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    • 150 Shares179 Views

      in Luxury

      Julia Roberts Just Sold Her Charming San Francisco Home in a Flash

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      Back in the earliest days of 2020, just a month or two before the Covid-19 pandemic threw the entire world into chaos, Julia Roberts paid $8.3 million for a house in San Francisco, long one of her favorite haunts. Sited in the charming Presidio Heights neighborhood, the 1912 Victorian had languished on the market for nearly a full year, and endured a series of price chops before Roberts came calling.

      Nearly four years later, the Oscar-winning actress has sold the classically lovable house – and it appears she had the magic touch. After hitting the market in early October, the place sold in just 18 days for an impressive $11.3 million, about $500,000 under Roberts’ asking price but still $3 million more than she had paid. The all-cash buyer, shielded behind a mysterious LLC with a Silicon Valley address, has not yet been publicly identified.

      Behind gates, a brick walkway leads to the home’s column-ringed entry; inside are five full levels with a total of five bedrooms and five bathrooms in a generous 6,300 square feet of living space. Guests are greeted by a stately foyer with a grand staircase holding court near a light-flooded, fireplace-equipped living room.

      While the 111-year-old house has clearly been extensively modified over the years – and the interiors are distinctly contemporary, albeit in a relaxed and casual manner – the place is livable and unmistakably charming. And interesting or original features abound: the dining room features intricate coffered ceilings, there’s a nifty sunroom in one of the bedrooms, and the robin’s egg blue kitchen has stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, plus premium Sub-Zero appliances and a convenient wet bar.

      Four of the home’s bedrooms are located on the second floor, while the primary suite takes up nearly all of the structure’s top floor. There are also two semi-subterranean lower levels – a primary lower level that includes a media room, mud room and the attached two-car tandem garage, and a “lower lower” level with a big bonus room. 

      Both lower levels have direct access to the backyard garden, which is compact but includes serene olive trees, romantic sitting areas and what appears to be a covered hot tub.

      Roberts, 56, still maintains many other homes. Among them are a penthouse in New York City’s West Village, a sprawling New Mexico ranch and an estate on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. But for many years, her primary residence has been a blufftop mansion on Malibu’s Point Dume. More

    • 213 Shares139 Views

      in Vacation Homes

      This $3 Million Villa in Costa Rica Looks Out Over the Pacific Ocean From Its Treetop Perch 

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      Like other homes that blend in with their natural surroundings, this brand-new villa in the rugged North Pacific region on the West Coast of Costa Rica is discreetly tucked away with just a few other homes in the lush, dense jungles of Guanacaste. 

      The Sunset Villas are a collection of four residences nestled within the 3,000-acre Costa Elena resort community and ocean club near the border with Nicaragua. On the market for $2.95 million, the hilltop pad is perched in the treetops next to the Guanacaste Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Altogether, the boxy and modern two-story home has four bedrooms, plus a one-bedroom bungalow, and a total of six bathrooms in more than 5,000 square feet of living space. 

      One of the four Sunset Villas at Costa Elena in Guanacaste is now for sale.

      Canadian studio DesignAgency and El Salvador-based architect Eva Hinds were tapped to design the interiors, which have a modern, tropical vibe. Think polished concrete floors, tons of teak wood, and neutral furnishings coupled with massive floor-to-ceiling windows and oversized glass doors that provide panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. All of the bedrooms are ensuite and have a private balcony, so you can take in the epic sights from a bunch of different vantage points.  

      Elsewhere, the digs are equipped with a gourmet chef’s kitchen with stainless appliances, plus a sprawling outdoor pool deck with daybeds, a grill, and a sleek infinity-edge pool. From here, you can look out over Salinas Bay and catch a glimpse of the Orosi Volcano and Bolaños Island. 

      Each of the five bedrooms has a private terrace.

