A monumental Mediterranean
The dictionary could include a photo of this house with the definition of the word “opulence.” The multi-building complex has inlaid onyx marble floors, imported Italian silk fabric wallpaper, hand-painted frescoes and a mosaic-tiled pool with spouting fountains. There are sweeping city and ocean views and, at $53 million, a price tag that identifies this as how the other half lives.
The one-of-a-kind trophy estate on a 3.5-acre promontory in Bel-Air was built in 1985 by architect Bob Ray Offenhauser, who also designed the Botanical Complex at the Huntington Library in San Marino. The owners, described by the listing agent as “royalty,” haven’t stayed here in years, although they’ve let guests use it as recently as this summer.
About this house: Where’s the “wow” factor? It hits you as soon as the private sentry-armed gate opens and a long, circular driveway lies before you. The multi-storied entranceway to the main house is a breath-stealer with old-world elegance. It’s hard to know what to look at first: the hand-painted murals, the flowing fountains, the ceiling fresco. Like a trip to a museum, there’s room after room of antiques, artwork, marble, mirrors and glass.
Asking price: $53 million
Size: There are 36 bedrooms and 34 bathrooms spread through the complex. The main house has more than 18,000 square feet of living space.
Features: There are his-and-her master bedroom suites included in the Mediterranean-style main house, accessible only by a private elevator. A commercial kitchen has Wolf stoves and ovens, and two Sub-Zero refrigerators and freezers. The main house’s dining room seats 20. There are five guesthouses.
Adjacent to the pool area is a large pool house and a sunken tennis court. There is a satellite telephone system, an extensive security system and garages to accommodate 10 cars and parking for 40 more.
Glass doors open to the pool, creating an indoor-outdoor area. The inner courtyard has a fountain, and there are carved marble fountains in the entrance foyer as well. There are marble spa baths and steam showers, and a fully equipped gym. The furnishings are for sale at an additional cost.
Where: Bel-Air
Listing agent: Joyce Rey, Coldwell Banker Previews International, (310) 285-7529
To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, please send color interior and exterior photos on a CD with caption information and a description of the house, including what makes the property unusual, to Ruth Ryon, Real Estate Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
