Luxury

Subterms

    More stories

    • 138 Shares109 Views

      in Luxury

      Katharine Hepburn’s Longtime N.YC. Townhouse Hits the Market for $7.2 Million

      by

      A little more than two decades after Katharine Hepburn passed away at age 96, the Hollywood legend’s New York City townhouse has popped up for sale, asking $7.2 million. As first reported by Crain’s New York, Hepburn acquired the five-story spread in the historic Turtle Bay enclave of Manhattan way back in 1931 and lived there until she passed away in 2003; her estate then sold the place around a year later for almost $4 million to the Astoria Property Group, which is linked to a family from Mexico.

      Frequently revered for her “often-imitated voice filled with the vowels of a well-bred New Englander,” Hepburn’s big break came in 1932 with a starring role opposite John Barrymore in A Bill of Divorcement. She went on to appear in 40-plus films throughout her lengthy career, with the Connecticut-born actress receiving four Oscars for her work in Morning Glory, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond. At the time of her death, she also owned a home on Long Island Sound.

      The formal living room has a trio of French doors leading out to a terrace.

      Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Originally built in the late 1890s and since restored and renovated, the structure clocks in at 19 feet wide and features four bedrooms and an equal number of baths spread across just over 4,500 square feet. Touted in marketing materials as the “epitome of New York glamour,” the first floor is highlighted by a stone-tiled entry foyer that flows to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, stone countertops, top-tier appliances, and a built-in breakfast table and banquette. A wine cooler-equipped butler’s pantry connects to the fireside dining room, which spills out to a 1,000-square-foot bi-level flagstone patio and a garden with access to a private park shared by residents of the 20 surrounding townhouses.

      A mirrored vanity Hepburn had installed while she was living in the townhouse remains in the third-floor primary suite.

      Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Holding court on the second floor is a formal living room spotlighted by a marble fireplace and a trio of French doors leading out to a terrace, plus a wet bar and a cozy library/media room. Occupying the third level is a primary suite boasting a fireplace, a walk-in closet/dressing room, an updated bath with dual sinks, a clawfoot soaking tub, and a separate shower, as well as a mirrored vanity that Hepburn herself had installed. Another bedroom currently serves as a seating area and an office, with a wood staircase ascending to a top floor holding two more bedrooms with their own baths and walk-in closets.

      Rounding out the listing, which is held by Lisa Larson of Sotheby’s International Realty, is a basement hosting a wine cellar, a half-bath, a laundry room, and storage space.

      Click here for more photos of Katharine Hepburn’s former Manhattan townhouse.

      Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty More

    • 138 Shares189 Views

      in Luxury

      €25 Million Historic Home For Sale On 48 Acres In France

      by

      Share this home! Listed with Peter Illovsky of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty LOCATION: Mougins, Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur, France SQUARE FOOTAGE: 21,527 BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS: 19 bedrooms & 25 bathrooms PRICE: €25,000,000 This historic home is located in Mougins, Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur, France and is situated on 48 acres of land. It was built in 1912 and […] More

    • 150 Shares169 Views

      in Luxury

      Pee-Wee Herman’s Personal Playhouse in L.A. Could Be Yours for $5 Million

      by

      Ten months after his death at age 70, the Los Angeles estate of actor, comedian, writer, and producer Paul Reubens—best known for his childlike, red bow tie-wearing alter-ego Pee-wee Herman—is available for the first time in almost four decades, asking just under $5 million. Built in the late 1950s and boasting nearly 3,000 square feet of living space, the midcentury ranch house sits atop a promontory in the sought-after Oaks neighborhood of Los Feliz and comes complete with views of the Griffith Park Observatory and the iconic Hollywood Sign from nearly every vantage point.

      A California Institute of the Arts theater student and member of West Coast comedy troupe The Groundlings—where he originated his Pee-wee character in the 1970s—Reubens went on to become a film and TV sensation in the ’80s, starring in The Pee-wee Herman Show, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Big Top Pee-wee, and Pee-wee’s Playhouse. The recipient of a 1988 Hollywood Walk of Fame star, he’s also known for his work on Mystery Men, Blow, and Murphy Brown, the latter of which earned him an Emmy nod.

      Though his image was somewhat tarnished in later years due to a couple of arrests—one for indecent exposure and another for possessing obscene material—he subsequently appeared in a new version of The Pee-wee Herman Show at L.A.’s Club Nokia and on Broadway, as well as the movie Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.

      A glass-lined living room spills out to the backyard.

      Sam Wadieh

      As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, Reubens purchased the home for a mere $415,000 in 1985, at the height of his career, and resided there until he passed away in July 2023. Fully gated and resting at the end of a lengthy private road, the single-story structure is nestled amid a 1.4-acre parcel and features three bedrooms and an equal number of baths, plus restored yet largely original interiors boasting slate floors, wood-beam ceilings, and vintage wallpaper throughout.