      Owners of the Sunset Villas will have a concierge service and property management team at their disposal and will be given the option of entering the home into Inspirato’s rental program. You’ll also have access to Costa Elena’s three beach clubs, numerous restaurants, fitness facilities, hiking and biking trails, and a nature preserve. Of course, if you’re looking for a little off-site adventure, the 10 miles of coastline are the perfect place for kit surfing, fishing, snorkeling, and more. 

      At the helm of the master-planned Costa Elena is Nicaraguan native and billionaire Don Carlos Pellas. The Pellas Development Group is best known for its work throughout Central America, including Guacalito de la Isla, also known as Nicaragua’s first five-star resort community, in addition to Santa Maria Golf & Country Club in Panama. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Costa Elena’s Sunset Villa. More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Luxury

      A Lavishly Customized South Florida Mansion With Broadway Ties Returns for an Encore

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      For a couple of years now, Al Tapper has been trying to find someone to assume the stewardship of his extravagant South Florida residence known as “Villa Museo” with no takers. Sited in the tony seaside city of Boca Raton, the 19th century-inspired spread took a brief absence from the open market but has now returned, this time with a reduced asking price of $7 million.

      That’s $2 million less than the noted Broadway playwright and composer originally wanted for the place. But it’s still lots more than the $1.5 million he paid for the property back in spring 2000, before he spent three years and millions of dollars customizing the premises. Currently chock full of about $1 million worth of distinctive antique furnishings procured by the avid art collector mostly from New York’s renowned Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses—all of which can be included in the sale for an additional cost—the ornate abode is being offered by Bonnie Heatzig of Douglas Elliman.

      A soundproof movie theater features stadium seating and recliners, as well as its own ticket booth and snack bar.

      Resting amid a double parcel of land spanning over two-thirds of an acre, within the Coventry subdivision of the exclusive gated Woodfield Country Club community, the waterfront property features a five-bedroom, seven-bath home with a little more than 6,500 square feet of single-level living space adorned throughout with high ceilings, museum-quality lighting, arched windows, carved columns, and walls lined with limestone, mahogany and pecky cypress. There’s also a gym, plus a detached building that houses an art deco-style movie theater sporting stadium seating, a ticket counter and concession stand.

      Other highlights include a formal living room displaying a massive fireplace topped with stone grills, along with a library, formal dining room, and family room and kitchen outfitted with floors culled from a 400-year-old French church. A sumptuous master retreat has “light oak floors that have been stenciled to replicate wood inlays of elaborate parquet floors that were the norm in the late 1800 European manors,” and a carved Louis XVI double bed that has been reconfigured into a king-sized bed.

      For the formal dining room, the owner wanted to recreate the feel of a “fantasy garden.”

      The amenities continue outdoors, where the grounds are laced with walking paths, fruit trees and tropical plants, and host an oversized freeform pool and spa, numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining while overlooking a serene lake, and an attached three-car garage; and topping it all off is a transferrable golf membership at Woodfield Country Club, which includes access to an 18-hole championship golf course that was recently redesigned and renovated by architect Kipp Schulties to the tune of around $8 million.

      A longtime venture capitalist, as well as a film producer, Tapper also reportedly still maintains a New York City penthouse, and Cape Cod home and office in his native state of Massachusetts.

      Click here for more photos of Villa Museo. More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Luxury

      Freshly Rehabbed, Architect Ray Kappe’s First Ever House Is Quintessential California Modernism

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      Widely considered one of California’s most influential modernist architects, Ray Kappe’s career spanned decades and inspired countless members of the current generation of architects and designers. And as a pioneer of the distinctive post-and-beam style that would come to define the architectural bent that became SoCal modernism, Kappe infused each of the numerous custom residences he designed with textures and materials he drew from L.A.’s natural landscape.

      That design sensibility that married Kappe’s homes with their natural surroundings is especially displayed in this suburban L.A. home, which happens to be his very first residential project ever completed. Built circa 1954 in the Glendale hills and surrounded by thick groves of native oak trees, the redwood-sided structure is locally known as the Gordon & Hildred Goetschel House after its original owners.

