Say hello to this Montecito, CA, estate. The stunning property known as El Fureidis, which stood in for a Miami mansion in 1983’s “Scarface,” is on the market for $17.9 million.
The home’s visionary founder, James Waldron Gillespie, came from a wealthy New York banking family and desired to go west. He tapped his friend, renowned architect Bertram Goodhue, to build him an estate in a Mediterranean style—and he wanted a climate to match.
According to listing agent Emily Kellenberger, the two men traveled hundreds of miles on horseback “for over a year, all over Europe” to find inspiration for the home’s design.
They returned from their epic journey and settled on the Montecito site, which had been a botanic garden. In 1903 they began to build a villa surrounded by lush Persian-style gardens.
The 9,800-square-foot estate on 10 acres was completed in 1906. “It was really one of the founding Montecito estates,” Kellenberger says. The four-bedroom home has both ocean and mountain views.
Montecito, which is home to celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, is near Santa Barbara and has one of the “wealthiest ZIP codes for home buyers,” according to USA Today.
The historic estate has been significantly spruced up, thanks to a multimillion-dollar renovation by its current owner, who bought it in 2009 as a second home. The property, which was listed a year ago for $35 million, has since been relisted with a significant price reduction. It’s “priced competitively at this point—and it’s an exceptional value,” Kellenberger says. “The owner is really ready to sell at this time.”
The renovation included restoration of original fixtures and doors (some discovered in the basement), along with the addition of modern amenities such as radiant heat, steam showers, and a deluxe kitchen.
It must be hard to focus on your meal in the dining room with a barrel ceiling lit up with gold-leaf paint and a depiction of Alexander the Great conquering Persepolis by Henry Wadsworth Moore.
And we can’t stop chatting about the home’s “conversation room,” a “Byzantine-style alcove” that is topped with an “18-foot-high central dome” modeled after a church in Rome, according to the listing.
Bas-relief sculptures decorate the exterior. These works of art were created by Lee Lawrie, the artist behind Atlas, the iconic art deco object in front of New York City’s Rockefeller Center.
The public rooms open to a central courtyard and outdoor patios. Legend has it that this palatial estate was the site of parties attended by bold-face names from Charlie Chaplin to John F. Kennedy.
Despite its prestigious past and elaborate interior design, this building could almost be overshadowed by what’s outside.
El Fureidis means “tropical paradise,” according to Kellenberger. And nothing has been lost in translation here: The stunning grounds include multiple species of palm trees, many that are over 100 years old, Kellenberger notes.
In fact, the extraordinary foliage brought none other than Walt Disney to the property in 1957, seeking inspiration in the home’s palms for Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise.
“It’s like you have your own personal park,” the agent says. “If you would have new construction, you wouldn’t have this gorgeous landscape. That takes time.”
Комментарии (34)
A.G.
2016.01.09 00:37
S.V.
2016.01.09 00:51
A.G.
2016.01.09 00:55
Восхитительно. Одна из лучших работ, что видел за последнее время. +6
A.G.
2016.01.09 01:09
Спасибо!!! Очень приятно!
не хватает сока в обработке
A.G.
2016.01.09 01:44
Спасибо! Возможно,не вижу другой вариант)
Отлично, но красный кирпич, по-моему, не в кассу. Особенно, если учесть, что кирпич имеет свойство крошиться, то долго он не протянет. Лучше гранит.
A.G.
2016.01.09 10:00
Спасибо! но вы не правы.
Этому »кирпичу» больше ста лет. Вилла 1906 года
Nice work !
Kenji
2016.01.09 09:44
Отличная работа! Мне понравилось!
Мне тоже очень нравится!
DanRS
2016.01.09 12:06
Вечерний вид с диванами хорош.
Таким портфолио можно гордиться!
A.G.
2016.01.09 12:10
A.G.
2016.01.09 14:23
Живут же люди !
A.G.
2016.01.09 15:17
A.G.
2016.01.09 15:22
Не вижу проблем) Все сделано как положено)
pimen
2016.01.09 23:55
Райское местечко! Всё бы ничего, кабы не вентканалы (совком отдают и нарушают стилистику). A зачем столько наружных ступеней? )))
A.G.
2016.01.10 00:20
pimen
2016.01.10 12:01
A.G.
2016.01.12 12:09
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El Fureidis — Back patio features 9 bas reliefs depicting the Autherian Legends by famous sculptor Lee Lawrie
El Fureidis — Central Courtyard
El Fureidis — Living Room
El Fureidis — Sitting Room
El Fureidis — Bedroom with ensuite bathroom, fireplace, and access to rooftop terrace
El Fureidis — Large ensuite bathroom with walk in shower and soaking tub overlooking property
El Fureidis — Bedroom with ensuite bathroom and balcony
El Fureidis — Laundry Room features state of the art appliances
El Fureidis — Ensuite Bathroom
El Fureidis — Bedroom has ensuite bathroom, private deck, and access to the rooftop terrace
El Fureidis — Breakfast nook
El Fureidis — Large walk in closet in the master suite
El Fureidis — Master Bathroom
El Fureidis — Kitchen features state of the art appliances
El Fureidis — Master Bedroom
El Fureidis — Conversation Room
El Fureidis Dining Room features mural depicting Alexander the Great conquering Persepolis, and is painted on 24 karat gold leaf
El Fureidis — Reflecting pools
El Fureidis — Persian Gardens
El Fureidis — Reflecting pools
El Fureidis is said to be one of the finest examples of Persian Gardens
El Fureidis — Looking out at the fountain and 4 reflecting pools
A magnificent fig tree, the largest in Montecito, consumes a portion of the east facing yard at El Fureidis
El Fureidis entrance at dusk
