Malibu

Subterms

    More stories

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Luxury

      Britney Spears’s Malibu Beach House in ‘Sometimes’ Hits the Market for $44.5 Million

      by

      “It’s not that I don’t wanna stay… but every time you come too close, I move away.” So croons Britney Spears in her hit sophomore single “Sometimes.” Now the owners of the Malibu estate where the pop ballad’s iconic music video was lensed are singing the same tune as they just put the pad on the market. While I’m sure it’s not that they don’t wanna stay, it definitely looks like they will be moving away soon!

      Released on May 6, 1999, “Sometimes” quickly became a “TRL” favorite. Director Nigel Dick, who helmed many of the pop princess’ star-making videos including her infamous “… Baby One More Time” debut, described the concept behind the shoot as such, “Britney’s sitting here and she’s looking through her telescope and she spies the cute young guy wandering on the beach—her man. Britney being the go-getting kind of girl that she is, she zips down the stairs onto the beach and races after him and, by accident, finds 20 people dressed in identical white outfits on the pier and does a fantastic fandango sort of dance ‘thang’ for him and, of course, he’s swept away.”

      The main house on the beach front property. 

      Chris Cortazzo

      Shot entirely on location in Malibu, “Sometimes” made large use of Paradise Cove and its picturesque pier, where Britney is seen performing the aforementioned fandango, winding up famously encircled in a heart formed by her gaggle of all-white-clad backup dancers. The house featured throughout the video, where the singer surreptitiously observes her love interest, played by model Chad Cole, can be found about eight miles up the road at 33800 Pacific Coast Hwy. (Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.)
      Situated on a towering bluff overlooking Nicholas Canyon and El Sol County beaches, the stunning “legacy property” is a sight to behold! Last sold in May 1986, the current listing marks the first time the place has been on the market in 35 years! Owning a piece of pop history doesn’t come cheap, though! The four-bedroom, five-bath pad, which is repped by prolific Malibu realtor Chris Cortazzo, sports a hefty $44,500,000 price tag!
      But you get what you pay for, as they say. Parked at the end of a 300-foot gated driveway, the extraordinary estate is sequestered on a whopping 1.9-acre lot that boasts an incredible 131 feet of ocean frontage!

      The spacious interior decked out in white with an ocean view. 

      Chris Cortazzo

      Featuring a sleek façade with clean lines and walls of glass, the dwelling was originally designed in 1949 by Cliff May, the architect largely considered the father of California’s ubiquitous ranch architecture. Of the style, May told The New York Times, “The ranch house was everything a California house should be—it had cross-ventilation, the floor was level with the ground, and with its courtyard and the exterior corridor, it was about sunshine and informal outdoor living.” While 33800 Pacific Coast Hwy isn’t what most would typically consider ranch architecture, with its open floorplan and focus on indoor/outdoor spaces, Cliff’s words are a perfect descriptor of the place.
      As initially constructed, the pad was a single-story dwelling. Building permits show that the second level was installed in 1977 by none other than famed modernist architect Harry Gesner! So not only does the home represent a significant piece of music history, but an architectural one, as well, having been designed by two of the industry’s greats!
      A meandering entrance path that zigzags across a rock-lined waterway leads to the spacious main house, a bright open structure consisting of 4,210 square feet with virtually every room offering views of the Pacific. Though the decor is seemingly all white on white on white, set against the pristine blue backdrop of the tide below, the schematic works quite well.

      Steps leading down to the ocean where parts of the ‘Sometimes’ filming took place. 

      Chris Cortazzo

      Living spaces include a combination sitting/dining/great room complete with a fireplace and French doors that open to the backyard, a kitchen with a two-tier island, a breakfast bar and a four-foot by four-foot tiled refrigerator, and a billiards/entertainment/media room featuring a wet bar. Picture windows, beamed ceilings, and stone and hardwood flooring are featured throughout. Additional amenities include a full attic and an office with a built-in desk and shelving.
      Upstairs, the massive 1,300-square-foot owners’ suite is capped by a soaring cathedral ceiling, adorned with a fireplace that the listing notes features a “whole tree mantel” and lined with French doors leading out to a deck that spans the entire rear of the house.