      Kappe’s first project is also the latest project by HabHouse, the L.A. based design firm that has built its reputation upon sensitive rehabilitations of architectural properties. In this instance, HabHouse reinstated or refurbished much of the home’s original detailing and also completely renovated the Kappe-designed swimming pool with modern-day equipment, plaster, tile and new coping. 

      The living room offers a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and walls of glass.

      if the HabHouse name sounds particularly familiar, it’s likely because this same crew was also responsible for a 1950 modernist gem in Brentwood, which recently sold in a bidding war to “Euphoria” actress Hunter Schafer. This property was also in high demand – the Glendale house sold before officially hitting the market, for about $2.6 million in an all-cash deal. Records indicate the buyer is a Salt Lake City-based woman who was once married to a wealthy tech entrepreneur.

      Framed by a wall of unpainted masonry block, the glass-walled pavilion is exquisite in its simplicity. Inside, natural light floods every corner of the hillside home, with the ancient trees casting shadows that stealthily move and grow throughout the day. 

      Other highlights include a fully redone kitchen with a distinctly retro vibe, an attached two-car garage and an 8,400-square-foot lot with backyard views of the Verdugo mountains. Back inside, there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms in a relatively cozy 1,700 square feet of living space.

      The backyard has mountain views framed by the treetops of ancient oaks.

      Kappe, who died at age 92 in 2019, designed 100 custom residences throughout his lifetime. He also founded the Southern California Institute for Architecture, widely regarded as one of the nation’s top architecture schools.

      Matt Adamo of Christie’s AKG held the listing; Nate Cole of Modern California House and Joseph Kiralla of Sotheby’s International Realty repped the buyer.

      Click here for more photos of 272 Mesa Lila, Glendale. More

    • 225 Shares189 Views

      in Luxury

      Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Passed on This L.A. Mansion. Now It Can Be Yours for $30 Million.

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      Earlier this year, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck initiated escrow on a $34.5 million “Hamptons-esque” estate in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles after a lengthy home search. Alas, though most folks thought they had finally found true real estate love, the merger was not in the cards. Instead, the A-list couple wound up pulling out of the real estate deal, before ultimately paying all cash this past spring for a $61 million compound high in the mountains above Beverly Hills.

      Now the place that got away has popped up for sale once again, and it could be yours for a speck under $30 million. Sam Palmer and Blair Chang of The Agency hold the listing.

      A porte-cochère empties out at a motorcourt fronting the two-story home.

      Tucked away behind walls and gates amid a 1-acre parcel in the Benedict Canyon neighborhood, and designed by architect Ken Ungar, the recently built spec mansion features seven bedrooms and 13 baths sprawled across 15,000 square feet of two-level living space crafted by The House of Porter. There also are plenty of amenities, including a study, wet bar-equipped parlor room, movie theater, wine cellar, gym and spa.

      Among the main-level highlights is a formal living room sporting a wood-burning fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass doors spilling outside. Another fireplace and a bar can be found in the formal dining room, while a cozy family room links to a marble-clad kitchen outfitted with double islands, top-tier stainless appliances, a separate prep kitchen and breakfast nook.

      A study has sliding doors leading out to a covered deck ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

      Upstairs, the fireside master retreat comes complete with a sitting room and private balcony overlooking the backyard, as well as dual walk-in closets and baths; and outdoors, the resort-inspired grounds are laced with native sycamore trees and grassy lawns, and host a kitchen and an al fresco dining setup, a fire-pit, and pool and spa. 

      Also holding court on the property is a detached one-bedroom guesthouse with its own living and dining rooms, along with an arched brick porte-cochère that leads to a gravel motorcourt flanked by a six-car garage.

      The backyard is decked out with a full outdoor kitchen and dark-bottom pool.