      A cozy den is warmed by a massive stone fireplace.

      Sam Wadieh

      Among the highlights are a fireside living room and an adjacent dining area with sliding glass doors leading out to the backyard. A “snazzy” den has a stone fireplace and a wet bar, while a kitchen is outfitted with yellow Formica countertops and an accompanying breakfast nook. There’s also a primary suite appointed with a seating alcove, a separate dressing area, and a bath that opens to an enclosed patio Reubens built to protect his cat Koko from the surrounding wildlife, along with two guest bedrooms that share a bath.

      Reubens used to entertain friends at this al fresco barbecue area.

      Sam Wadieh

      In addition to a swimming pool and a spa, the park-like grounds are laced with more than 100 varieties of native shrubs and trees and host a barbecue area, a pergola-shaded lounging spot, a cactus garden, walking trails, and a waterfall that flows into a pond. An added bonus: a concrete patio sporting actual handprints signed by the likes of the comic’s friend and actress Debi Mazar.

      In another celebrity-related connection, Reubens’s estate is also sited near two adjacent homes owned by Emmy-winning actress and stand-up comedian Sarah Silverman—one she bought nearly four years ago for $3.5 million and another she just picked up for $2.1 million.

      The listing is held by Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Paul Reubens’s house.

      Sam Wadieh More

    • 125 Shares129 Views

      in Luxury

      Jessica Chastain’s Musically Pedigreed N.Y.C. Apartment Is Up for Grabs

      by

      After roughly nine years of ownership, Jessica Chastain has decided to let go of her New York City apartment in Midtown’s flamboyant Osborne building, overlooking Carnegie Hall. As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the veteran actress and producer is asking $7.45 million for the residence, which was once owned by legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. The listing is held by Ellen Kapit and Cathy Taub of Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Records show the Zero Dark Thirty star and her longtime husband, Italian fashion executive Gian Luca Pasi De Preposulo, paid Tony-winning composer Adam Guettel $5.1 million in 2015 for the 3,800-square-foot unit sited on the fourth floor of the 19th-century co-op, which is heralded as one of the city’s first major luxury apartment structures. Before that, the dwelling was occupied by Bernstein and his family from the 1950s to the early ’60s; a smaller rented place on a floor below is where he wrote the score for West Side Story.

      Originally designed by architect James E. Ware, the landmark 1800s building had an annex tacked on several decades later.

      Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

      Renovated by the couple during their tenure in collaboration with the design firm Carrier and Company, the four-bedroom, four-bath condo features numerous period details paired with newer touches like ornate wall coverings customized with Ralph Lauren fabrics. Highlights include a particularly eye-catching living room bedecked with oak parquet floors, restored mahogany paneling, plaster crown molding, carved doorways and windows, a vintage chandelier, a wood-burning fireplace, and a “very special” bay window sporting leaded glass transoms crafted by Tiffany Studios.

      RELATED: Baz Luhrmann Just Relisted His Dramatic N.Y.C. Townhouse for $16 Million

      From there, pocketing doors open to reveal a fireside parlor, a formal dining room flaunts lacquered wainscoting and built-in window seats, and an eat-in kitchen is outfitted with quarter-sawn oak cabinetry, a rolling ladder, a colorful butcher block-topped island, and high-end appliances. An inviting primary bedroom displays a copper-clad soaking tub and a wall of mirrored closets, as well as a tiled bath equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area, and a walk-in shower; and elsewhere are two more bedrooms and a full bath, plus another bedroom that’s been converted into a bookshelf-lined library.

      The sage-hued living room is spotlighted by a bay window sporting leaded glass transoms crafted by Tiffany Studio.

      Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

      The star’s unit also comes with plenty of amenities courtesy of a hefty $7,000 monthly HOA fee, including 24/7 doormen, a resident building manager, storage spaces, a newly renovated gym, and a landscaped roof terrace with city and Central Park views.

      Per WSJ, the 47-year-old California native is reportedly selling because her family, which includes two children, needs more space. Good thing she already owns a spacious brownstone on the Upper West Side that she bought for $8.8 million back in 2019, as well as a waterfront getway on New York’s Shelter Island.

      Click here for more photos of Jessica Chastain’s N.Y.C. apartment.

      Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty More

    • 113 Shares189 Views

      in Luxury

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

      by

      A little over 12 years after it last sold to its current owners Tim and Trisha Johnson for nearly $1.6 million, a recently revamped home in an affluent Chicago suburb nestled along Lake Michigan’s North Shore has once again popped up for sale. But this time you’ll need a bit more cash to pick up the keys to the lavish Georgian-style spread, which is now listed for a speck under $5.2 million.

