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      After Two Years, an Heiress’s Bel Air Mansion Finally Sells to a Fashion Entrepreneur

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      After a little more than two years and a couple of substantial price chops, media heiress and former actress Taylor Thomson has finally managed to unload her longtime Bel Air home for $27 million in an off-market deal. And though that’s far less than the member of one of Canada’s wealthiest families originally wanted, it’s still a whopping $19.6 million more than she paid for the place some 23 years ago.

      Records indicate the discount-minded buyers who bought the English Tudor-style estate are digital entrepreneur Katherine Power and her husband, celebrity photographer Justin Coit. A cofounder of the Los Angeles-based fashion and shopping website Who What Wear—which was acquired by the British media company Future for an undisclosed sum in 2022—Power served as CEO of parent company Clique Brands for several years. She now operates the beauty brands Merit and Versed, and also owns the organic wine brand Avaline with actress Cameron Diaz. 

      As for the pair’s new digs, they were constructed and designed way back in 1926 by noted Hoover Dam architect Gordon Kaufmann. One of the first homes ever built in Bel Air, the premises underwent an expensive renovation and restoration by Thomson during her lengthy tenure.

      An aerial view of the Bel Air property.

      Google Images

      Resting on a prime street, amid an acre-plus parcel dotted by mature sycamore and redwood trees, the property features a six-bedroom main house boasting nearly 9,000 square feet of living space punctuated throughout with colorful tile, vintage light fixtures, metal window frames, arched doorways and soaring wood-beam ceilings. There’s also a two-story guest house with a duo of bedrooms and an attached three-car garage.

      Among the highlights: a formal living room displaying a stone-clad fireplace, an adjacent wood-paneled library and a fireside dining room that opens to a terrace. There’s also a gourmet kitchen decked out with marble countertops, top-tier stainless appliances, a spacious center island and floor-to-ceiling tile, as well as a plush master retreat flaunting a fireplace, walk-in closets and a spa-like bath.

      Elsewhere in the house are five additional bedrooms, including a Moroccan/Turkish-inspired guest suite spotlighted by a French copper cheese vat that’s been converted into a tub; and outdoors, the lush A.E. Hanson-designed grounds host a large pool and spa enveloped by a grassy lawn, along with hidden meadows and pocket gardens.

      With an estimated net worth of around $3 billion, Thomson is currently ranked as Canada’s second-richest woman. She’s a member of the Thomson family, which has amassed a collective fortune of about $44 billion as stewards of a media empire founded by her grandfather Roy Thomson; their biggest asset is Woodbridge, a holding company with a controlling stake in Thomson Reuters.

      In addition to her just-sold Bel Air property, Thomson still maintains a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio that includes a Santa Monica compound that had a starring role in Beverly Hills Cop and an 1880s mansion once owned by Gordon Lightfoot in Toronto’s pricey Bridle Path neighborhood, where one of her nearest neighbors is Drake. Power and Coit still lay claim to a 1920s Spanish-Colonial residence in the Little Holmby neighborhood of L.A. they picked up for $4.2 million in 2015 that has since been revamped and showcased in Architectural Digest.

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      Marshmello Spins Out of His $15 Million Beverly Hills Mansion

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      Chris Comstock is only 31 years old, but the Philadelphia native is already cashing in big, having sold his lavish mansion in the mountains above Beverly Hills for exactly $15 million in an off-market deal. That’s way more than the $10.8 million Comstock—better known to his millions of EDM fans as Marshmello, the bucket-hat wearing DJ—paid for the place less than four years ago, back in summer 2020. The all-cash buyers, according to tax records, are Hovig and Annie Safoian—the married co-founders of cloud solutions provider SADA Systems. SADA, long a family-owned company, was recently acquired in a landmark deal valued at approximately $800 million.

