Owning a house that has been featured in Architectural Digest has tremendous cache, according to Brad Nelson, the chief marketing officer for Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s the equivalent of getting a star from the Michelin guide, and means that the architecture and design are truly the best in class,” he says.
Given that all of us have been spending more time at home over the last two years, Nelson adds that the design of the spaces we live in has become even more meaningful than it was in the past. “The supply chain issues that happened during COVID make AD homes that much more covetable,” he says. “You don’t have to spend years in construction and waiting for materials to come in. You can skip the line and move into a property that you’re going to proud to show off.”
From a 60-room mansion in Holmby Hills designed by a pioneering Black architect to a ranch in the desert near Marfa, Texas, owned by a famed photographer, the following five homes with press in AD are currently on the market and seeking new owners. Which one would you most want to live in?
The Azria Estate, Los Angeles
Featured in AD in 2016 and 2021, this mansion was designed by the celebrated Black architect Paul Revere Williams in the 1930s, and it is set on almost three acres of stunning grounds in the prestigious Holmby Hills neighborhood. The property epitomizes glamour with features such as the grand dual staircase foyer, 60 rooms, and detailed trim work. Amenities include a glass-walled tennis court, Moroccan bathhouse with hammam, swimming pool, greenhouse, French courtyard, and Japanese garden and teahouse.
Price: $85 million
Beds/Baths: 17 bedrooms, 25 bathrooms
Square Footage: 30,000
133 S Mapleton Dr, Los Angeles
Built by restaurateur Michael Chow and his ex-wife Eva, this home is now owned by Eva and was seen in AD in 2019 and AD Middle East in fall 2020. Located in Holmby Hills, it was inspired by Madrid’s Reina Sofia Museum and features a dramatic 30-foot entry with 400-year-old Moorish columns and carved ceilings in a style that evokes 16th- and 17th-century Florence. Other highlights include a three-story guesthouse with a cinema, outdoor ballroom, and underground parking.
Price: $65 million
Beds/Baths: 9 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms
Square Footage: 30,000
- Architecture + DesignTour Peter Frampton’s Peaceful and Accessible Tennessee Home
1201 Tower Grove, Beverly Hills
AD profiled this Beverly Hills estate in 2009, and it hasn’t lost any of its luster since. Spread over two acres, it has views of the city skyline and ocean and gorgeous gardens with a heated gazebo, courtyards, arches, and open lawns. The interiors were designed by White House designer Michael Smith, and they are full of standout features such as the living room with a Georgian plaster ceiling and Venetian plaster walls, a handsome library with a hand-stenciled ceiling, and an octagonal breakfast room with a vaulted ceiling. Amenities include a two-story guesthouse, tennis court, pool pavilion with a swimming pool, movie theater, wine cellar, and gym.
Price: $49.95 million
Beds/Baths: 7 bedrooms, 9 full bathrooms, 2 half bath
Square Footage: 16,439
The Friedman Ranch, Marfa, Texas
Owned by celebrity photographer Douglas Friedman, this Marfa, Texas, ranch was the subject of an AD feature in January 2020. It’s set on ten acres of land and boasts views of both the Davis and Haystack Mountains. The house is a modern structure constructed with steel connectors, glue-laminated timbers, and insulated panels, and it has open, airy rooms with landscape panoramas. Outdoors, there’s a firepit, palapa, lap pool, and hot tub.
Price: Upon request
Beds/Baths: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Square Footage: 2,000
The Three Bridges, Great Neck, New York
In AD last August, The Three Bridges—located on Long Island’s posh Gold Coast—was built in 1928, and it is a throwback to the glamorous era of F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby. Spread over eight acres, it overlooks Long Island Sound and has views of the Throgs Neck, Bronx-Whitestone, and Robert F. Kennedy bridges. Don’t miss the three different homes, waterfront pool, deep water dock, tennis court, and lazy river. Why limit yourself to one indoor pool? This property has multiple as well as multiple spas, and a movie theater too. There’s no box that it doesn’t tick off.
Price: $55 million
Beds/Baths: 18 bedrooms, 24 full bathrooms, 8 half baths
Square Footage: N/A
