45 Million

    Though she already owns one home on the west side of Los Angeles, Helen Hunt has plumped up her real estate portfolio yet again with another residence. Records show the Oscar-winning actress, who’s probably most known for her TV and film roles in Mad About You, As Good As It Gets, What Women Want, and Twister, recently picked up the keys to a charming lodge-style residence in a prime pocket of Brentwood for a substantial $1 million off the asking price.

    Hunt paid serial entrepreneur Spencer Rascoff $6.45 million for her newly acquired property, which was purchased by the Zillow co-founder and former CEO back in late 2020 for $5.7 million—or $1 million more than Zillow’s estimated market value at the time.

    Built in the early 1950s and updated in the years since, the stone-clad structure rests on a leafy parcel of land spanning a little more than a quarter of an acre and is fronted by an attached two-car garage tucked off to the side and a gated pathway that travels across a footbridge spanning a flowing stream before emptying out at the custom-carved front doors. Out back is a lagoon-style swimming pool.

    Once inside, the three-bedroom, four-bath spread offers almost 3,250 square feet of single-level living space adorned throughout with hardwood floors, vaulted wood-beam ceilings dotted with skylights, and French doors in almost every room. The open concept floor plan is highlighted by a family room with sliding glass doors spilling out to a trellis-covered patio warmed by a fireplace.

    An adjacent fireside dining area connects to the kitchen, which is outfitted with a breakfast bar and newer stainless appliances, including a snazzy glass-front Sub-Zero refrigerator. There also are formal dining and living rooms, as well as an inviting primary suite flaunting a fireplace, a walk-in closet, and a tiled bath equipped with dual vanities and a combination tub and shower.

    Hunt, who once owned a Hollywood Hills mansion now owned by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, still maintains a roughly 4,200-square-foot home in the same Brentwood neighborhood that she purchased for $4.6 million in 2001, as well as a home in Hawaii that she paid $3.7 million for in 2006. As for Rascoff, the co-founder of Hotwire.com, Zillow, dot.LA, Pacaso, and Supernova, he still lays claim to a $19.7 million Brentwood mansion that’s a few doors down from the place he just sold to Hunt. More

  • 175 Shares199 Views

    in Luxury

    Holy Smoke! An Ultra-Cool ‘Batcave’ in Chicago Just Hit the Market for $2.5 Million

    When you come across a house that’s been fashioned by a duo of creative geniuses and has been given a spiffy nickname of the Batcave, you have an inkling that it’s going to showcase an innovative mix of stylish living space rife with some intriguing details. And this particularly eye-catching structure in Chicago that’s now on the market for $2.5 million certainly is not one to disappoint.

    Converted from a 1920s bow truss warehouse into a live-work space around 2014 by interior designer and American Dream Builders reality TV show winner Lukas Machnik and his artist partner Lonney White, the modern residence oozes sex appeal from the start. Think a striking industrial-esque brick facade that offers just a hint of the unexpected lusciousness that’s yet to come.

    Found in Chicago’s historic McKinley Park neighborhood, just southwest of the Loop, the gated dwelling features three bedrooms and five baths in 7,400 square feet of curated, monochromatic living space boasting an artist studio, private office spaces, and an open floor plan geared largely toward entertaining. And if the place looks familiar, that might be because it’s been featured in the TV show The Chi and also has been used in photoshoots for Vogue x Virgil Abloh and GQ + CB2 collabs. The home even went viral recently on Instagram, receiving over 16 million views!

    A moody banquet room lined with black venetian plaster is set up with a black-stained oak table.

    Janet Mesic Mackie

    RELATED: This $5.2 Million Illinois Mansion Starred in ‘Home Alone’

    Introducing it all is a frosted-glass front door that opens into a barrel-ceilinged banquet room clad in black venetian plaster. Down its center is a long, white oak table that’s been stained black, while built-in cabinetry sports steel doors and countertops. Directly off the foyer are several offices, as well as a meeting area, a wet bar-equipped lounge, a powder room, and a side entrance to the driveway.

    From there, a chic great room accommodates the living, dining, and kitchen areas. The dining room connects to a streamlined kitchen, which is outfitted with a spacious waterfall-edge island topped with flamed granite, two sinks with matte black faucets, concealed appliances, and a fully equipped caterer’s kitchen tucked around the corner.

