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    A Couple of Pop Culture Icons Just Sold Their Hollywood Hills Villa for $7.8 Million

    Almost two years after John Taylor and Gela Nash-Taylor first put their Los Angeles home up for sale at nearly $13 million and subsequently reduced the price to just under $9 million, the bassist and founding member of the British new-wave band Duran Duran and his longtime wife, co-creator of the fashion label Juicy Couture, have officially offloaded their 1930s Spanish-style villa in the Outpost Estates neighborhood of Hollywood Hills.

    Records show an as-yet-unnamed buyer has paid $7.8 million for the stylishly revamped residence, which is around $6 million more than the couple doled out for the place back in fall 1999, not too long after they were married. Daria Greenbaum of Compass held the listing, with Steve Frankel and Leah Lail of Coldwell Banker repping the buyer.

    The chapel-like living room features a large stone fireplace and Juliet balcony overlooking the city.

    David Fitzgerald

    RELATED: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Co-Host Julianne Hough Is Seeking $8 Million for Her L.A. Home

    Originally built in 1931 and extensively renovated by the couple during their tenure, the towering white stucco and terracotta-roof structure is tucked away behind gates on a hillside parcel spanning over a third of an acre. Inside, four bedrooms and seven baths are spread across roughly 6,200 square feet of three-level living space boasting a mix of tile, stone, and hardwood floors paired with soaring wood-beam ceilings.

    An arcade entryway travels to the hand-carved wood front door, which opens into a circular entry foyer dressed in hexagon-shaped black tile. From there, a spacious living room is spotlighted by a massive wood-burning stone fireplace and French doors opening to a Juliet balcony, while a formal dining room overlooking a fountain-clad patio seats up to 14. A butler’s pantry connects to the sleekly designed kitchen, which is decked out with cobalt blue cabinetry, veined-marble backsplash and countertops, a pricey Lacanche range, and a nearby breakfast room.

    A fireside den and library comes with custom bookshelves and French doors leading to the backyard.

    David Fitzgerald

    RELATED: This 1940s R.M. Schindler Home in Hollywood Hills Is Back on the Market for $3.3 Million

    A curving, iron-railed staircase passes by stained-glass windows on its way upstairs, where the lavish primary suite flaunts a seating area, two generous-sized closets, and a fireside bath equipped with dual console sinks, a dressing area, and an oversized soaking tub. An en-suite guest bedroom can also be found on this floor, while a turreted space with views spanning from Downtown L.A. to the ocean is currently being used as a gym.

    On the lower level, a gallery with a water feature steps down to a bookshelf-lined den and library sporting a fireplace topped with a big-screen TV. Several sets of French doors spill out to the picturesque grounds, which are laced with palms, gardens, and fountains and host a pool and spa nestled beside an open-air cabana with a barbecue and kitchen setup, a fireplace, and an alfresco dining space, as well as a seated bar and a built-in stone banquette warmed by a fire pit.

    Click here for more photos of the Hollywood Hills residence.

    David Fitzgerald

    Authors

    Wendy Bowman

    Wendy Bowman is a real estate writer at Robb Report. Before that, she was a freelancer for Modern Luxury and several other media outlets, where she primarily covered luxury properties for…

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    Inside Graham Norton’s $2.6 Million Country Home in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley

    If you’re looking for a lovingly restored home with deep ties to art, history, and pop culture, this 245-year-old residence in a tranquil, celebrity-loved enclave just a few miles north of New York City might be just the ticket.

    The four-bedroom, four-bath residence in Snedens Landing (a.k.a. Palisades) was built all the way back in 1780 by Joshua Martin, and it’s believed to have been an office for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. More recently, the photographer Judy Tomkins lived in the home for more than 60 years, hosting friends like Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Julia Child. Tax records show Tomkins sold up in 2017 for $1.6 million to the current owner, Irish comedian and TV presenter Graham Norton, along with his husband, Scottish documentarian Jono McLeod. Now back up for sale with an asking price of $2.6 million, Richard Ellis at Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing.

    The wood-covered library includes a Federal-style fireplace mantel.

    Ian Alexander Nelson

    “Around her dining table, Judy entertained some of the most influential minds of her generation,” Ellis said in a statement. “This home became a second residence for some of America’s cultural giants, who came together often to relax and celebrate their shared interests.”