      Lopez recently sold her lavish Bel Air retreat for $34 million to Taiwanese businessman Walter Wang, president and CEO of L.A.-based JM Eagle, the world’s largest manufacturer of plastic and PVC pipe, and his wife Shirley, founder and CEO of Plastpro, a top fiberglass door manufacturer, who already own two properties just a few doors away. Affleck also let his Pacific Palisades bachelor pad go back in October 2022 for $28.5 million

      Between them, the couple also owns an 87-acre Georgia estate that’s currently on the market for $8.9 million, as well as a New York City penthouse, mansion in the Hamptons and petite cottage in L.A.’s Encino neighborhood.

      Click here for more photos of 14330 West Sunset. More

    • 138 Shares199 Views

      in Luxury

      Diane Sawyer’s Coastal New England Oasis Sells for Close to Asking

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      Once again Diane Sawyer is associated with breaking news—but this time, the latest juicy tidbit is centered around her own New England home. Barely two months after the TV broadcast journalist’s longtime residence known as “Chip Chop” first hit the market, the sprawling seaside compound has already traded hands for a smidge under the $24 million asking price, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

      Records show the speedy buyer is David Malm, managing partner of Webster Equity Partners, who paid $23.9 million for the 20-acre estate resting in the coastal enclave of Martha’s Vineyard. Per WSJ, the investor now lays claim to $100 million worth of luxury homes on the Massachusetts island and neighboring Nantucket, including a historic house on Edgartown’s inner harbor he paid $15 million for earlier this year.

      Designed in the late 1930s by Neoclassical architect Eric Gugler and ultimately completed in the mid-1940s, the property was purchased by the news anchor and her late film director husband Mike Nichols in the mid-1990s for $5.3 million. The couple subsequently undertook an extensive restoration in conjunction with Tate Builders, which included adding dormers, and replicating antique windows and doors.

      Originally built for stage actress Katharine Cornell, and designed by Neoclassical architect Eric Gugler, the New England-style home is topped with 10 chimneys.

      Nestled on two separate parcels of land tucked between Vineyard Sound and Lake Tashmoo, and boasting a combined mile of private shoreline, the seaside spread features a wood-shingled, New England-style main house boasting three bedrooms in nearly 5,000 square feet of living space.

      Numerous additional structures include a two-bedroom caretaker’s cottage and a pair of modern beach cottages affectionately referred to as “The Shacks” because of the fishing shacks they replaced, plus two more detached guest bedroom suites known as the Pond and Ocean pavilions. There’s also a swimming pool and Har-Tru tennis court on the premises.

      Several ancillary structures are scattered across the 20-acre property.

      The 77-year-old anchor known for programs such as ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America and 20/20, previously told WSJ she is selling this “magic place” because “the rhythms of summer have changed” as her family has grown, and “there is less free time for long visits to the island.”

      The listing was held by Mark Jenkins of Wallace and Co. Sotheby’s International Realty; Malm was repped by Tom Wallace of Wallace & Co. Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Click here for more photos of Diane Sawyer’s New England compound. More

    • 138 Shares159 Views

      in Luxury

      ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Screenwriter Scores Hilltop L.A. Home With Panoramic Views

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      Perched atop a knoll high above L.A.’s trendy and expensive Silver Lake neighborhood, this stylish Spanish Colonial Revival-esque home may appear to be a classic 1920s example, but it was actually built in the early 2000s. Although initially designed as a Tuscan-style villa, the roughly 4,000 square foot house underwent a dramatic refresh circa 2020 by its second owner, filmmaker/musician Robert Schwartzman, a member of Hollywood’s famed Coppola family.

      Schwartzman and his wife Zooey bought the house in 2019, paying $2.3 million, but their modifications caused the property’s value to soar. Over the summer, they flipped the place for a hefty $4.3 million to Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Peter Craig and his third wife, educator Cristina Esposito. 

      But it’s not hard to see the home’s attraction. Set high up and far back on its relatively generous 9,300-square-foot lot, the house lies completely out of sight from public view, shielded behind a detached two-car garage and a dense canopy of oak and eucalyptus trees. Behind a locked gate, several short flights of stairs lead up to a flat patio with a grassy lawn and dozens of native plantings.