    RELATED: This Chicago Home Had a Cameo in ‘The Bear.’ Now It Can Be Yours for $2.2 Million

    An art-laced living room opens via NanaWall glass doors to an enclosed terrace and a hedge-lined yard.

    Janet Mesic Mackie

    A 16-foot painting done by one of the owners hangs in the living room, which has a 40-foot expanse of NanaWall folding glass doors spilling out to an al fresco lounge and dining space with a fire pit and a hedge-lined yard hosting a gazebo beyond. Back inside, a huge set of double doors slide open to reveal a showroom-style garage that not only can be used to display a vehicle but also doubles as an event space, along with an adjacent studio workspace.

    Upstairs is a screening room that overlooks the bottom level and a guest bedroom with access to a full bath, plus a primary suite flaunting a seating area, a walk-in closet, and a huge bath featuring a custom floating Corian sink with two faucets, a seamless shower, and a deep soaking tub. Per Eugene Fu of Christie’s International Real Estate, who shares the listing with Catherine Caravette of CRE Advising, the future superhero owner also has the power to acquire all the furnishings and artwork at an additional cost. POW!

    Click here for more photos of the Batcave.

    Janet Mesic Mackie More

  • 150 Shares129 Views

    in Luxury

    ‘House of Cards’ Composer Jeff Beal Lists SoCal Estate for $4 Million

    Though he’s not exactly a household name, you’ve likely come across the handiwork of Jeff Beal—most notably, the scores to numerous films and TV shows like House of Cards, Pollock, Carnivàle, Rome, and Monk. The five-time Emmy-winning composer and instrumentalist was the guy behind these and many other tunes, most of which were recorded within the walls of this Tuscan-style home that just hit the market in the Los Angeles suburb of Agoura Hills for a speck over $4 million, or around $2 million more than he and his wife Joan paid for the place back in 2010.

    Nestled amid an acre-plus parcel of land, the golden-hued stucco and terracotta-roof structure was built in 2007 and has an attached four-car garage tucked off to the side. Elaborate rock-lined steps out front empty out at a lengthy porch and double wood entry doors.

    RELATED: Tom Petty’s Longtime SoCal Home Just Popped Up for Sale at $19 Million

    Many of Beal’s compositions were recorded in the great room, which has acoustically compatible 12-foot ceilings, stone floors, and the required technical systems.

    Sergii Dolgyi for Sotheby’s International Realty;

    Once inside, five bedrooms and an equal number of baths are spread across nearly 5,800 square feet of Old World-style living space on two levels, which is accented throughout with a mix of stone and hardwood floors, chiseled wood-beam ceilings, columns, arched doorways, detailed ironwork, and five fireplaces.

    Highlights include a double-height foyer that flows to a spacious great room hosting a combined living and dining area with access to a covered al fresco lounging and entertaining terrace warmed by a fireplace. A cozy family room sits adjacent to the country-style kitchen, which comes complete with custom cabinetry, granite countertops, top-tier Viking appliances, an eat-in island, and a built-in work station.

    A spacious and well-appointed, country-style kitchen connects to the fireside family room.

    Sergii Dolgyi for Sotheby’s International Realty;

    A secluded primary suite on the main level has dual closets and a massive bath equipped with two vanities, a fireside spa tub, and a large glass-encased shower. Elsewhere in the house are an office and a wine room; and outdoors, the backyard has raised planter beds and several areas geared especially toward relaxing, including an oak tree-shaded hammock nestled alongside a spot that’s perfect for enjoying a glass of wine.

    Per the listing, which is held by Linda Rich of Sotheby’s International Realty–Westlake Village Brokerage, there also are blueprint plans for a pool and spa, plus a fully owned solar system.

    Click here for more photos of Jeff Beal’s Agoura Hills house.

