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      in Luxury

      Home of the Week: Inside Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s $24 Million Beverly Hills Home

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      Power couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have listed their 8,250-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion for $23.95 million. The 41-year-old Oscar-winning singer and his 34-year-old model-turned-cookbook-author wife, bought the home—formerly owned by singer Rihanna and originally built in the mid-1960s—in 2016, paying a reported $14.1 million.

      They called in their long-time interiors guru Don Stewart, of LA-based Desiderata Design to transform the stark-white interior to a warmer look, better-suited to their growing family. The couple will welcome their third child next spring.

      Top of the list for the makeover was a state-of-the-art, professional-grade kitchen to help with Teigen’s cooking videos and culinary creations. It includes no fewer than three ovens, two stovetops, twin refrigerators and miles of Italian quartz countertops. Fans of the former Sports Illustrated model’s Instagram posts will likely recognize the kitchen from its appearance in her cooking videos.
      The other major upgrade? Closets. Huge, Rodeo-Drive-worthy closets for both Teigen’s and Legend’s high-fashion duds. Teigen’s closet—she calls it the “glam room”—features walls of glass-fronted wardrobes and plentiful shelving for her handbag and shoe collections.
      The house’s special finishes include some dramatic ceiling, wall and floor treatments. In the living room mandala-patterned designs from Thailand decorate the ceiling, the floor is made of ebonized cerused oak and a clay-and-steel-rolled effect highlights the walls.
      Steps away in the formal dining room, the ceilings are adorned with delicate plaster moldings with rich, coppery, hand-rubbed finishes on the massive sliding partition doors.
      Chrissy Teigen and John Legend’s Beverly Hills home.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      Naturally the main living area features a grand piano, set alongside shelves showcasing Legend’s numerous awards—he’s the youngest entertainer to have achieved the elusive EGOT, short for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, for his remarkable catalog of music that ranges from his songs “Ordinary People,” “All of Me” and “Green Light” to “Glory” from the film Selma.
      All seven bedrooms are ensuite and have glass-edged balconies, with the sprawling master featuring high ceilings, along with a striking fireplace and jaw-dropping, distressed-gold-finished chimney front. In the master bath there’s a free-standing stone tub in front of a large picture window.

      The living room with its baby grand piano.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The home also includes a well-equipped gym and cozy movie theater with a popcorn machine and impressive stock of candy jars. The Legend kids are Luna 2, and Miles, 1.
      Outside there’s an expansive deck with stunning canyon views. Here you’ll find a heated saltwater pool, jacuzzi, chef’s kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven. Close by is a grapevine-wrapped, shaded pergola for al fresco dining.
      Less than 25 days after listing the estate, the couple has an offer.
      The remodeled kitchen that starred in Teigen’s cooking demos.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      As to the identity of the buyer: “Wild horses couldn’t pull that out of me,” says listing agent Marshall Peck, of Douglas Elliman Beverly Hills, who brokered the deal.
      And no, he wasn’t at all surprised the seven-bedroom, eight bathroom property close to Laurel Canyon and just south of Mulholland Drive, went to contract so quickly.
      “It’s a truly spectacular property. We were having showings almost every day. It has the most exquisite, high-end finishes of any home I’ve ever seen. Add to that the location, the views, the 33-foot high ceilings. It’s all just spectacular,” adds Peck.
      The formal dining room has dramatic finishes.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      According to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com which showcases the home, the family is now on the hunt for a bigger property in the LA area.
      In the meantime, there’s plenty of room at the couple’s $9 million, 2,600-square-foot duplex penthouse in the landmark Brewster Carriage House in New York’s NoLIta neighborhood. They bought it in 2018.
      With maybe an eye to the future, in April this year they splashed another $7.7 million for the 3,500-square-foot, three-floor penthouse right next door in the same building. Expect the sound of jack hammers soon.
      Scroll down for more views of the couple’s Beverly Hills home, before they move out.
      The master bedroom.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      Teigen’s display shelves in the walk-in closet.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The massive walk-in closet.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The master bath.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      Walls of windows open to the outdoors.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The TV room.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The kids’ playroom.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The personal fitness studio.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The screening room.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The outdoor terrace.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman

      The pool.  Photo: Anthony Barcelo/Douglas Elliman More

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      in Luxury

      Geena Davis Lists Her Mediterranean-Style LA Villa for $6 Million

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      The living room fireplace will leave you slack-jawed and open-mouthed. There, stretching from floor to ceiling, is Bacchus, the hedonistic god of wine, with mouth agape, doing double duty as a fireplace.
      The quirky plaster fresco, with its ring of sharp incisors, wild hair and flared nostrils, is a guaranteed conversation stopper, or maybe starter—especially with flames flickering from a roaring fire.