      It’s been a nonstop party since 2015 for Comstock and his chewily sweet alter-ego, which established itself as one of the world’s top electronic music acts seemingly overnight. Behind the slickly produced hit records (“Silence,” “Wolves,” “Friends,” “Alone”) and the omnipresent smiley bucket head is Marshmello’s well-oiled marketing dream team; his hard-charging manager Moe Shalizi is often credited for the speedy creation of the Marshmello brand, and networking has helped, too—early shoutouts from other big-name EDM acts like Skrillex and Tiesto proved invaluable to his early success.

      The former Marshmello house is located in Mulholland Estates, a guard-gated community where other residents include Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton and Christina Aguilera.

      Google Earth

      Built in 1992 and designed by Richard Landry—the celebrity-favored architect who frequently puts the “extra” in extravagant—the stylistically opaque house boasts interiors by celebrity designer Jeff Lewis, who was hired to right previous decor wrongs. The blindingly white result has more than a subtle Miami vibe.

      While the house itself is not gated, the property lies within a 24/7 guarded community with frequent patrols and a plethora of security cameras. Glass front doors open into a double-height foyer with marble floors. Flanking the foyer are a fireplace-equipped living room and a dining room with dual chandeliers. Just beyond lies an eat-in kitchen with dual islands and all the expected top-of-the-line stainless appliances.

      There’s also a library/office and a family room that opens, via French doors, to a sprawling back patio. Upstairs are four ensuite bedrooms, including a jazzed-up master with its own kitchenette, plus spa-style bath and dual closets. The nearly 8,000-square-foot mansion also boasts a finished basement level; a lounge/entertainment center with a snazzy wet bar await downstairs. Out back, the hillside lot is steep but nicely terraced with adequate patches of grassy lawn and concrete terraces for al fresco dining.

      No word yet regarding where Comstock plans to move, but the musical sensation still owns three smaller but still multimillion-dollar homes scattered around Los Angeles. At least two of those properties are reportedly occupied by family members. More

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      Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Are Selling Their Custom-Built L.A. Home for $8 Million

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      Known for their co-starring roles on HBO’s hit vampire drama True Blood, real-life couple Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are parting ways—with their home, that is. And if you want to sink your teeth into their stately abode in Southern California, it’ll cost you a cool $8 million.  

      The property, which measures 7,102 square feet, sits on a large double lot not far from the world-famous (and always entertaining) Venice Beach Boardwalk. According to records, the Hollywood duo purchased the property back in 2009 for $2.2 million. They’ve since transformed the humble beach cottage that stood on the property into a sprawling contemporary residence. They first tried to sell in 2020, listing the beachy spread for a hefty $14 million. It did not entice a buyer, and since then, the residence has been on and off the market at lower prices.

      The third floor has an open kitchen, dining, and living area that extends to a rooftop deck.

      Anthony Barcelo

      The actors tapped architect David Hertz—who designed Hank Moody’s (David Duchovny) house on Showtime’s Californication—to re-imainge the property shortly after they bought it. The project ended up taking seven years. Today, the boxy structure is wrapped head-to-toe in Alaskan yellow cedar. Specifically, Hertz opted to recycle the original, circa-1919 benches from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to craft the façade. He told Architectural Digest that he wanted “the outside to look like driftwood” and that the goal was for the home to resemble a ship, complete with steel railings and teak decks.  

      When it comes to the layout, the floor plan is flipped, meaning all common areas are on the third floor to maximize access to light, breezes, and views, while the bedrooms are nestled underneath. The open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area on the top floor leads to a rooftop deck that overlooks the ocean. Other standout features include a Zen garden, a partially covered swimming pool, a sauna, a spa, and a fitness room.

      The home was custom-built in 2017 by architect David Hertz.

      Anthony Barcelo

      The compound comprises a five-bed, eight-bath main house. The original beach bungalow was renovated is now incorporated into the existing home. In terms of décor, the salt-air-licked house fits right in with the neighborhood’s free-spirited, bohemian vibe. There’s concrete flooring and tons of eco-friendly touches, including energy-efficient lighting. “There are also skylights that open to draw prevailing breezes in to passively cool the house with natural ventilation,” Hertz told the magazine. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer’s L.A. home.  