      Tucked away behind a wrought-iron gate amid a tree-lined street in East Winnetka, the mansion was built in 1921 but underwent an extensive renovation and expansion in 2018. And if you’re thinking the place looks a tad familiar, it might be due to its starring role in Home Alone, the film that became a big hit way back in 1990 and has since morphed into a classic. On camera, the upscale estate portrayed the home of 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who was accidentally left behind by his family while they traveled to Paris for the holidays and had to fend off two bumbling burglars known as the Wet Bandits.

      A fireplace serves as a centerpiece of the formal living room.

      Dawn McKenna Group/Coldwell Banker Realty

      Described in the listing held by Coldwell Banker Realty’s Dawn McKenna Group as a “rare opportunity to own one of the most iconic movie residences in American pop culture,” the stately red brick structure features five bedrooms and six baths in a little more than 9,100 square feet of multi-level living space decked out with its share of modern amenities.

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

      Among the many main-level highlights is a grand entry foyer that flows to a formal dining room on one side and a fireside living room on the other. From there, a family room rests beneath a coffered ceiling and has French doors spilling out to a screened porch warmed by a wood-burning fireplace, and an adjacent gourmet kitchen is outfitted with dual islands, top-tier Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, a walk-in pantry, and an accompanying breakfast nook with a built-in banquette.

      The finished basement hosts an indoor sports court.

      Dawn McKenna Group/Coldwell Banker Realty

      An office space, a cozy den, and a mud room also can be found on the bottom floor, while an upstairs primary suite boasts a fireplace, a walk-in closet, and a marble-clad bath equipped with dual vanities, a freestanding soaking tub, and a separate shower. There’s also a former attic space that now holds a guest bedroom with its own bath, while the finished basement comes complete with a lounge area, a wet bar-equipped game room, a movie theater, a gym, and an indoor sports court featuring a true 3-point line.

      RELATED: Martha Stewart Just Picked Up a $12.3 Million Condo at an Iconic N.Y.C. Building

      Rounding out this over-the-top listing are the grassy grounds, which span just over a half-acre and host a hot tub, as well as a wood deck ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. An attached and heated three-car garage and an additional parking bay also can be found on the premises.

      Click here for more photos of the Home Alone house.

      Dawn McKenna Group/Coldwell Banker Realty More

    • 175 Shares169 Views

      in Luxury

      Jane Seymour’s Former Country Estate in the U.K. Hits the Market for $15.9 Million

      by

      Back in the ’80s, when Jane Seymour was filming the British TV movie Jamaica Inn, the actress stumbled upon St. Catherine’s Court—a historic mansion in Bath dating back to the 1500s. Shortly after, the former Bond girl and her then-husband, David Flynn, purchased the palatial pad together and put the place through an extensive renovation. Later, when Seymour remarried director James Keach, the couple rented the residence out as a film set, recording studio, and wedding venue. Since coming into new ownership in 2007, the estate has recently been put up for sale with Savills for a cool £12.5 million (or about $15.9 million). 

      “Now restored to its former glory, St. Catherine’s Court not only represents a wonderfully idiosyncratic family home, but one that is equipped to entertain on a truly grand scale,” says Ed Sugden with Savills Country Department. And the home has more celeb ties than just Seymour. In the ‘90s, the abode was occupied by The Cure, and, in fact, it’s where the cult-favorite gothic rock band recorded their albums Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers. The studio was also a creative hub for Radiohead, who recorded most of their album OK Computer here. 

      RELATED: A Historic UK Palace That Starred in James Bond Just Listed for $93.4 Million

      St. Catherine’s Court in Bath, the former home of British actress Jane Seymour, is up for sale.

      Savills

      Originally constructed for the monks of Bath Abbey, the compound comprises a Grade II-listed manor house, a three-bedroom cottage, a five-bedroom lodge house, and a 15th-century tithe barn. Set on 14 acres, the protected grounds are listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and have even been praised by acclaimed English landscape architect Gertrude Jekyll. In addition to a 20th-century orangery, there’s a tennis court and two stabling blocks. 

      Altogether, the main house comprises 11 bedrooms and seven bathrooms in a whopping 19,000 square feet of living space. The decadent digs are decked out with ornate plasterwork ceilings, Jacobean woodwork, ancient oak floors, and stately stone fireplaces. Some of the standout spaces include a formal dining room with an impressive carved frieze and a drawing room that doubles as a movie theater, as well as a wine room and a library. 

      RELATED: A Restored U.K. Townhouse on Bath’s Most Prized Street Lists for $6.2 Million

      The centuries-old home has been restored and updated throughout the years.

      Savills

      “Both charming and imposing, St. Catherine’s Court and its gardens are set within a stunningly beautiful hidden valley that leaves one spellbound,” says Ed Sugden with Savills Country Department. “Offering the chance to own a fascinating slice of history, this creative and truly exceptional manor house provides a sense of privacy, peace, and seclusion that belies its location within such easy reach of Bath.” 

      Click here to see more photos of St. Catherine’s Court.  

      Savills

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

      Read More More