Category Archives: Celebrity Houses in California

Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick Buy Modern Los Feliz House

[one_fourth]Price: $2,500,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 2,760 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 3[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3.5[/one_fourth_last]

Despite taking a financial cleaning by the king of Ponzy schemes, Bernie Madoff back in 2008, the celebrity couple, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedwick had the funds to purchase a $2.5 million dollar home in Los Angeles. They’ll be packing their bags and possessions in Manhattan and moving cross country to the new home in the Los Feliz neighborhood.

The home, built in 1957, was probably all the rage and excessively modern, but today—it looks a little dated and smacks of the 60’s. It’s full of glass, angles and wood, everything popular 50 years ago. However, it still has interesting features, a great view and a landscape that makes you want to move there.

This 2,760 square foot, 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home is a multi-level home that has an appearance of additions added to the original property. However, this writer believes that it was the intention of the architect to add drama and interesting lines to the house, rather than make it look like a mobile home with an attached garage and family room. Not having the pleasure of a close up and personal view of the home, it’s difficult to tell whether it looks that way or the pictures make it look cobbled.

Part of the problem is not with the home itself but with the décor. If the house was staged, someone needs to fire the person doing the staging, as it is one reason the house looks outdated. There are interesting lines and angles in the living room and a large open space floor plan that requires larger furniture and more of it, making this writer believe it was not the furnishing of the previous owner but a failed staging.

The large windows make this home bright and airy and give both the master bedroom and formal living room/dining room area a great view of Griffin Park Observatory. The master bedroom also offers his and hers bathrooms and closets, a balcony and a skylight.

The outside landscaping and view were probably the selling points of the home. After all, with a little decorating most of the interior would look dramatic and gorgeous. The home greets you with a climb up concrete steps past a lush landscape. There’s also a lounging deck. The backyard has a free form pool, with a stone patio all of which is enclosed with a partial wall lined with plants. While the house has some flaws, over all, with a little interior change, this home in the particularly desired neighborhood was quite a buy for only $2.5 million.

Photos of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick’s Los Feliz House

source: Realtor.com

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Gordon Ramsay Buys Los Angeles Mansion

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[one_fourth]Price: $6,750,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 7,413 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 5[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 6[/one_fourth_last]

Chef Gordon Ramsay, star of four reality shows, most of which have the word Hell or Kitchen or both in the title, is now the proud owner of some U.S. property, located in Los Angeles, California. While he might have screamed about the price a little, or perhaps he only rants and raves on the telly for ratings, he forked over a cool $6.75 million on the 7,413 square foot house in the Bel Air Crest neighborhood that sits pristinely on a one-acre lot. He’ll be sharing his time between his home across the pond in foggy England and the sunny climate of Southern California. Since Ramsay spends much of his time filming in the U.S., having a home for his family to stay seems a logical decision.

While the house sounds expansive, Ramsay, his wife and four children will have just enough bedrooms in the five bedroom, six bathroom home. They will however, have expansive common areas, a huge pool and a hot tub, but there’s no additional guest room, in case your considered visiting a while.

When you think of Ramsay and a new house, you immediately wonder what the kitchen looks like. It’s huge with commercial grade stainless steel appliances, a darker hardwood floor and pristine white everywhere else, except the dark wood breakfast/storage island in the center.

The house has a dramatic view of the ocean, city and canyon, with an outdoor lounging area to enjoy the view. There are also ample patio doors, windows and balconies to aid in that endeavor. The home, immaculately decorated, offers fireplaces in several rooms, a family gaming area and ample space in every bedroom. The master bedroom is complete with a huge bathroom that would make any public facility look inadequate.

Chef Ramsay isn’t the only celebrity affiliated with the home. The architect, Ken Ungar created the original design for this 2003 house. Ungar is a well-known designer of many celebrity homes and has a multitude of awards. This home design should have brought him another because it’s clean lines and livable space combine perfectly with the setting and exterior attractions. There’s nothing gaudy or overly dramatic about the home, it just looks lush and friendly.

More Photos of Gordon Ramsey’s L.A. House

source: Flynet Pictures

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Daryl Hannah Lists Malibu House For $5M

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[one_fourth]Price: $4,995,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 1,540 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 2[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 2[/one_fourth_last]

The statuesque blond who starred in “Splash” and “Blade Runner,” Daryl Hannah, known for her environmental and animal rights activism is selling her hidden hippie style complex back in the hillsides of Malibu. This area is filled with the drama of Mother Nature and Hanna added to the beauty of the landscape with tweaks to the already pristine area.

