Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are certainly no strangers to the real estate industry, but their Southern Italian-style home in Montecito is the latest of their properties to enter the market. This comes only four months after the couple paid $22.5 million for the estate in June before putting their famous renovation skills to work. It's now listed for $46.5 million.
Named Pompeiian Court, the century-old home (built in 1919) spans eight acres behind a large iron gate and a quarter-mile-long driveway that flows into a 'classic Roman courtyard residence.'
Exhibiting the best of Italian style, both in its architecture and interior design, the home is said to embody 'the spirit of quiet luxury', according to the listing. 'The residence, grounds, and additional structures offer a series of experiences with spaces that stand on their own yet seamlessly meld into a cohesive lifestyle unlike any other,' the description reads.
Located in lower San Ysidro, the property is a piece of serenity amid Montecito's buzz. This begins with the courtyard, with a central water feature that epitomizes the Californian indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Much like the other historic mansions in the area, the home is one single-story, meaning almost every room opens out to the mountainous outdoors.
Other stand-out rooms include the eat-in kitchen that overlooks the state’s 'oldest resident,' an ancient, architecturally significant oak tree. The space has striking black cabinets that juxtapose the rustic white walls and floating shelves decorated with jugs and cutlery.
The living spaces continue this neutral color palette while showcasing more architectural assets that pay homage to its 104-year-old heritage. These include the original wood floors, several fireplaces, and vaulted and beamed ceiling cathedral ceilings. There are also three sets of French doors that open onto a south-facing terrace, fountains, and the temple pavilion beyond.
The southwest corner plays host to a paneled office, library, and bar that is an entertainer's dream. Similarly, the octagonal dining room is an equally perfect backdrop for dinners, drinks, and night-long conversations.
The main bedroom suite is one of five around the home and leads into a spacious bedroom and a 'crescendo of closets'. Outside, there is a spa, swimming pool, and guesthouse with another bedroom and private living space. Robert Riskin at Riskin Partners Group holds the listing.
We can't all enjoy a floating shelf as beautiful as the one in this villa, but for our own open-shelving, Ellen's dinnerware set is a natural starting point.
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