    Sergii Dolgyi for Sotheby’s International Realty More

  • 200 Shares139 Views

    in Luxury

    Marsha Mason’s Former Farm Hits the Market, Quinta Brunson Buys and Sells, and More Celebrity Deals

    Published on July 30, 2024

    Mediakingsmen for Sotheby’s International Realty; Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

    Back in the early 1990s, a few years after her decade-long marriage to playwright Neil Simon had ended in divorce, Golden Globe-winning actress Marsha Mason packed up and left Hollywood and a movie career she never planned. The Goodbye Girl star went on to dole out around $1 million for a 247-acre estate in rural New Mexico and started a business specializing in organic medicinal herbs. Mason eventually wound up selling the place in early 2014 for $6.2 million and moved to the New York area to focus on theater work. But now Mason’s old farm has popped back up for sale at $16 million, with the listing held by Laurie Hilton of Sotheby’s International Realty-Santa Fe Brokerage.
    Resting along the banks of the Rio Chama River, about 57 miles north of Santa Fe, Abiquiu Valley Farm features a 6,500-square-foot main home designed by noted architect Theodore Waddell, plus a 3500-square-foot guesthouse. There’s also a large special-events facility with a kitchen and two apartments and equestrian facilities boasting a 10-stall Morton barn and a sandy outdoor dressage area, as well as the state’s only Demeter-certified Biodynamic organic farm producing medicinal herbs, alfalfa, and other forage crops.
    In addition to a central atrium, the primary dwelling is highlighted by a spacious great room with dual fireplaces; a handsome bookshelf-lined library; a formal dining room that connects to a gourmet kitchen; and a primary suite hosting tiled baths.

    Image Credit: Mediakingsmen for Sotheby’s International Realty

    The three-bedroom, five-bath guesthouse has a central courtyard, an open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area, and two separate casitas surrounded by gardens. A riverfront bosque and a fly-fishing pond also can be found amid the grounds, which overlook the scenic Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

    Colin Farrell’s Onetime L.A. Home Is Up for Grabs at $2.8 Million

    Image Credit: Taryn for Engel Studios; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

    It’s been almost five years since Colin Farrell sold his home in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles for $1.3 million. Now the Irish actor’s charming Tudor Revival-style residence has once again popped up for sale, this time asking a speck under $2.8 million. The listing is held by Penelope Stipanovich of The Agency Beverly Hills and New York.
    Known as “Treetop Lodge,” the restored 1920s structure is tucked away behind walls and gates and has four bedrooms and three baths in a little more than 2,700 square feet of multi-level living space displaying dark hardwood floors, high ceilings, arched doorways, stained glass, and steel casement windows.

    Image Credit: Taryn for Engel Studios

    Other highlights include a living room sporting a brick wood-burning fireplace flanked by built-in shelving and a gourmet kitchen decked out with custom cabinetry, marble countertops, Wolf and Fisher & Paykel appliances, and an accompanying breakfast nook offering up views of the iconic Hollywood Sign.
    The primary suite has dual walk-in closets and a luxe bath spotlighted by a soaking tub, while a basement space currently serves as an artist’s studio and the oak-laced grounds host meandering pathways, a hot tub, and an oversized two-car garage.
    Per Architectural Digest, Farrell currently maintains a $5.9 million estate in the Los Feliz neighborhood of L.A. that was once owned by Oscar-winning Hollywood film director Frank Lloyd, as well as a rustic cabin retreat in California’s scenic Mammoth Lakes community that he acquired for $1.3 million in spring 2023.

    Quinta Brunson Buys and Sells in L.A.

    Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

    Now that she’s recently upgraded to a snazzy $7.9 million Hollywood Hills mansion that was once owned by DJ Calvin Harris, Quinta Brunson unsurprisingly has no need for her other more modest digs in the suburban San Fernando Valley community of Valley Village. So, the Abbott Elementary Star has unsurprisingly put the midcentury-modern abode she paid $1.5 million for back in late 2021 on the market.
    Brunson is asking $1.65 million for the updated 1960s house, which weighs in at almost 2,200 square feet and has four bedrooms and three baths. A grassy lawn, redwood fence, and decorative two-car garage front the single-story structure, which is highlighted by a vaulted and sky-lit courtyard leading to double front doors.
    Once inside, a spacious great room features the original floating fireplace and glass sliders leading outdoors, and an adjacent dining area connects to an eat-in kitchen with high-end stainless appliances. A separate wing holds a primary suite flaunting a bath with dual vanities and a glass-encased shower, with the landscaped grounds hosting a pool flanked by a sundeck and a pergola ideal for al fresco entertaining.
    Brunson isn’t the only Abbott Elementary star that’s snagged new L.A. digs. While she was purchasing her Hollywood Hills retreat in July, fellow cast member Lisa Ann Walter was busy picking up Veep and Arrested Development actor Tony Hale’s “cozy, sit-by-the-fire refuge” in Studio City for $2.6 million.