For a mere $4,995,000 you can purchase your own little slice of secluded paradise replete with a 1927 river-stone hunting cabin and the second, a corrugated-metal clad building that once was a nursery. While the homes are small, they’re quaint and peaceful looking, with a porch for viewing the great outdoors and planters hanging on the porch of the metal-clad building and a pristine moss deck adding to the appearance to the stone hunting lodge.

The river-stone hunting lodge has radiant heat flooring, a Japanese soaking tub and an indoor/outdoor shower. The houses are not the feature here, however. Even though they do have some very interesting extras, the real star of this show is the land and the landscaping. There are several gardens scattered throughout the 17.6 acre hideaway. Some include a native garden, a vegetable garden and an exotic garden. There’s also a vineyard and an orchard so you’re never too far from succulent fresh fruit on a hot afternoon.

The acreage came through two purchases. The first in early 2000s for $550,000 brought 7.6 acres and the second purchase for $775,000 made Ms. Hannah the proud owner of the 10 acres, in 2001. Those purchases were for the land, the lodge and what was once a nursery—which explains all the gardens and landscaping.

The property is solar powered, which is only right, considering Ms. Hannah’s passion for the environment. There’s a live oak grove with a teepee in the middle. However, the teepee may be going with Ms. Hannah to her other home in Colorado. There’s something for everyone who loves the peaceful outdoors, with streams and waterfalls, a palm grove, pastureland and an abundance of wildlife, this is one of the few celebrity homes isn’t for the image but demonstrates true tranquility.

Pictures of Daryl Hannah’s Malibu House

source: Prudential Malibu + Realtor.com

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Paula Abdul Selling Sherman Oaks Home

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[one_fourth]Price: $1,899,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 4,679 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 5[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 4.5[/one_fourth_last]

This is the year for Paula Abdul to clean house of any bad memories—and that included selling her ill-fated home in Sherman Oaks, California. She listed the 4,679 sq. ft. home with an asking price of $1,899,000. Considering she bought it back in 2000 for $1,285,000, she has some wiggle room for an interested purchaser to low ball the price.

Of course, that price doesn’t take into consideration any money she invested in the home since the purchase. In fact, she—or her insurance company—invested a cool $900,000 on behalf of the house into the pockets of Jill Kohl, who slipped in the driveway and sued Abdul, but opted for the nearly million dollar settlement. Of course, it came to a million when the production company for the show, “Hey Paula” taping at the house, agreed to cough up another $100K.

Selling the mock Mediterranean mansion also eliminates the constant reminder of another bad memory, the death of a Paula Goodspeed, an overzealous obsessive fan who parked her car just a short distance from the home and then overdosed on drugs back in 2008.

In the spirit of a clean slate, Paula held a garage sale before putting the five bedroom 4.5 bathroom house on the market. Let’s hope it wasn’t to supplement unemployment due to the non renewal of her contract on the X-factor. Following the sale, she left for parts unknown, so now the fated house remains empty with just staging furniture to lure prospective buyers.

When you enter the home, you’ll find a spacious foyer with twin, wrought iron clad staircases leading to the second level. The living room is wide and spacious with a light brick fireplace and glass doors to the outside living area and swimming pool. On the other side of the room, is an archway to the dining/kitchen area, with the two only divided by a snack bar.

The kitchen, like most celebrity homes, has top grade commercial style appliances. (Do these people even put pop tarts in the toaster, let alone cook a full meal?) The upper cabinets have clear class fronts with the lower cabinets containing frosted glass with a design. There’s nothing dramatic or outrageous about the kitchen area.

On the second floor, you’ll find large bedrooms, with an empty walk-in closet large enough for a family room or a small boutique. You’ll note the word empty, another clue that Ms. Abdul left for the Netherlands. While the home is nice and may be worth the asking price, it comes with a history of incidences and bad memories. It seems Paula is eliminating all the negatives and looking for a new start, both at home and work.

Pictures of Paula Abdul’s Sherman Oaks Home

source: Coldwell Banker – Beverly Hills North.