      The attached bath is marked by extensive marble work, a sunken tub and an oversized shower.
      Outside on the expansive lot is a rolling lawn, multiple gardens, a hot tub, a lounging patio and an outbuilding with a sauna and a bathroom. The property also boasts two guest houses, the first with a kitchenette, a half bath and adjoining stairs leading down to the beach, and the second with a kitchenette, a three-quarter bath and a loft bedroom.

      The luxe bathroom with marble detailing and a glass-door shower. 

      Chris Cortazzo

      There’s also a plethora of parking on the premises including a two-car garage, an additional four-car garage and a red storage barn that the listing notes can be used as yet another two-car garage!
      Though “Sometimes” was shot early in Britney’s career, when the then 17-year-old was still on the cusp of superstardom, it is easy to see why 33800 PCH was pegged to play her home in the video. The place is certainly befitting of a pop princess!
      The property was featured extensively throughout “Sometimes,” as well as in “Time Out with Britney Spears,” which documented the making of the video. In speaking about the shoot in an interivew for “Time Out,” Nigel Dick said, “We’ve described this concept as the ‘Britney’s beach house video,’” to which Spears chimes in saying, “My beautiful beach house!”’
      To accomplish Nigel’s vision of Britney zipping from the pad down to the shoreline below to meet “her man,” the production team was tasked with finding a residence situated on a bluff with steps leading to the sand. 33800 Pacific Coast Hwy fit the bill perfectly. The steep set of stairs Spears traverses in the video (which are very reminiscent of the ones Jennifer Grey dances upon in “Dirty Dancing”) are still intact, though they are no longer painted white.

      A video still from Spears’ 1999 music video on the property. 

      Jive Records

      Britney is also shown pondering her relationship, pink beach ball in hand, on a glass-walled rooftop deck situated on top of one of the property’s guest houses. As evidenced in the MLS photos, that deck is no longer there – or perhaps never was, possibly just a set piece that was installed solely for the shoot.

      The effect was rather stunning, though, and should be considered by the new buyers as a potential upgrade!

      The glistening ocean view from the quaint patio. 

      Chris Cortazzo

      Otherwise, the estate still looks much the same today as it did when “Sometimes” was shot over two decades ago, offering the new owners plenty of spots to re-create the famed segment, should they be so inclined.
      Check out more images from the property below.

      Chris Cortazzo

      Jive Records

      Chris Cortazzo

      Jive Records

      Jive Records

      Chris Cortazzo

      Jive Records

      Chris Cortazzo More

    • 113 Shares119 Views

      in Luxury

      Pamela Anderson’s Modernist Malibu Hideaway Lists for $15 Million

      by

      It may not be the largest house in Malibu, but it’s owned by one of the beach town’s most famous longtime residents, actor and former Playboy model Pamela Anderson, who recently married her former bodyguard Dan Hayhurst and moved to Vancouver, Canada.
      But some might appreciate that Anderson’s four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home is on the modest side for Malibu, especially since the price tag is way below the $50 million mark that many of the area’s villas list for. These 5,500-square-foot digs are listed with Tomer Fridman of thefridmangroup.com for $14.9 million.

      Anderson made a name for herself in the seaside enclave while playing an ocean lifeguard on the popular Baywatch TV series in the 1990s, which was filmed at Malibu’s Zuma Beach, just a short hop up the coast from where she later bought this home. She purchased the place in 2000 for $1.8 million after her fame had led to lookie-loos wandering onto a former property that was on the ocean, hoping for a star sighting. That led to a push for privacy with tall hedges and walls, which this home has, a plus for any buyers who crave the same kind of at-home seclusion.
      The modern kitchen is also warm and cozy.  Photo: Shade Degges