      Anthony Barcelo

      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, dining, travel and topics…

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      ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Director Lands an Upgraded L.A. House

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      As the story goes, Steven Caple Jr. couldn’t afford to buy a Transformer toy when he was a kid. But that was then. As director of the 2023 blockbuster film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, as well as The Land and Creed II under his belt, the 35-year-old producer’s finances have obviously improved. Today, he likely has more than enough cash to dole out on an Optimus Prime or Bumblebee toy—heck, as many ’bots in the franchise as his heart desires. And late last year, he also picked up new Los Angeles-area home.

      Records show the Ohio native and USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate doled out $2.7 million for a modern residence in the San Gabriel Valley neighborhood of Altadena late last year, receiving a discount off of the original $3.2 million asking price. Originally built in the 1940s, but completely remodeled by Bowden Development in recent years, the split-level abode features five bedrooms and an equal number of baths in a little more than 4,600 square feet of open-concept living space highlighted by hardwood floors, high ceilings, and large expanses of glass offering picturesque views of the surrounding valley and mountains.

      A circular driveway bolstered by a mature tree fronts the split-level structure, which has steps leading up to covered porch and front door opening into a wide-open space anchored by a formal living room sporting a striking fireplace, picture windows and glass sliders spilling outside. A dining area connects to the gourmet kitchen, which is outfitted with sleek cabinetry, a waterfall-edge island and top-tier Viking appliances; and a family room sits adjacent to a movie theater/game room secluded behind glass doors.

      Five en-suite bedrooms filtered throughout two floors include a primary retreat spotlighted by a sitting area, custom walk-in closet, and spa-like bath equipped with dual vanities, a soaking tub and frameless shower. Elsewhere is an office, a gym and glass-enclosed wine cellar; and outdoors, the grounds span nearly a third of an acre, and host an irregular-shaped pool and spa, plus several spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a sport court and an attached two-car garage.

      The listing was held by Ash Rizk of Coldwell Banker Realty; Caple was repped by Ikem T. Chukumerije of IKEM. More

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      Golf Superstar Michelle Wie West’s Modern L.A. Farmhouse Hits the Market for $6.5 Million

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      Last year, Michelle Wie West said goodbye to the LPGA Tour at the U.S. Women’s Open in Pebble Beach and seemingly headed into retirement at the ripe young age of 34. Now the five-time winner has turned her sights toward Los Angeles, where she’s bidding farewell to a sleekly designed modern farmhouse-style mansion in Encino’s upscale Amestoy Estates neighborhood.

      Though it’s been barely two years since the veteran golf pro and her husband Jonnie West—a son of NBA legend Jerry West and director of basketball operations for the Golden State Warriors—doled out $5.7 million for the freshly built spread, they’re already looking to unload the place with a nearly $800,000 jump in price, asking a shot under $6.5 million.  

      Built on speculation by a local developer and completed in 2021, the creamy stucco and brick-accented structure is sited on a walled and double-gated parcel spanning just over a third of an acre, amid a dead-end street, and includes a five-bedroom, six-bath main home, plus a separate guesthouse with its own kitchen, family room, bedroom and bath.

      Especially standing out on the main level is a gourmet kitchen decked out with an eat-in island and top-tier Miele appliances, as well as an adjoining family room displaying a leathered-marble fireplace stretching to the ceiling and large expanses of glass spilling outside. Elsewhere are formal living and dining rooms, a glass-encased wine display, wet bar, movie theater, an office and en-suite guest bedroom.

      An aerial view of the West’s Encino property.

      Google Earth

      A floating staircase heads upstairs, where four more en-suite bedrooms include a posh master retreat outfitted with a fireplace, built-in cabinetry, a refrigerator, private balcony, walk-in closet, and spa-inspired bath holding dual vanities, a soaking tub and an oversized rain shower. An al fresco patio also is accessible via the upper level, while the rest of the grounds are laced with olive and citrus trees, and host a large pool with a spa and Baja shelf, fire-pit area, built-in barbecue and pizza oven. There’s also a spacious motorcourt and an attached three-car garage out front.