    Across two floors and 2,600 square feet, the cozy abode retains many of its original details, including hand-hewn wood beams, wide-board pine floors, and three working fireplaces. Downstairs, the eat-in kitchen sports concrete countertops and old-fashioned cupboards, while the library includes a Federal-style fireplace mantel and a window that looks out to the yard. The primary suite sits on the main floor as well, with a private screened-in porch and access to the gardens. Upstairs, meanwhile, is where you’ll find the three additional bedrooms and bathrooms. 

    The primary bedroom has its own screened-in porch.

    Ian Alexander Nelson

    Tomkins added her own touch to the landscape, which comprises pleasantly untamed gardens on a wooded knoll with seasonal views of the nearby Hudson River. Along with being a photographer, Tomkins became a well-regarded garden designer and, in fact, worked on those of some of her high-profile neighbors over the years, including those of Diane Keaton, Bill Murray, and Al Pacino.

    It appears that Norton and McLeod are pulling up all of their roots stateside. The five-time BAFTA TV Award winner and his spouse recently hoisted their historic New York City carriage house on the market for $5.6 million. Previously owned by German model Claudia Schiffer, Norton has owned the Greenwich Village residence for more than 20 years, and he had recently renovated it to show off his art collection and amp up the color palette.

    Click here to see all the photos of the tranquil New York getaway.

    Ian Alexander Nelson

    Authors

    Tori Latham

    Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter. When not…

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    The Obamas’ Former Martha’s Vineyard Getaway Hits the Market for $39 Million

    This iconic Martha’s Vineyard estate—once the Obamas’ go-to summer sanctuary—is back on the market, asking $39 million. Represented by Maggie Gold Seelig of MGS Group Real Estate and Brian Dougherty of Corcoran Property Advisors, the listing has both an architectural pedigree and presidential provenance. 

    Set on nearly 30 private acres in Chilmark, the estate hugs the shoreline of Tisbury Great Pond and delivers serious Vineyard magic: rolling lawns, meadows, and waterfront views. The Obama family rented the home for their summer getaways between 2009 and 2011, reportedly paying $50,000 a week, according to The Wall Street Journal. It’s also where President Barack Obama addressed the nation after Hurricane Irene and honored the late Senator Ted Kennedy, Architectural Digest reported. Years later, the former first family would return to the island to put down more permanent roots, purchasing a $14.85 million estate in nearby Edgartown in 2019.

    At the heart of the property is a gracious 7,000-square-foot main house—classic New England on the outside, tailored luxury inside. Think vaulted ceilings, stone fireplaces, wraparound porches, and a dining room with knockout water views. Arrive via a gated drive, passing a 150-year-old Pennsylvania barn clad in cedar shingles, and it’s hard not to feel like you’ve stumbled into an East Coast fairytale. 

    RELATED: Al Pacino’s Former Beverly Hills Rental Home Is Up for Grabs at $16 Million

    Foster has renovated the property, including the main house, since he bought it over a decade ago.

    Evan Joseph Photography

    But here’s where it gets really interesting: the estate’s current owner is none other than vaunted British architect Norman Foster, the mind behind London’s Gherkin and Wembley Stadium. Foster was struck by the estate’s pastoral approach and the authenticity of its architecture, describing it as a “classic New England house that had grown from historic farming roots,” The WSJ reported. What made it special, he added, was its ability to feel remote and expansive while still sitting in the heart of Martha’s Vineyard. 

    Since acquiring the property in 2011 for $22.4 million, Foster, the founder and chairman of Foster + Partners, has injected his signature style into the compound, most notably with the sleek, contemporary pool and poolhouse he designed to contrast the classic clapboard main home. Modernism meets Martha’s Vineyard? Yes, indeed, and somehow, it works. 

    RELATED: Bill Gates’s Former Waterfront Mansion in Florida Can Be Yours for $23.5 Million

    Vast walls of glass bring the outside to the inside of the Foster-designed poolside pavilion.

    Evan Joseph Photography

    Scattered across the grounds are a five-bedroom guesthouse, a boathouse with a private dock, a design studio, a gym, tennis and basketball courts, an apple orchard, equestrian paddocks, and staff housing. It’s a compound built for both deep relaxation and active living—with just enough gravitas to host a head of state. 

    While Martha’s Vineyard’s luxury market has cooled since the pandemic peak, properties with notable provenance continue to draw interest. Case in point: Diane Sawyer’s waterfront retreat sold for $23.9 million in late 2023 after just two months on the market and for just shy of its $24 million ask. Meanwhile, the island’s median home price dipped to $1.1 million in April, down more than 30 percent from the previous year. 

    Click here to see more photos of Blue Heron Farm.  