      Located in the gated and much-coveted Malibu Colony community, the house backs up to a scenic lagoon with many egrets and other seabirds. Anderson replaced the original structure with the main house and added a one-bedroom guest cottage. Between them sits a terrace with a pool. The home was sustainably built with teak imported from non-conflict areas. It has its own irrigated vegetable gardens and solar power.
      Anderson told The Wall Street Journal that she was inspired by modernist architecture with its wide-open spaces and glass walls when building the home. Glass pocket doors and teak pivot doors open the house to the outdoors. Inside, the sleek white kitchen with its stone countertops is warmed by wood floors. The primary bedroom suite has its own balcony and a sauna. There’s also a rooftop with beautiful views. She says she put an additional $8 million into designing and building the home.
      A floating staircase leads from the great room to the second level.  Photo: The Luxury Level

      Listing broker Tomer Fridman told Robb Report, “The most dramatic and compelling aspect of the house is the design and its organic nature.” He’s most drawn to “the indoor-outdoor combination” and its “flow toward the guest house, which anchors he backyard and adds to the bold aesthetic.”

      Anderson is already living back in her native Canada, renovating a place that belonged to her grandmother.
      The primary bedroom.  Photo: The Luxury Level

      The sauna.  Photo: Shade Degges

      The soaking tub in the primary suite.  Photo: Shade Degges

      The firepit and hot tub.  Photo: The Luxury Level

      The roofdeck.  Photo: The Luxury Level

      The street view of the home.  Photo: The Luxury Level More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Luxury

      Inside Robert De Niro’s Gorgeous Malibu Home From the Action Classic ‘Heat’

      by

      “Allow nothing to be in your life that you cannot walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you spot the heat around the corner.” So advises professional thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) in the hit crime drama Heat. The contemporary pad where Neil lives in the 1995 film (which turned 25 this past December!) wouldn’t exactly be easy to walk away from, though.

      The modern residence, which sits on the sand overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, is bright, open and airy—a quintessential Los Angeles beach pad. Interestingly though, while Heat’s many filming locations have been extensively chronicled on copious websites and in countless articles, such as these extensive pieces for the British Film Institute and L.A. Taco, little has ever been made of Neil’s home.

      Heat, which is most notable for being the first movie in which De Niro shares screen time with fellow acting legend Al Pacino, was lensed over 107 days in early 1995. In an unprecedented move, director Michael Mann opted to shoot the film almost entirely on location, with very few soundstage-built sets used, which is unheard of, especially for a production of Heat’s caliber.
      Robert De Niro in “Heat.”  Warner Bros. Pictures

      Countless iconic LA sites appear in the movie, including the now-shuttered Kate Mantillini restaurant in Beverly Hills, where Neil and Pacino’s Lt. Vincent Hanna sit down for a tense tête-à-tête, Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, which serves as the workplace of Neil’s coconspirator Donald Breedan (Dennis Haysbert), and Santa Monica’s famed art and architecture book store Hennessey + Ingalls, McCauley’s go-to spot for researching his various scores. Neil’s starkly modern pad, though only shown in a handful of scenes, is no less memorable. So its longtime exclusion from Heat filming location sources is surprising. An anonymous commenter on the Then & Now Movie Locations website finally identified the place via MLS images as 26940 Malibu Cove Colony Dr.
      Designed in 1982 by architect Ron Goldman, FAIA, the dramatic two-story property contains four bedrooms and three baths in 3,502 square feet. Featuring floor to ceiling windows, three fireplaces and an owners’ suite with a built-in desk and sitting area, Zillow values the dwelling’s worth at almost $9 million!
      Check out more photos of Neil’s house below:

      Realtor.com

        Realtor.com

      Redfin.com

      Realtor.com More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Luxury

      Pierce Brosnan Is Selling His James Bond-Inspired Malibu Home for $100 Million

      by

      A former 007 is taking on what could be one of his trickiest assignments yet—selling his Malibu beach house.
      Pierce Brosnan, perhaps best known for playing the titular role in four James Bond movies, is unloading his Broad Beach mansion for no less than $100 million. The Irish actor and his wife, filmmaker Keely Brosnan, commissioned the home after the success of his fourth Bond film, Die Another Day. The mansion’s Southeast Asian aesthetic is in fact inspired by Brosnan’s time shooting the movie in Thailand, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