      The origins of this funky, over-sized wall decoration aren’t clear, but it certainly reflects the playful character of the home’s owner, actor and two-time Academy Award winner, Geena Davis, star of the beloved 1991 road flick Thelma & Louise.

      Davis, 64, has lived in this five-bedroom, 5,146-square-foot Mediterranean-style villa for the past 13 years, splashing out  $4.19 million for it in 2007, shortly after wrapping up her run in the hit TV series Commander in Chief, which won her a Golden Globe for Best Actress.
      Built in 1999, the home sits on a 17,000-square-foot lot on a quiet, tucked-way cul-de-sac in leafy Pacific Palisades, a stone’s throw from the western end of Sunset Boulevard and a quick drive down to the beaches, Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica.
      Here there’s no guarded entry, no security gates or imposing fences; it’s just a peaceful, somewhat unassuming house on a street, with a low, rustic, wood-framed fence separating home and sidewalk.
      The front of the barrel-tile-roofed villa is dominated by three side-by-side garages and arched front door with masses of bougainvillea decorating the façade.
      The covered patios look out over lush gardens.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The front door leads straight into a foyer with views ahead to Bacchus in full yawn. The Spanish influence is seen in the lovely colored tiles on the floor, white-washed walls and soaring vaulted ceilings with imposing arches.
      Off the living room is a casual dining room with French doors leading out to a secluded, tree-shrouded, covered terrace. Close by is the recently remodeled kitchen with its large central island, gray-green stone countertops and backsplash, white cabinets and gorgeous mosaic tiles behind the gas range.
      The first floor is also home to two of the five bedrooms, each with its own distinct character. We love the quirky Japanese room with its painted wall featuring Katsushika Hokusai’s iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa, whimsically countered by a surfboard mounted on the wall.

      The newly remodeled kitchen.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The rear garden is the home’s secret hideaway, with its shady vine-covered pergolas and terraces leading down to a grille and dining area, lovely rose garden and lawn. But one surprising omission—especially for an A-list Hollywood star’s home with a $6 million price tag—no swimming pool, though there’s certainly space to dig one. And the private beach clubs along the nearby Pacific Ocean are a short bike ride away.
      Upstairs are three of the five bedrooms, which include the spacious owner’s hideaway. It features a stunning vaulted-ceiling, gnarled wood beams, gorgeous fireplace with hand-painted tile surround.
      French doors lead out to a private terrace with a wrought-iron balustrade and views over the lush gardens. Just off the master is a cozy sitting room with its wall of built-in bookcases.
      The dining room.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The master suite also comes with dual bathrooms and walk-in closets and a light-filled private office/study. The highlight of one of the bathrooms is the free-standing, shiny-chrome bathtub.
      “This is a very special offering filled with romance and charm in a fabulous Palisades location,” says listing agent David Offer, of Berkshire Hathaway HomeService California Properties.
      What Offer is reluctant to reveal, however, is the location of the home’s key safety feature—a fortified panic room.
      There’s no word either on why Davis is parting with her longtime home. Perhaps it has to do with her recent split from her husband or there’s a can’t-miss upgrade on the horizon—with a pool. But look for the actor on the silver screen in upcoming feature films Ava and Cowgirl’s Last Ride.
      The owner’s hideaway.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The master suite’s study.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The master bath and soaking tub.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The home office.  Photo: Lee Manning

      One of five bedrooms in the home.  Photo: Lee Manning

      The unassuming front entrance.  Photo: Lee Manning

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      in Luxury

      That Iconic ‘Golden Girls’ House Was Actually in LA—and It Can Be Yours for $3 Million

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      For the first time in 65 years, the Los Angeles home made famous by the American sitcom The Golden Girls has officially hit the market, as was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The property is currently asking a little under $3 million, a lot of money for a not-even-3,000 square-foot structure. But as Blanche (Rue McClanahan) might say in her signature Southern drawl, that’s just the price of being a devastatingly beautiful house.
      Fans of the show will recognize the home as the one owned by Blanche, who, after the death of her husband, invited a few friends to come live with her and keep her company. Although scenes that happened inside of the house were shot on a set, exterior shots of the home that have become synonymous with the hit series were of a real, private residence. (A perfect replica of the home formerly resided at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but was demolished for space in 2003.)