    Joel Madden, Nicole Richie are Selling Their Beverly Hills Estate

    Image Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

    Following in the footsteps of his Good Charlotte bandmate and twin brother Benji Madden—who with his actress wife Cameron Diaz just hoisted their sprawling Beverly Hills compound up for sale at $17.8 million—Joel Madden and his spouse Nicole Richie also have put their nearby 90210 spread in a celeb-studded gated community on the market for a tad under $13 million, or around $2.8 million more than they paid back in spring 2021.
    Described in the listing as a “Taste of Paris meets Beverly Hills,” the four-bedroom, six-bath home offers 6,100 square feet of stylish Simo Design living space introduced via a double-height entry foyer displaying a curving staircase. From there, the fireside living and family rooms and eat-in kitchen all have doors that open to al fresco spaces.
    Another family room could easily be converted into a screening room, while a glass-lined primary suite features a fireplace, a seating area, a gallery hallway, a walk-in closet, and a marble-clad bath warmed by yet another fireplace. There’s also not just one but two laundry rooms, along with an attached three-car garage and ocean-view grounds hosting a pool and spa.

    Patricia Wettig, Ken Olin Put Venice Home on the Market for $5 Million

    Image Credit: Tara Ziemba/Getty Images

    Married actors Patricia Wettig and Ken Olin have officially listed their longtime home in L.A.’s seaside community of Venice for a smidge under $5 million. The couple—probably most known for their roles on the Golden Globe-winning TV series thirtysomething, which ran from 1987 to 1991—paid $4.5 million for the Scandinavian-inspired digs nearly five years ago.
    Built in 2017 and designed by Hawaii-based Peter Vincent Architects, the sleek black and wood-accented structure rests on a gated corner parcel and has four bedrooms and an equal number of baths in 3,820 square feet of two-level living space. There’s also a detached two-car garage topped by a guest suite with a Murphy bed and bath.
    On the main level, a family room is highlighted by a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass doors spilling out to lush grounds filled with a fountain-clad courtyard, a plunge pool, a fire pit, and a barbecue station. A dining area adjoins the chef’s kitchen, which is furnished with steel and glass cabinetry, an eat-in island, a pricey Lacanche range, and a wine fridge-equipped pantry, with a floating steel staircase heading to an upstairs primary retreat holding a spa-like bath with dual vanities, a soaking tub, and a rainfall shower. More

  • 138 Shares99 Views

    in Luxury

    Rob Lowe Is Seeking $6.6 Million for His Beverly Hills Home

    Back in late 2020, Rob Lowe sold his lavish Montecito estate in an off-market deal to private equity tycoon Jack McGinley for $45.5 million. The West Wing and 9-1-1: Lone Star actor and his longtime wife Sheryl Berkoff subsequently went on a pricey real estate buying spree, forking over a total of $18.2 million for two more homes in the same coastal California enclave—one of which was sold in 2022 for $14.9 million—and doling out an additional $3.75 million for a luxe crash pad in Los Angeles.

    As first reported by Realtor.com, the last-mentioned residence in the sought-after Franklin Canyon neighborhood of Beverly Hills has now returned to the market, asking a smidge under $6.6 million. The listing is held by Tomer Fridman and Jacob Steagall of Compass.

    An open-concept living, dining, and kitchen space flows out to a covered al fresco entertaining balcony.

    Ryan Lahiff

    RELATED: J.Lo and Ben Affleck Officially List Their L.A. Home for $68 Million

    Originally built in the 1950s but extensively renovated in the years since, the modern stucco structure rests on a walled and gated hillside parcel spanning less than a quarter of an acre and features four bedrooms and five bathrooms in almost 3,000 square feet of two-level living space boasting a mix of stone and wide-plank oak floors, vaulted wood-beam ceilings, and large windows offering plenty of natural light.

    A second covered outdoor living space, this one with a fireplace and TV, sits off the lower-level family room.