    Evan Joseph Photography

    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…

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    This $5.9 Million Canyonside Home in L.A. Was Once Owned by a Songwriter for the Eagles

    Not too far from Los Angeles’s famed Laurel Canyon—which has long served as a respite for artists—sits a house with similar musical pedigree.

    The five-bedroom property, originally built in 1941, was once the home of the late singer-songwriter JD Souther, best known for co-writing the Eagles’ hits “Best of My Love” and “New Kid in Town.” Tax records show the pop ditty scribe bought the treehouse-like abode in 1990 for $875,000 from television producer Ilene Chaiken (The L Word, The Handmaid’s Tale) and owned it for about a dozen years. During his tenure, Souther enlisted third-generation L.A. architect Stephen Kanner to redesign and expand the residence, which is clad in natural materials like wood and stone. It’s now on the market for $5.9 million, listed by the George Penner Team at Compass.

    Skylights fill the living room with natural light.

    Gavin Cater

    The secluded structure sits among almost an acre of lush greenery, including its own vineyard. On the main floor, there’s a separate living and dining room—the former includes several skylights cut into the wood-beam ceiling, allowing natural light to flood the space. The nearby chef’s kitchen has been updated with modern stainless-steel appliances, which contrast with the wooden cabinetry. Other hangouts down here include a den and a library, with multiple fireplaces for keeping cozy.

    Upstairs, the sizable primary suite includes an entire wall of windows, double closets, and its own built-in reading alcove with yet another fireplace. The stone bathroom’s glass corner picture windows look out onto the surrounding treetops. Two additional bedrooms are found in an adjacent wing, while another guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom is downstairs.

    A snug home theater is tucked down on the lower level along with a wine cellar.

    GavinCater

    Elsewhere, hobbyists will find several spaces suited to their interests. A small screening room is ideal for catching up on your favorite director’s repertoire, while the climatized lower-level wine cellar keeps your bottle collection in tip-top shape. Outside, there are several lounging spaces, including a verdant glade with overhead lights and a fire pit. The pool is accompanied by a pool bath and a detached studio, which could serve as a space for making music, art, or other creative work. With its own veranda and stone fireplace, you can comfortably post up either inside or out.

    Nichols Canyon is navigated by a serpentine road that climbs into the mountains above Hollywood and is home to some pretty spectacular dwellings. Just last month, a 1960s Spanish villa there hit the market for $8.5 million, following a five-year renovation that added features like arched steel windows and handcrafted terracotta tiles.

    Click here to see all the photos of the L.A. home.

    Gavin Cater

    Authors

    Tori Latham

    Tori Latham is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. She was previously a copy editor at The Atlantic, and has written for publications including The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter. When not…

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    The 1917 Spanish Mansion With a Cameo in ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ Can Be Yours for $28.3 Million

    If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into a scene from Vicky Cristina Barcelona—preferably one where Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) offers you a glass of Rioja on a sun-drenched terrace—here’s your chance. The real-life villa that served as Judy’s (Patricia Clarkson) house in director Woody Allen’s sultry, award-winning film from 2008 starring Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, and Penélope Cruz is officially on the market, and it’s every bit as romantic, mysterious, and architecturally captivating as you’d expect. 

    Perched atop Putxet Hill near Barcelona’s Tibidabo, the home is the work of Enric Sagnier, the prolific Catalan architect known for his elegant, eclectic style. Sagnier may not be as much of a household name as Antoni Gaudí, but in Barcelona’s architectural scene, he was a star. Known for his refined blend of modernism, art nouveau, and classical flair, Sagnier designed everything from opulent villas to landmark churches. This specific creation, completed in 1917, is a love letter to the Spanish Renaissance, blending the rustic charm of a European country house with ornate Plateresque details—think arched windows, intricate wrought iron, and a grand entrance that feels equal parts palace and movie set. 

    RELATED: Apple TV’s ‘The Studio’ Filmed at These 3 Scene-Stealing John Lautner Houses in L.A.

    A carved wooden staircase hovers over a cozy fireside sitting area.

    Lucas Fox

    On the market for €25 million (about $28.3 million) with Lucas Fox, the house appeared throughout the 2008 rom-com, serving as the atmospheric backdrop for romantic entanglements, philosophical conversations, and plenty of dramatic glances. Spanning roughly 11,000 square feet, the home is packed with cinematic grandeur. The main level opens with a show-stopping arched oak door that leads into a soaring foyer. From there, you’ll find an almost 800-square-foot living and dining space, anchored by a fireplace and flanked by a sunlit gallery. Step through to the terrace, and you’re greeted by a grotto-esque swimming pool framed by the rocky walls of Mount Putxet.