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Vincent Gallo’s L.A. Penthouse Hits Market

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[one_fourth]Price: $2,599,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 4,300 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 2[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 2.5[/one_fourth_last]

If you don’t know the name Vincent Gallo, you’re not alone. While he’s played a few roles in mainstream movies, he’s best known for directing, writing and starring in independent productions such as “Buffalo 66” and “Promises Written in Water.” You could best describe this eccentric man as a creator rather than a film artist since he also composes and plays music, paints and even writes and produces conceptual art in his merchandising area on his website. He’s quite prolific but don’t let his unusual demeanor lead you to believe he’s at all like the Hollywood A-list wanna-bees. He’s more of a cult figure than a movie star.

A recent real estate transaction went on the market that bears his name. While he might be artsy and eccentric, he’s also a businessman. From the strange items on his website, to his real estate investments, he makes this clear. Gallo purchased the Los Angeles penthouse, once rented to Nicholas Cage (who was the only person who ever lived there) in 2009. It was once the home of the National Biscuit Company—now known as Nabisco—for $2.34 million—cash. This 4,300 square foot penthouse in the renovated 1925 building is now on sale for $2.599 million to any willing buyer.

The main entrance is an expansive area that is versatile enough for almost any purpose you have in mind. It has clean pink and red bricks with white framed windows and a wooden floor. There are mountains of white staircases, which lead you to the main living area three floors higher. Of course, if you’re not into a lot of exertion, a private elevator stops on every floor.

The main living area has a living room/dining room area offering a spectacular view. It also sports a less than ornate but very attractive kitchen. Both rooms have a doorway to the outdoor terrace, which wraps around the building. There are two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in the penthouse. Of course, this floor doesn’t hold the bedrooms of this 4,300 square foot renovation. You have to go up one more set of stairs to the lofted master bedroom. While there’s not much privacy because it’s simply a loft over the other living area, it also has a clear glass panel as the only separation from the bedroom and bathroom area, adding even more to the lack of privacy.

While it’s obvious that Mr. Gallo purchased the penthouse to flip, it isn’t his first act of flipping. He’s purchased and sold several other penthouses and condominiums in the area many of them in historic buildings, making a profit on some and taking a loss on others.

Pictures of Vincent Gallo’s Los Angeles penthouse

source: real estalker

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Melanie Brown Lists Tarzana House At $3.45M

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[one_fourth]Price: $3,450,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 8,204 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 5[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 8[/one_fourth_last]

Maybe Scary Spice was always screaming, loud and a little less than refined, but you couldn’t tell it from her elegant 8,200 square foot home recently put on the market. In fact, it’s more like a home you’d expect for Posh Spice. The couple paid $3.159 million for this beautiful mansion in Tarzana, California less than two years ago. Then they put another million into when they added another detached cottage style building on the property containing a state of the art movie theatre, a mirrored gym, game room, gym, and wet bar. Why would Melanie Brown and Stephen Belafonte be selling so quickly? The couple may love the home, but they’re not too fond of one another and decided to call it quits.

The rooms in this French style mansion have beautiful Venetian chandeliers, marble or hard wood floors and look very continental. For those who want to watch how they eat, the dining room sports mirrored walls. There are huge his and her walk in closets, which rival the size of most people’s bedrooms. The bathrooms have the look of a posh hotel with one having a double window that opens to view the skyline of the city.

Of course, as with any mansion, there are plenty of bathrooms and bedrooms. You’ll find five bathrooms and eight bedrooms in this mansion. All of which are large and spacious. Some of the bedrooms are more ornate than others are, but all are contain the French decorating style, even the rooms for Angel, Phoenix, Giselle and new little Madison, the children are replete with that décor.

One big draw for the mansion is the outdoor living area, which is nicer than most of us enjoy inside the house. It offers a dining room, complete with a chandelier, an open but covered kitchen area, a large outdoor living room and a pool area. Of course, the no living room, indoors or outdoors, is complete without a huge flat-screen TV and this one is no different.

There’s a stone fire pit area for those cool nights also sitting atop the huge flat stone patio. Upon looking at it, it seems as though this would be the perfect place for any outdoorsman to set up camp. Okay, change that to “any outdoorsman who wants five star accommodations.” Therefore, if you have a box of marshmallows and a few million lying around, you might want to check out this prime piece of real estate.

