Architectural Digest

The November issue of Architectural Digest hits newsstands on Tuesday and will mark the last under the direction of Paige Rense Noland, who began her reign as the magazine's editor in chief in 1971. Rob Lowe is the cover of the "People and Places" issue, and inside we're treated to a tour of his sweeping 20-room Georgian-style estate near Santa Barbara, which he shares with wife Sheryl and their two sons.

Here are a few excerpts from the article:

• Rob on what he wanted in a home: "I've always been to a historic, East Coast American aesthetic. But a house also has to be comfortable, able to withstand the simultaneous traffic of teenagers playing football on the lawn, barbecuing on the patio, me slipping off to write. Our challenge was extrapolating our views on how to live our lives and raise our children into what we need in a home."
• Sheryl on her husband's hobbies: "Besides sleeping, my husband's favorite things are reading, writing and music. Who else would have a piano bar?"
• Sheryl on their new home: "Looking through the living room windows from the front door, you see the ocean; from the pool, you see the mountains. Though large, the house has a human scale. It welcomes you."
• Rob on his dream home: "I always wanted that house where everybody wants to go — full of energy, dogs, music, fun. I wanted our house to be that house, and it is."

Continue reading for a sneak peek of Lowe's dream home and hear about the other celeb digs featured in the issue.

Architectural Digest's April cover boy is none other Bounty Hunter star Gerard Butler. In the new issue, on newsstands April 6, the actor opens up his 3,300-square-foot Manhattan loft, designed by production designer Elvis Restaino, which sits on the sixth and seventh floors of a converted manufacturing warehouse in Chelsea.

According to AD, the loft boasts, "13-foot-tall mahogany doors; a ceiling and wall frescos; plaster walls chipped and mottled with age; massive columns supporting limestone lions; crystal chandeliers casting spidery shadows," and plenty of furnishings from New York décor mecca ABC Carpet & Home.

It's pretty funny to imagine Gerard Butler describing his bachelor pad:

I wanted something elegant and gorgeous and at the same time rather masculine and raw. I guess I would describe the apartment as bohemian old-world rustic chateau with a taste of baroque.

Want to read more quotes from Butler and see photos of the interiors?

Last week we learned that Architectural Digest had selected interior designer Roger Thomas to create the greenroom for the Oscars, and the room is complete just in time for the big day!

On the right-hand side of the room, you can see that, as planned, he's handpainted a few chairs to turn them into one-of-a-kind pieces. The splatter-paint floor, which was inspired by scenic departments of Hollywood studio lots, turned out beautifully, too. Not only does it have an artsy, painterly quality, but it subtly brings in a bit of color to combat all the neutral furnishings. The floors also give the several different seating areas a more cohesive look. It's smart that Thomas to chose to forego a traditional coffee table in favor of five small stools, ottomans, and side tables which could potentially moonlight as seating. What do you think? Would you like this design in your home?

Want to see a time-lapse video of the room being decorated? Head to my Twitter page!

The Oscars are really closing in on us! Architectural Digest has just announced that it has chosen interior and furniture designer Roger Thomas to create the Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 82nd annual event. The greenroom is the backstage lounge where all the Oscar presenters and honorees will relax and rehearse before their big stage debut at the Kodak Theatre. The choice seems fitting for Thomas, who says, "My fondest memories are cinematic moments. The films have as much to do with set design as they do the action."

On to the décor! To hear about Thomas's vision and resources for the room, read more

Jennifer Aniston lounges in her LA home, which she describes as "a big hug" for the March cover of Architectural Digest. She has been working on her incredible house for years and while we've got an idea at what it's like, nothing compares to a full photo spread. Among the details the magazine reveals: Aniston made the "his" side of the "his and hers" bathroom into a spa bath, and her dining room table seats 24 for her famous dinner parties.

Jennifer described her home, which she calls "Ohana" based on the Hawaiian concept of extended family, saying,

"I entertain for a living, and I entertain. The house has a rather glamorous, old-fashioned Hollywood quality. I can just imagine the Rat Pack stopping by; someone is playing the piano, and people are laughing in the next room."

It all sounds pretty special — must be nice to be one of her girlfriends! Jennifer is also planning a Haiti benefit for later this month. Check out the full spread when the issue is out on Feb. 9.

If you've ever wanted to see the interiors of Michael Jackson's infamous Neverland Ranch, you can put your curiosity to rest. The November issue of Architectural Digest features two stories about Jackson and his sprawling 2,700-acre Santa Ynez Valley, CA, estate. Inside are many rare photos and a personal story recalled by photographer Harry Benson who visited and photographed Jackson at the estate over the years.

I was intrigued to learn that the icon kept most of the furniture and interiors just as they were when he bought the property from real estate developer William Bone in 1988. I'm also surprised at how dark the interiors are; I expected more color from the much-talked-about "fantasy land." Although, Jackson's playful décor, like his Peter Pan sculpture, more than makes up for that.

Get a sneak peek inside Neverland Ranch and at some portraits of Jackson, and read some memorable quotes when you read more

For the last eight years, Architectural Digest has had the unique pleasure of choosing a designer to design the green room for the Primetime Emmy Awards, which accommodates performers and speakers when they are not on stage. This year the magazine chose award-winning Los Angeles-based designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, who has worked for the likes of Cher, Ed Norton, Christina Aguilera, William H. Macy, and Sir Elton John, among other famous faces. I thought it'd be fun to share the room's evolution from final sketch (shown above) to the fully furnished space that all the stars saw Sunday night. As you can see, the design is very Moroccan-inspired, and he decided to create a tented ceiling, which is also typical of Moroccan design. To see the finished product, read more