Actress Cate Blanchett lists mansion in the land down under
Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett and her husband, playwright and director Andrew Upton, have put their historic home in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, on the market for about $14.75 million.
Built in 1877, the sandstone-faced home known as Bulwarra overlooks the Lane Cove River on about an acre in Hunters Hill, Australia’s oldest garden suburb.
Extensively renovated and updated to a more contemporary style, the house is distinguished by clean lines, open space and neutral tones.
Interiors featuring walls of glass and raised ceilings make up formal living and dining rooms, a kitchen with a center island and a lower level with an office/library. A floating staircase framed in jet-black steel extends to each of the home’s three floors.
The master retreat sits in a private wing and has a skylight-topped dressing room. Public areas and each of the home’s five bathrooms take in garden and landscape views.
Outdoors, tree-topped grounds include a guesthouse, a covered pavilion, a swimming pool and spa and a tennis court. Direct access to the river completes the scenic setting.
Ken Jacobs of Christie’s International Realty has the listing.
Blanchett, 46, is known for her Academy Award-winning performances in “The Aviator” (2004) and “Blue Jasmine” (2013). Among her other film credits are “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999), “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001-03) and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (2008).
Upton, 49, has worked as the artistic director for the Sydney Theatre Company for the last five years, creating adaptations of “Hedda Gabler,” “Don Juan” and “Children of the Sun,” among others. He was the associate producer of the 2005 film “Little Fish” starring Blanchett and Sam Neill.
Tasteful in Beverly Hills
Renowned chef Wolfgang Puck is packing up his leftovers, listing a Beverly Hills house for $8.495 million.
The well-outfitted kitchen of the Mediterranean-style villa may seem on the modest side by professional standards, but it has served Puck for a dozen years. The Spago founder bought the property for $3.675 million.
Set on nearly a quarter of an acre on a tree-lined street, the 6,025-square-foot house is surrounded by gardens, lawn and mature trees. A swimming pool and outdoor living areas with plenty of room for al fresco dining complete the grounds.
Indoors, a two-story entry with a wrought-iron railing staircase sets the tone. Thick plaster walls, beam ceilings and a stone fireplace are among architectural details.
Living spaces include formal dining room, a library/office, a family/great room, a media room, five bedrooms, six full bathrooms and a powder room.
Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency is the listing agent.
Puck, 66, and his Wolfgang Puck Cos. have restaurants, cookbooks and a product line.
So where will the restaurateur cook in his off hours? He bought a nearly 12,300-square-foot mansion in the Holmby Hills area of Beverly Crest two years ago for $14 million.
Writer lists his beach aerie
Television producer and screenwriter Tom Kapinos of “Californication” fame has put his home in Manhattan Beach up for sale at $4.75 million.
Designed by architect Pat Killen, the three-story contemporary on a walk street was built in 2001 and sold to Kapinos the following year for $2.16 million, records show.
The open, 4,000-square-foot space is highlighted by such industrial details as concrete walls and floors, walls of glass and a staircase wrapped in wood and steel. Among the living spaces are a loft-style kitchen with a breakfast bar, a great room, a living room, four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.
Balconies and a rooftop deck take in city and ocean views. Elsewhere on the grounds is a four-car garage.
Kapinos, 46, is best known as the creator, writer and executive producer of “Californication,” which ran for seven seasons on Showtime before concluding last year. Among his other credits is the TV drama “Dawson’s Creek,” for which he served as a writer and producer, and the upcoming supernatural drama “Dead People.”
Michael Grady and Alex Brunkhorst of the Agency have the listing, according to the Multiple Listing Service.
She’s holding court in Calabasas
Former Los Angeles Sparks star and Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie has her home court in Calabasas on the market for $2.19 million.
Leslie and her husband, Michael Lockwood, bought the contemporary-style house in a gated community three years ago for $1.7 million.
Set on half an acre, the two-story house was built in 1996 and has a swimming pool, a covered patio and a terrace entry. The 4,633 square feet of space includes a two-story foyer that opens to a living room with a fireplace and a formal dining room outfitted with white accents and a crystal light fixture.
Other amenities include a family/game room with a wet bar, a center-island kitchen and an office/den. A master suite with coved ceilings, a fireplace and an updated bath are among the five bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms.
A swimming pool with a spa and waterfall features, a built-in barbecue and expanses of lawn are within the grounds.
Haroldine Gearhart of Rodeo Realty is the listing agent, according to the Multiple Listing Service.
A three-time WNBA most valuable player with the Sparks, Leslie, 43, has deep roots in Southern California, having played for USC and before that at Morningside High in Inglewood.
She made eight all-star teams while winning two championships in 11 professional seasons. As an Olympian, Leslie won four consecutive medals for Team USA from 1996-2008. She officially retired in 2009.
New Charger lands in Poway
Professional football player Orlando Franklin didn’t waste any time getting settled into San Diego County.
The veteran offensive lineman, who joined the San Diego Chargers as a free agent in March after four years with the Denver Broncos, has bought a house on a cul-de-sac in the Old Winery Estates area of Poway for $1.895 million.
The Spanish-style home was built in 2004 and features vaulted ceilings, a foyer entry and fireplaces in the living room, great room and master bedroom.
An updated kitchen with a large center island, an office, five bedrooms and five bathrooms are included in about 6,500 square feet of space. Exposed beams, chandeliers and travertine and wood floors are among the interior details.
French doors open to palm-topped grounds with a swimming pool and spa, a horseshoe pit and an outdoor fireplace. Rolling lawns, formal landscaping and a four-car garage complete the 1.28-acre setting.
A second-round pick of the Broncos in 2011, Franklin, 27, made 63 regular season starts in four seasons, seeing time at both right tackle and left guard. His new contract with the Chargers is reportedly worth $36.5 million over five seasons, with a guaranteed $16.5 million coming in the first two years.
Mary Jo Atkins of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty represented both the buyer and the seller, according to the MLS.
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