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    Freddie Mercury’s Former London Mansion Can Be Yours for $38 Million

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    No, this isn’t just fantasy. The real-life home of late music legend Freddie Mercury has hit the market.  

    Garden Lodge, located in London’s exclusive Kensington enclave, is just listed for £30 million (US$38 million). The former Queen frontman, who died in 1991 at age 45 of bronchial pneumonia, left the Neo-Georgian-style estate and all of its contents to his friend and former fiancée, Mary Austin. In the roughly 30 years since Austin has been living at and looking after the property full-time, but is now ready to part ways with the hallowed home. 

    “This house has been the most glorious memory box, because it has such love and warmth in every room,” Austin said in a press statement. “It has been a joy to live in and I have many wonderful memories here. Now that it is empty, I’m transported back to the first time we viewed it.”

    The late Freddie Mercury helped create the garden at his home in London.

    Knight Frank

    The stately brick residence was originally built in 1907 by architect Ernest Marshall for artist couple Cecil Rea and Constance Halford and was at one time owned by Peter Wilson, a former chairman of Sotheby’s. According to Knight Frank, which is handling the sale, the Mercury bought the place on the spot in 1980 and later tapped interior architect and designer Robin Moore Ede to renovate the palatial pad.

    Internally, the residence sports the finest marble accents, rich wood floors, and tons of bright jewel tones. Most notably, the walls of the dining room are painted a citrusy yellow—the singer’s favorite hue. Other highlights include the double-height drawing room, where Mercury stored the grand piano that he famously used to compose Bohemian Rhapsody. The British singer also helped design the garden, which is dotted with large magnolia trees and sculpted plantings.

    “Ever since Freddie and I stepped through the fabled green door, it has been a place of peace, a true artist’s house, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person.”

    Many of the walls in Garden Lodge have been painted using bold and bright hues.

    Knight Frank

    “The sale of Garden Lodge presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a significant property combined with a piece of cultural history, the beloved home of an icon,” added Paddy Dring, global head of prime sales and joint head of Knight Frank’s Private Office. “Having been carefully preserved with love and respect over the last three decades, we expect that the exceptional provenance of the property will be incredibly alluring to buyers across the world.” 

    Last year, Austin sold off a treasure trove of the star’s possessions during a Sotheby’s auction. At the time, Mercury’s belongings ignited a bidding frenzy, so prospective buyers might want to move quickly.

    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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      in Luxury

      Rufus Wainwright’s L.A. Home Hits the Market for $2.2 Million

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      Canadian singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has put his Los Angeles home of almost a decade on the market, and yes, there are yellow walls, and they are in fact lined with portraits.

      The Grammy-nominated musician is officially parting ways with his Laurel Canyon abode that he bought together with his husband, Jörn Weisbrodt, back in 2016. At the time, the couple paid $1.45 million for the for the storybook-style cottage and are now asking for a cool $2.2 million. Wainwright, who released his newest album, Folkocracy, in June 2023, announced the news in a post on his Instagram page.

      “The time has come…Jörn and I are listing our gorgeous Laurel Canyon home,” the crooner wrote in the caption. “We have lived in this house since 2016. I wrote ‘Unfollow The Rules’ here, including one of my favorite pieces ‘Peaceful Afternoon.’ We have had many of those here and I hope that the next tenants enjoy it as much as we did.”

      In the living room, dark wood beams are in contrast to the fire engine-red cathedral ceiling.

      Dag Eliason and Alexandre Anu of The Agency Beverly Hills

      Originally built in 1926, the whimsical spread contains three bedrooms and four bathrooms. The quirky residence is decked out with tons of enchanting original elements, including dramatic wood-beamed cathedral ceilings, charming stained-glass windows, and a cozy fireplace clad in vintage tiles. One of the standout spaces is the super cool octagon-shaped library, which is complete with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Elsewhere, you’ll find a bright yellow formal dining room with diamond-paned picture windows, several balconies, and a sky-blue family kitchen with a built-in breakfast nook. The outdoor spaces feel even more fairytale-like. The grounds are dotted with trees and include an alfresco dining area, a patio, a pond, and what the listing refers to as a “lovers bridge.”

      The walls of the formal dining room are painted canary yellow.

      Dag Eliason and Alexandre Anu of The Agency Beverly Hills

      According to Dag Eliason of the Agency, who’s representing the property with colleague Alexandre Anu, Wainwright’s absence in the local community will not go unnoticed. The broker told Mansion Global that on warm summer nights, his neighbors could recall hearing piano playing coming from the terrace. “It’s a very inspirational house,” Anu said. “For Rufus, as a songwriter, he wanted a place he could pull inspiration from.”

      However, the “Poses” singer reassured his followers that he wouldn’t be going far. “Of course, Viva, Siegfried, Jörn, and I will stay in LA,” Wainwright explained on social media, noting that his 12-year-old daughter and his dog would be coming with him. “We love living in this city and exploring a new area.”

      Click here to see all the photos of Rufus Wainwright’s L.A. home. 

      Dag Eliason and Alexandre Anu of The Agency Beverly Hills

      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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