      Of course, bringing the nearly 12,500-square-foot home to life was no small feat. Prior to building the house, the Brosnans lived in a ranch-style residence on the same plot of land, but it proved to be too small for them. The current residence took about a decade to complete.
      The great room.  Compass

      They had some help, though—architects Ralph and Ross Anderson designed the resort-like property, and it was subsequently built by Albino Construction. The finished product sits on more than an acre of land with access to 117 feet of beachfront. The Brosnans dubbed it “Orchid House,” because, well, the landscaping includes plenty of orchids. (Plus palm trees and gardenias.)
      Broad Beach  Compass

      Between the main house and the guest house, the home has five beds and 14 baths. The primary motif here is teak, which is ideal in oceanfront communities as the wood weathers the moisture well: The floors are wide-plank teak and the entry gates and cabinetry are made of the same material. Another architectural standout is the green clay tile roof, which was directly inspired by the temples in Thailand.
      There’s a separate guest house on the property, plus a two-car garage.  Compass

      Ocean views are also a priority—it’s so close, after all—so many of the interior spaces have large glass windows and doors that look out onto the crashing Pacific. The great room opens up to the beachside deck, and the adjacent kitchen, which has two islands and two stoves, also has a view of the water.
      There’s a fire pit on the property for entertaining.  Compass

      Two bedroom suites also occupy this main level, but it’s the primary bedroom upstairs that’s the real showstopper. The space takes up 4,000 square feet all on its own, and includes two bathrooms, a private deck and a large sitting area. Also upstairs is a private office and an additional guest room.
      The saltwater pool.  Compass

      The amenities fit out the lower level, including a soundproof movie theater with tiered seating and a bar—great for mixing a martini and putting on your favorite Bond flick, naturally—and a gym, music room and spa with two soaking tubs.

      One of hte outdoor dining areas.  Photo: Courtesy of Compass

      Outside there’s the beach, obviously, but the Brosnans also installed a saltwater pool with a waterfall, plus two glass-enclosed areas for outdoor dining. The nearby guest house has two levels, so guests can enjoy a gorgeous view from their upstairs perch—or the whole building can be repurposed into a pool house. Also on the grounds is a two-car garage, which may be worth expanding for larger gatherings in the future.
      The view from one of the decks.  Photo: Courtesy of Compass

      That $100 million asking price is right in line for Malibu. Last year Whatsapp founder Jan Koum shelled out nine figures on a 14,000-square-foot home in the area. And Orchid House isn’t even the most expensive Malibu home on the market—that distinction belongs to a seven-bed, 10-bath property off Pacific Coast Highway that’s hoping for $125 million.
      As for the Brosnans? They’ve decamped to Hawaii, according to The Wall Street Journal. So they’re still not too far from the beach. More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Luxury

      Home of the Week: A Malibu Beach House Featured in ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ Heads to Auction

      by

      If you really do want to keep up with the Kardashians—Khloe and Caitlyn Jenner in this case—buy the chic Malibu beach house they used to rent. It might look a little familiar. The home has made cameos in episodes of the family’s hit reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians. It’s a gorgeous, newly-renovated 4,456-square-foot […] More

    • 138 Shares149 Views

      in Luxury

      Eli Broad’s Malibu Beach House Hits the Market for $75 Million

      by

      Eli Broad is nothing if not shrewd about money, and the fact that he’s selling his house on “Billionaire’s Beach” in Malibu bears examining. Does he know something we don’t know? All I can say is probably. Priced at $75 million and listed with Branden Williams and Rayni Williams of The Williams Estates at Hilton & Hyland, Broad’s 5,374 foot, […] More