      Located in LA’s upscale neighborhood of Brentwood, the home boasts four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms within about 2,900 square feet. The structure’s unique architecture is best described as a tasteful blend of Japanese and Hawaiian plantation styles, and it was constructed in 1955 by SoCal Edison attorney David Noble Barry III and his wife Margaret Carr Barry, after they were inspired by the midcentury modern home that David’s father owned in Hawaii. The couple lived in the LA digs for over 60 years, until their respective deaths in 2017 and 2019; the property is now being sold through a trust.
      Brandon Valente/Brandon V Photography

      In addition to being architecture and design enthusiasts, the home’s former owners also apparently dabbled in collecting exotic plants. The property’s grounds are dotted with an unusual species of palm trees, and the lush landscaping includes several eye-catching tropical specimens. Surrounding the perimeter of the house is a Japanese engawa, a wraparound porch, that connects to the home’s veranda in the back, which offers up the perfect place to lounge in the hot summer months. Golden Girls location scouts were initially drawn to the home’s flourishing flora since it gave off more of a Miami vibe than most LA-area properties. The Barrys agreed to have their house featured on the show for a small fee and loved having their famous home be seen on a national platform, though they were reportedly not sitcom fans and didn’t watch the show.

      The cottage’s interiors were never shown on The Golden Girls and strike a sharp contrast to the wicker-filled, pink-hued aesthetic featured on the series. Inside, there are signature midcentury-style walls of glass, generously large clerestory windows and high-beamed ceilings, which all contribute to the home’s quintessentially SoCal indoor/outdoor living atmosphere. Eclectic sliding shoji screens are used throughout the house as room dividers giving the interiors a tranquil, Zen feel. Although most of the home’s floors used to be covered with carpeting, they were recently removed to reveal original hardwood flooring underneath.
      Perhaps the most unique area of the home is the kitchen; with its cabinets painted in shades of avocado green, robin’s egg blue, buttercup yellow and topped with turquoise formica counters, the room harkens back to a simpler, technicolor time. Although the space is much more vibrantly colored than the one on The Golden Girls set, it’s still not hard to imagine Dorothy, Sophia, Rose and Blanche sharing some cake—and the latest juicy gossip—at the table after a long day.
      Check out more photos of the home below:
      Brandon Valente/Brandon V Photography

      Brandon Valente/Brandon V Photography

      Brandon Valente/Brandon V Photography

      Brandon Valente/Brandon V Photography

      Brandon Valente/Brandon V Photography More

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      in Luxury

      Home of the Week: Inside The Weeknd’s Gorgeous $25 Million LA Mansion and Its Neon-Lit Car Garage

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      You could call it the ultimate Weeknd getaway. Nestled in the celebrity enclave of Hidden Hills, north of the Los Angeles sprawl, this sleek, farmhouse-style mansion has been home to Canadian music sensation Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, for the past three years. Tesfaye, 30, who was featured on the cover of Forbes […] More

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      in Luxury

      Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis List Their ‘Timeless’ Beverly Hills Home for $14 Million

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      Hollywood power couple Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are looking to shake things up in LA’s high-end real estate market, which has lately been mired in the doldrums—a byproduct of coronavirus chaos. The actors-turned-successful investors are asking $14 million for their Coldwater Canyon home, the duo’s primary residence and the first marital property they ever purchased. Tucked into […] More

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      in Luxury

      Home of the Week: Kelly Clarkson’s LA Farmhouse Mansion Hits the Market for $10 Million

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      Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Kelly Clarkson has just released a hot new single entitled “I Dare You.” Now she’s daring luxury property buyers to splurge on her family-friendly Encino, Calif. home. While Clarkson, 38, rides out the coronavirus pandemic with family at her off-the-grid Montana ranch, she’s listed the two-story, 10,000-square-foot farmhouse-style estate with an $9.995 million […] More

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      Rocker Tommy Lee’s Suburban LA Mansion Comes With a Full Recording Studio

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      Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee is again looking to snare a buyer for his exotic Calabasas, Calif. mansion. First listed in 2016 for $6 million, the bad-boy rocker is now trying to drum-up some interest with a price-slash to $4.65 million. Aspiring rockstars will likely go gaga over the home’s 2,000-square-foot professional-grade, subterranean recording studio. […] More