      A child prodigy and graduate of Stanford University, Wie West rose to international prominence at age 10, when she became the youngest player at the time to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. She went on to turn pro before her 16th birthday, qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open at 13 and capture the tourney in 2014.

      During a lengthy career, the Hawaii-born golfer has faced more than her fair share of ups and downs, including lengthy spells of being sidelined by lingering wrist injuries compounded by arthritis. But despite all that, she’s managed to earn $6.8 million in prize money alone, plus millions more through lucrative contracts with Sony and Nike.

      The listing is held by Nicole Plaxen and Shauna Walters of The Beverly Hills Estates. More

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      A Wellness Guru Goes the Extra Mile to Sell Her Zen L.A. House

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      When Rainbeau Mars’s Venice home first popped up for sale back in September, she decided to up her sales game. Beyond the typical staging and landscaping, the Los Angeles-based actress, author and wellness expert furnished the place with crystals designed to enhance prosperity, gave it a blessing and cleansing at the hands of an Incan priestess, hosted parties for countless social influencers and even showcased the abode in a hip-hop-inspired marketing video.

      Most recently, with no takers after more than 100 days on the market, she’s enlisted local skateboarder-turned-real estate agent Solo Scott of Compass to relist the modern architectural-style property at a newly reduced price of $3.8 million; and though that’s $400,000 less than the original ask, it’s still around $1 million over what Mars, who was formerly married to prominent Hollywood business manager Michael Karlin, paid for the house back in late 2018.

      An open-concept great room with sliding glass doors flowing outside contains a fireside living room, dining area and kitchen.

      Ryan Lahiff

      Built in 2017, the boxy white and gray structure rests on a gated parcel spanning less than a quarter-acre of land, just steps from Abbot Kinney Boulevard, and has five bedrooms and an equal number of baths in a little more than 3,200 square feet of two-level living space boasting wide-plank hardwood floors and high ceilings throughout, plus a Sonos sound system.

      On the main level, a spacious great room is highlighted by floor-to-ceiling glass doors spilling out to a newly refinished wood deck sporting a barbecue setup and fire-pit. Back inside, the living room has a linear fireplace, and an adjoining dining area connects to a galley-style kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, an eat-in island, a dehydrator and Sub-Zero refrigerator. Elsewhere is a bedroom with its own walk-in closet and full bath.

      One of the bedrooms has been transformed into a professional recording studio.

      Ryan Lahiff

      Four more en-suite bedrooms upstairs include a fireside master retreat that comes complete with a private balcony, walk-in closet, and spa-like bath displaying dual vanities, a freestanding soaking tub and glass-encased shower; and per the listing, another one has been converted into a professional soundproof recording studio that’s been used by top musicians, producers and podcasters.

      Especially standing out are the leafy grounds, which host a peaceful sitting area, custom-built compost station, an edible garden, and honeybee and butterfly sanctuaries. There’s also an attached two-car garage on the premises that could easily serve as a gym or an office space.

      In addition to the aforementioned endeavors Mars already has undertaken to try and make her oasis known as “Lighthouse Studios” more attractive to prospective buyers, she’s also considering adding a lap pool and is entertaining rental offers at $25,555 per month.

      “In Eastern medicine, your home is your health,” she says. “Every point coordinates to a point in your body and every room affects you. Painstaking efforts were taken to enhance the vibration.” 

      Click here for more photos of Rainbeau Mars’s Venice house.

      Ryan Lahiff More

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      You Can Own This Architecture Icon’s Personal L.A. Home for $5 Million

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      It’s rare to own a home from one of the greats of modernist architecture, especially one that remains true to the architect’s original design. It’s even more extraordinary to own one designed by the architect as his own home.

      Archived by the L.A. Conservancy as “Koenig House 2,” a 3,000-square-foot residence in L.A.’s Brentwood neighborhood that midcentury master Pierre Koenig built in 1985 as his personal residence is now available for $4.995 million. Aaron Kirman and Dalton Gomez of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate hold the listing.