    Ryan Lahiff

    Especially standing out is a fireside living room that connects to a glass-lined dining area with steel-framed French doors spilling out to a shaded balcony ideal for al fresco entertaining. Back inside, an adjacent kitchen is outfitted with custom ebony-hued cabinetry, stone countertops, an eat-in peninsula, and top-tier stainless appliances.

    The private backyard holds a putting green nestled alongside a fire-pit conversation area.

    Ryan Lahiff

    RELATED: Josh Radnor Sells in L.A., Anthony Rapp Relists in Manhattan, and More Celebrity Deals

    Other highlights include a mirrored gym, a wine cellar, and a bar-equipped family room that opens to a covered terrace warmed by a fireplace, plus a primary suite that comes complete with a walk-in closet and a sky-lit bath sporting dual vanities, a soaking tub, and a glassy two-person shower.

    Rounding it all out is the landscaped backyard, which hosts a pool and spa surrounded by a sundeck, as well as a fire pit with built-in seating and a putting green.

    Click here for more photos of Rob Lowe’s house.

    Ryan Lahiff More

  • 188 Shares139 Views

    in Luxury

    Ben Affleck Just Paid $20.5 Million for a Cliff May-Designed Equestrian Spread in Los Angeles

    Seemingly rare are the Tinseltown romances that play out like they do in those endearingly sappy Hallmark movies. Case in point: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, who recently split after nearly two years of marriage. The result? A rumored divorce, along with the inevitable sale of the 38,000-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion the once-happy A-Listers shared for a little more than a year.

    Affleck has nonetheless trudged on residentially, with the California-born actor and filmmaker first hanging out in a $100,000-per-month rental near his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their teen-aged children and now picking up Los Angeles digs in the horse-friendly Sullivan Canyon community on the border of Brentwood and Pacific Palisades, right next door to a home owned by another Hollywood legend, Diane Keaton.

    The creamy stucco, stone, and terracotta-roof home is fronted by a stone-paved motor court and an attached three-car garage.

    Tyler Hogan

    Records show Affleck doled out $20.5 million for his new estate, which is roughly $16 million more than previous owners David Calvert-Jones, the Australian-born nephew of billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and his wife Karina paid for the property back in early 2010. Before that, it was owned for almost five decades by Hollywood actress and activist Maxine Cooper and her Oscar-nominated producer and screenwriter husband, Sy Gomberg.

    Originally built and designed in the early 1940s by noted architect Cliff May, the equestrian property underwent an extensive renovation and expansion during the Calvert-Joneses tenure in collaboration with architect Steve Giannetti and interior designer Kelly Harmon and includes a five-bedroom, five-bath house featuring roughly 6,200 square feet of split-level living space.

    A fireside living room with a vaulted wood-beam ceiling flows to the outdoor gardens.

    Tyler Hogan

    Nestled amid a cul-de-sac parcel spanning nearly two-thirds of an acre within the Riviera Ranch enclave that May developed, the walled and gated structure is known as Paradise Found and highlighted by a fireside living area that doubles as a screening room and a formal dining room accessible via pocketing wood doors. Also standing out is a gourmet kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island, top-tier stainless appliances, and a glass-lined breakfast nook, as well as a family room, a private office space, and a primary suite boasting a fireside sitting area and a luxe bath with dual vanities, a built-in soaking tub, and a separate shower.

    Yet more amenities can be found outdoors, where the garden-laced grounds are spotlighted by a central courtyard hosting a pool and spa flanked by an open-air cabana, along with several spots that are ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a two-story detached guesthouse, horse stables, and an attached three-car garage resting beside a spacious cobblestone motor court.

    Set on nearly two-thirds of an acre, the property includes a structure where you can keep your horses.

    Tyler Hogan

    In addition to his just-purchased Brentwood pad, Affleck also lays claim to a secluded riverfront country estate in Georgia that he picked up in 2003, back when he and Lopez coupled up the first time around. It was here that the erstwhile couple held a lavish wedding celebration in 2022. As for Lopez, who has been spotted looking at homes in L.A. for the past couple of months, she recently sold a duplex penthouse in New York for $25 million and still owns a Hamptons estate she paid $10 million for more than a decade ago. More