Pictures of Melanie Brown’s Tarzana House For Sale

source: Los Angeles Times + Realtor.com

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Jennifer Aniston Buys Modern Bel Air House

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[one_fourth]Price: $22,000,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 8,500 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 4[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 6.5[/one_fourth_last]

Aniston’s role on Friends may the first thing people recall about her, but her smart real estate selections are now giving her a new legacy. Her latest purchase was an 8,500 square foot mansion designed by A. Quincy Jones and built in 1965. The mansion sits on a three-acre grassy knoll that offers not only a grand view of the downtown area, but also a great view of the ocean. In fact, the grounds are quite unique, containing a vineyard, koi pond, guest house, pool, covered kitchen area, several ponds and lots of walking paths through landscaping that can only be described as natural rather than planned—even though it probably took a lot of planning to get it to look that way.

While the mansion has a look that’s a combination between office building, Chinese Zen and Ultra-modern, Aniston got it at a steal for a mere $22 million. The original market price set last April was $29 million but dropped to $24.9 when the mansion didn’t move. While she only shaved $2.9 million off the present asking price, the final offer was a cool $7 million less than the original price, almost a 25 percent discount.

The interior looks as though someone spent plenty of time to make certain the feng shui was just right. Following the exterior design with the all white home accented by a building high red door, the interior contains the same theme.

The rooms are white, the floor is wood and there’s either a red dividing wall or prominent red accent piece in each room. Red is the Chinese color for luck and happiness and according to feng shui, indicates luxury and richness. However, it’s an energy color of arousal and passion, so you don’t want too much around the house, lest you get nothing accomplished except..well, you know. Too much also makes people burst out in anger and feel restless.

It will be interesting to see if Aniston changes this carefully created décor or leaves it just as it is. Either way, the mansion with its floor to ceiling windows, spacious open floor plan and dramatic view is another feather in her new real estate mogul hat.

More Photos of Jennifer Aniston’s Bel Air House

source: Realtor.com

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Selma Blair West Hollywood Home For Sale

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[one_fourth]Price: $1,780,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 2,918 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 3[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3.5[/one_fourth_last]

If you have a deep pocketbook, but not deep enough to afford several of the big mansions, then Selma Blair’s Los Angeles, California home might be just the right price. The actress known for performances in “Hellboy,” “Legally Blonde” and “The Sweetest Thing,” has her 2,918 square foot home on the market for $1,780,000. Fencing and tall hedges with a gated but narrow driveway surround the 3 bedroom, 3.5-bath property.

The house has a history, with its construction date in 1922, but fully modernized since that time . Blair purchased it for a mere $1,315 back in late 2004 right after she married, now ex-husband, Ahmet Zappa, the son of Frank Zappa. After the split, Blair and Jason Bleick, a somewhat free spirited fashion designer, became an item and the couple produced their 7 lb., 12 oz. baby boy, Arthur Saint Bleick last fall. In the real estate market, diapers in the house often mean a brand new home, and in this case, it seems to be following the pattern.

White flows throughout the home and in some rooms, makes it reminiscent of a rental. Besides the white walls and exterior, even the floors are painted white with light tan area rugs scattered throughout.

The slightest hint of color comes from the gray or black furniture, a black bathroom floor, some tan rugs and a few accent pieces in the home. Perhaps her realtor told her that a plain white interior would be easier to sell, or she simply has a romance going with white. Either way, the neutral tone of the house is prominent in every room.

One feature of the office that might be a deal breaker is the antler chandelier topped with candle-style lights. Another lighting misadventure is the flower-style chandelier above the dining room table. It’s interesting to view the pictures of the home and note one item that seems to be reappearing in several pictures. A turquoise blue, jug-style vase wanders from the dining room table onto the kitchen counter. The best guess is that the realtor suggested it and moved it for the photos to add a little color to the rooms.

Aside from the easily changed, blah décor, this home is quite nice and reasonably priced compared to many celebrity homes. It’s ready to move into and neutral enough for anyone’s taste. There’s a koi pond in the back, several rooms with a fireplace and a master bedroom with doors opening to the patio. For those who love outdoor entertaining, the back yard offers a big concrete fire pit and a concrete dining area.

More Photos of Selma Blair’s West Hollywood House

source: Westside Estate Agency + Realtor.com

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Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds List Former L.A. Love Nest

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[one_fourth]Price: $3,650,000[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Size: 2,835 sq ft[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth]Bedrooms: 2[/one_fourth]

[one_fourth_last]Bathrooms: 3[/one_fourth_last]

In August 2010, two years after they married in 2008, Scarlett Johansson (“The Horse Whisperer” and “He’s Just Not That into You”) and Ryan Reynolds (“Green Lantern” and “The Proposal”)purchased the home they would live in for the rest of their marriage, which lasted only a few more months more. The divorce was final June 2011 and the house is just now on the market.