      Koenig died in 2004 at the age of 78, and his wife Gloria owned the carefully maintained home until 2017, when it was sold for almost $3.5 million. The kitchen and bathrooms have since been updated in a manner that respects and complements Koenig’s original designs.

      The multipurpose, open-plan living area includes a fireside lounge and a cozy library nook.

      Matthew Momberger

      A series of interconnected cubic volumes that step back from the street, the home represents the late-career apotheosis of the innovative architect’s design ethos and his vision for residential architecture in the 21st century. Koenig was an early adopter and champion of industrial, prefabricated, and economical materials, and his designs often made use of natural ventilation.

      The three-bedroom and two-and-a-half-bath home’s I-beam steel-frame armature supports vast expanses of glass and a 30-foot ceiling in the central atrium that is crisscrossed by a geometric assemblage of bridges and staircases. Beyond the secured gates and serene courtyard entry, the main-floor living spaces include a fireside lounge, a cozy, shelf-lined library nook, and a sleekly updated, open-plan kitchen and dining area that spills out to the swimming pool.

      Interior glass walls allow light from the 30-foot-tall atrium to filter into the upper-level bedrooms.

      Matthew Momberger

      The 30-foot interior atrium creates a vertical space where, on hot days, warm air rises and escapes through the atrium to cool the home. Clerestory windows shower the atrium with natural light, and interior walls of glass allow the sunlight to filter into the upper-level bedrooms. And because the Koenigs were music lovers, ceiling heights were carefully planned for an optimal environment for listening to and playing music.

      At the back, between the house and a detached garage, a courtyard patio has a small swimming pool with an automated cover. The back of the garage cleverly peels open to create a huge, covered patio for alfresco entertaining.

      Koenig is best known for Case Study House #22 (the Stahl House) in the Hollywood Hills, often cited as one of the most photographed houses in the world. The previous year, he designed the less dramatically sited yet no less innovative Case Study House #21 (Bailey House), also in the Hollywood Hills, for which he and Gloria posed for promotional photographs.

      Click here for more photos of Pierre Koenig’s former home at 12221 Dorothy Street.

      Matthew Momberger More

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      Rapper Lil Dicky Splashes Out Millions for Kenny G’s Longtime L.A. Compound

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      Thought you’d never see a Grammy-winning smooth jazz saxophonist collaborate on a hit record with a rapper known for frequently waxing eloquent about the dimensions of his genitalia? Well, now you have.

      But then again, you can’t exactly rush out to buy this record in stores. We’re talking about this lavish estate in L.A.’s Studio City, which tax records show has just sold for a discounted but still lofty $6.3 million. The buyer? David Burd, the 35-year-old Philadelphia native better known as rapper-comedian Lil Dicky.

      Built in the late 1980s and designed by Ojai-based architect Kevin A. Clark, the 5,600-square-foot house was famously owned by Kenny G from 2007 until 2021, when the jazz musician unloaded the structure and its half-acre of grounds for just under $3 million to a couple who gave the place an extensive remodel and modernization before placing it back on the market last spring, asking $7.5 million.

      Secluded atop a high knoll on a dead-end street in the Studio City hills, the very private home is additionally cloaked from public view behind high gates, towering walls and overgrown hedges. Behind a long driveway, the contemporary-meets-East Coast traditional-style structure features a whimsical Dutch-style front door painted a demure blue, plus an open-concept layout encompassing sizable public rooms, five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and a single powder room.

      Highlights include rustic hardwood floors throughout, numerous sets of French doors opening to the gardens, sweeping views and whitewashed wood-beam ceilings. Notable spaces are a fireplace-equipped living room, a gym, a wood-paneled library equipped with its own fireplace, and an updated kitchen with dual islands, marble countertops and premium Miele, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances. Upstairs, the master retreat offers a fireplace, sitting area, a spa-style bath and a private balcony with spectacular views from the home’s hillside perch.

      Out back, the manicured grounds offer lush respites for reading or sunbathing, grassy lawns and a lap pool with a spa. There’s also a detached two-car garage topped by a guest apartment that formerly served as Kenny G’s at-home recording studio. More