    RELATED: In Rome, a Historic Villa That Starred in “The Equalizer 3” Is Listed at $5.5 Million

    In the eclectically furnished dining room, arched windows opens to a planted terrace.

    Lucas Fox

    The kitchen wing includes a breakfast nook, wine cellar, and a fully outfitted service area. Upstairs, the primary suite sprawls across nearly the entire floor, complete with dual dressing rooms, a nearly 550-square-foot bedroom, and a private terrace. In total, the home comprises seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, including a third floor with exposed wooden beams and postcard-worthy views of the city. 

    Click here to see more photos of Judy’s house from Vicky Cristina Barcelona. 

    Lucas Fox

    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…

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    Meg Ryan Has Relisted Her Revamped Montecito Estate for $19.5 Million

    Back in summer 2021, soon after Meg Ryan sold a Santa Barbara abode for nearly triple the $5 million she paid for the place just 18 months before, the beloved Sleepless in Seattle actress and interior design enthusiast doled out $9.5 million for a large estate on one of Montecito’s most prestigious streets. Now, after first putting that property up for sale earlier this year at $22.5 million with no takers, the revamped residence has returned to the market with a substantially reduced $19.5 million asking price. Riskin Partners Estate Group at Village Properties has the listing.

    Records show the popular rom-com star, who last appeared on the silver screen in 2023 opposite David Duchovny in What Happens Later, acquired the two-acre estate from Alicia McFarlane, the granddaughter of John Wayne, and her husband James, who had just bought it in 2020 for $5.4 million. Before that, it was owned by the late mystery novelist Sue Grafton and her husband Steve Humphrey. Originally built in 2010, the premises were extensively remodeled during Ryan’s tenure, complete with an additional 3,000 square feet of living space and a new ocean-view front porch donning a fireplace and swinging chair.

    An oversized entry porch is perfect for whiling away a cozy evening in front of the fire.

    Jason Rick for Riskin Partners Estate Group/Luxury Portfolio International

    RELATED: ‘NYPD Blue’ Star Dennis Franz Is Asking $18 Million for His Bucolic Montecito Retreat

    Hidden away from the street beyond a lengthy gated driveway lined with dense greenery, the compound features three separate structures on two acres of hillside land offering up stunning views of the surrounding Santa Ynez Mountains. Among them is the gray and white wood-shingled main house, plus guest quarters atop the three-car garage and a detached cabin—for a grand total of seven bedrooms and six baths in 8,400 square feet.

    Within the primary dwelling, 7,100 square feet of elegant living space boasts dark hardwood floors, lime-washed walls, whitewashed wood-beam ceilings, arched doorways, and an elevator that travels to all three floors. Highlights include a media room and a sleeping porch, along with a spacious fireside living room topped with a statement chandelier. A dining area and a seating nook connect to the sleekly designed kitchen, which sports a marble-clad island, a built-in coffee station, top-tier appliances, a workstation, and a walk-in pantry.

    The living room is adorned with one of three fireplaces Ryan refinished in veined marble.

    Blake Bronstad for Riskin Partners Estate Group/Luxury Portfolio International

    RELATED: Ellen DeGeneres Just Sold a Midcentury Bungalow in Montecito for $5.2 Million

    An elegantly wallpapered primary retreat upstairs comes with a private balcony, a fireside seating area, a walk-in closet, and an indulgent bath spotlighted by a floating vanity and soaking tub, while the park-like grounds are dotted with gardens and a bubbling fountain, as well as numerous spots ideal for alfresco lounging and entertaining. There are also the aforementioned guest quarters—one over the garage coming in at roughly 800 square feet and a secluded cabin holding 454 square feet, and each with its own bedroom and bath.

    Before listing her estate in Montecito—where nearby neighbors include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—Ryan had already set her real estate sights east, and records indicate that last fall she shelled out about $13.5 million for a 5,000-square-foot traditional shingled home in the Hamptons. We can’t wait to see how she Meg-anizes that one!

    Click here for more photos of the Picacho Lane residence.

    Blake Bronstad for Riskin Partners Estate Group/Luxury Portfolio International

    Authors

    Wendy Bowman

    Wendy Bowman is a real estate writer at Robb Report. Before that, she was a freelancer for Modern Luxury and several other media outlets, where she primarily covered luxury properties for…

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