      The formal dining room harkens back to the glory days of Old Hollywood, albeit with some chicly modern-day wallpaper.

      Inside the double-height foyer, the home’s Old Hollywood feel is especially pronounced – there are intricate iron details and terracotta tile floors that blend surprisingly well with the dark brown hardwood floors found on the staircase and throughout the rest of the home. From the foyer, an arched passageway leads directly under the staircase to the great room, which packs in a fireplace, casual dining space and an open kitchen with premium appliances and two islands, plus several sets of French doors leading to various outdoor patios.

      Other stylish home highlights include a bonus room/studio and a wine cellar, plus a formal dining room that connects via an arched doorway to a fountain-equipped terrace. All three of the residence’s bedrooms lie upstairs, where two guest rooms share a single bathroom; the primary bedroom features a sumptuous bath, two walk-in closets and a private, covered balcony with stunning city lights views.

      The house gets the full benefit of L.A.’s famous sunsets.

      Those vistas continue throughout the backyard, where various patios and terraces drink in unobstructed sightlines of Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign and the Downtown L.A. skyline. And while the property does not currently sport a swimming pool, the watery beauty of Silver Lake Reservoir is just a short jog away.

      Craig, 53, is the eldest son of Oscar-winning actress Sally Field. Originally a novelist, he made his screenwriting debut with the 2010 crime thriller The Town , which garnered critical acclaim. In 2022, he co-wrote the screenplays for both The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, both major box office successes; the latter project earned him an Academy Award nomination.

      Click here for more photos of Peter Craig’s Silver Lake house. More

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      in Luxury

      Designer Rachel Ashwell’s Dreamy Shabby Chic House Is Up for Grabs in L.A.

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      If you’re a fan of the Shabby Chic aesthetic, then this particular listing is sure to set your heart aflutter. Owned by none other than Rachel Ashwell—the British-born mastermind behind the iconic decorating brand—the charming abode is now on the market in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles for the first time in 16 years, complete a practical amount of space, relaxed atmosphere, comfortable beauty, and naturally, plenty of white paint.

      The 64-year-old who originally coined the design term in the late 1980s—and went on to launch an eponymously named home furnishings company—is asking a tad under $7 million for the English country-style villa, which she purchased for $4.15 million back in October 2007.

      The home is sited on a large flat lot replete with fragrant beds of lavender, roses and herbs.

      Sited near the Santa Monica coastline, and just steps from Brentwood Country Mart, the creamy stucco and pale blue-shuttered structure was built way back in the early 1930s. Since updated and beautifully decked out by Ashwell in her signature style, the dwelling features four bedrooms and three baths in a little more than 12,500 square feet of open-concept living space adorned throughout with hardwood floors, vintage light fixtures, half-painted walls, and a mix of wood-paneled and glossy painted ceilings.

      Nestled amid a flat parcel of land spanning over a quarter of an acre, the two-story home is fronted by a pathway that leads through a trellised gate before emptying out at a covered porch, with a gated driveway tucked off to the side. Once inside, an entrance hall flows to a formal living room warmed by a brick fireplace boasting a wood-beam mantle, and a combined family room and dining area connects to a galley-style kitchen outfitted with a diagonal tile backsplash, open shelving, a farmhouse sink and newer stainless appliances.

      The classically updated kitchen sports a farmhouse sink and top-tier Viking range.

      Elsewhere on the main level is an office space and en-suite bedroom with its own entrance; and three additional bedrooms upstairs include two that share a bath, as well as a serene primary suite equipped with dual balconies, a wallpapered dressing area, and spa-like bath spotlighted by a pedestal sink, built-in soaking tub and walk-in shower.

      In addition to picturesque gardens and towering trees, the private grounds also host a grassy lawn surrounding a heated saline pool and spa, plus numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a separate structure dubbed “The Barn,” which is actually a converted two-car garage with a full bath that could easily be used as an artist studio, office or a guesthouse.

      The listing is held by Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman.

      Click here for more photos of Rachel Ashwell’s Brentwood house. More