While the couple only paid $2.9 million for the home, they’re now asking $3.65 million. There’s a good reason for that price hike. They did massive upgrades to make the home more eco-friendly. The addition of solar power, adding more security features, upgrading the kitchen and even securing plans to add a second story to this 2,835 square foot single-story post and beam style home.

The listing shows only two bedrooms and three baths, perhaps the reason for the second floor plans, which sits atop .44 acres with a view in all directions, allowing them to see both the beach and the downtown area of Los Angeles. It also has a 2-car attached garage, which is rather smallish for most stars’ abodes.

Inside you’ll find wood everywhere. The ceilings are wood, the floors are wood and there are wood posts and beams everywhere. It doesn’t take away from the attractiveness of the home, if you happen to like the distinct style. The kitchen has an open concept with a U-shaped wooden counter, which contains the gas cook top. The other appliances are chrome and built into the walls of the kitchen, giving it a sleek look.

The master bedroom has many people talking. It comes complete with a walled garden adjacent to it and a luxurious outdoor shower. One can only imagine the freedom of showing outdoors without worrying about anyone seeing you…except people in low flying airplanes and helicopters.

The house has its own name too. Locals call it the “Wong House.” It seems the Wong House was the “wong” purchase for Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds, but if they sell it for the asking price, it could make this home purchase far more palatable.

More Photos of Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds Former Love Nest

source: Keller Williams + Realtor.com

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Rock Star Homes For Sale In California

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If you dance in your “tighty whities” playing air guitar to “Footloose,” you might be interested in purchasing a former rock star’s home. Of course, you have to have a very large balance in your checking account. Many of these homes aren’t what you’d expect from tattooed, sweating rockers, but often tastefully decorated and present a homey elegant ambiance. Of course, there are those rockers who simply must have the skull and crossbones or wild décor, but they aren’t in this collection of homes.

If you have $3.15 million and an itch for a new home, you can’t get Flea’s. Of course, that means the home of Michael Peter Balzary, bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Known as Flea to his fans, Balzary had to build a new home after the Malibu, California fires destroyed his in 2007. Flea put the home on the market and 3,066 square foot, three-bathroom, three-bedroom and an office home sold in October, just four months after listing it.

If you’re disappointed you missed that one, you still have an opportunity to purchase the Hidden Hills home of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. This modest 10,930-square foot home is in Hidden Hills and has an asking price of $12,999,000. (The price is reminiscent of those from the late night TV used car salesman –with a few extra zeros.) Renowned for his interior designs, Lawrence-Bullard meticulously decorated this six-bedroom, six-full bath and four half-bath home, which “Architectural Digest” featured in the June 2011 issue.

Of course, if you want something a little historic, you might latch onto the 1905 Venice home of Brandon Boyd of Incubus fame. This 3,500 square foot building was once a hotel in the 1940’s but now is the living quarters for the rock star. It comes with a guest quarters and a music studio. The home also has a rooftop patio. The rocker bought the home in 2005 for about $6,000 less than the $3,495 million asking price. For those with a penchant for cooking, you’ll love the chef kitchen created to please the most demanding of food fanciers.

You missed the chance to purchase the home of Travis Barker, Blink-182’s rock drummer. However, Avril Lavigne and her ex now have the property on the market again. The Mediterranean mansion offers 8 bedrooms and 11 baths, in the gigantic 12, 184 square foot abode. The asking price is a mere $8,999,999. This tastefully decorated Mediterranean-style home offers not only the customary hardwood floors and chic design throughout, but also has a wine cellar, a gym, which includes a sauna, a ten-car garage and an outdoor area that would make anyone drool. It offers not only a swimming pool, barbecue and Jacuzzi, but also a covered outdoor living room with a scenic canyon view. (UPDATE: This home was recently purchased by NBA basketball star Chris Paul).

If you’re a Guns ‘n Roses groupie, consider looking at the 10,971 square foot home Slash put on the market. He and wife Perla Hudson purchased the Beverly Hills property in March of 2009 for $7,300,000 and listed it recently for $9,500,000. It has seven bedrooms, 8 baths, a game room with both arcade games and a poker table and decorated in a Spanish motif both inside and out. Don’t expect to call your local broker to get a “look see” into the home. It’s a pocket listing. That means one realtor holds the keys and you had better pass the moola test or you won’t get even a tiny peek.

image source: Realtor + Getty Images