CasaSugar

This Just In: Nicolas Cage Lists Two New Orleans Properties

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:30:36 -0800

Prolific real estate investor Nicolas Cage is on the loose on a wild selling spree. Cage has already put his Las Vegas, Bel-Air, and Rhode Island properties on the market, and today we have news that he's listed his two properties in New Orleans. According to WDSU and Real Estalker, Cage has listed his historical property (shown right) in New Orleans's French Quarter, the most haunted home in the neighborhood, in addition to a Garden District mansion. The haunted home, known as the LaLaurie House (which I wrote about here), is listed for $3.9 million, $400,000 more than he paid for it in April 2007. To hear about the other property and see photos, read more.

The listing for Cage's 13,176-square-foot, six-bedroom, five-full-and-two-half-bath Garden District mansion, which was once an active Catholic chapel, reads:

The most superlative of Garden District mansions with the best of every amenity. Ample room for a large family and big-time entertainment venue with formal gardens, parking, and everything anyone could possibly want in a most grand of grand, star-quality home.

It also features a pool and central air, which are ideal for the broiling NOLA heat. If the house looks familiar, it's probably because I quizzed you on the owner of it once, as it was once owned by gothic novelist Anne Rice. I've passed by the property hundreds of times myself and I can tell you it's an idyllic example of New Orleans architecture; I'd love to see interior photos.

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On the Market: Former New Orleans Home of Vampire Enthusiast Anne Rice

CasaSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:45 -0700

The former New Orleans home of Anne Rice, author of Interview With the Vampire and the Vampire Chronicles series, is on the market for $3.7 million. The 1850s home has a transitional style, with both Greek Revival and Italianate elements. It boasts double galleries with Corinthian and Ionic columns, massive antique beveled mirrors in the double parlors, antique landscape murals in the dining room, gorgeous millwork, and exquisite plated ceilings.

The house was the inspiration for Mayfair Manor, the Garden District home of the characters in Rice's Mayfair Witches. The home's oak tree, swimming pool, and iron scrollwork side porch figure prominently into the script. Rice and her late husband, poet and painter Stan Rice, lived there from 1989 to 2004. With five bedrooms and seven-and-two-half baths, a pond, a three-car garage, a guest house, a cabana, and a courtyard, it's truly a dream home. And, like any good New Orleans home, its double galleries make a great spot for an evening Sazerac. To take the full tour, read more.

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Sandra Bullock and Jesse James Buy a Historic New Orleans Victorian

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:25 -0700

From Angelina and Brad Pitt to Nicolas Cage, New Orleans is becoming a popular place for celebs to settle, the latest transfers being Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. The pair quietly snatched up a historic Victorian home in New Orleans's Garden District for $2.25 million back in June. The 6,615-square-foot, five-bedroom, 4.5-bath home, known as the Koch-Mays house, was built sometime between 1860 and 1870. It retains many original Victorian design details, including ornately carved marble mantels, carved columns, large plaster medallions, shadow molding, and beautiful ornamental cast ironwork on its exterior. It's no surprise Bullock looked for historical details when doing her real estate shopping: the French Southern bistro she owns and designed in Austin, Bess Bistro, is in a historic building with tin ceilings and hand-painted floors. And although Austin won't be a far trip for the couple, they're guaranteed to find a good Creole shrimp meal in NOLA. See interior photos when you read more.

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Source: Flickr User alykat

Mad Men Actor Bryan Batt Inks a Home Décor Book Deal

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Actor Bryan Batt, known for his role as in-the-closet art director Salvatore Romano on Mad Men, has signed a deal with publisher Clarkson Potter to write a home décor book. The book, slated for release in Fall 2011, will explore his favorite interiors and "through his own witty commentary and design techniques, show readers how to create their own stylish and enchanting spaces." As you may remember, Batt and his partner Tom Cianfichi own Hazelnut, one of my favorite décor boutiques in New Orleans. This is truly exiting news; I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Want to get a peek at Batt's design skills? Check out his carriage house in NOLA's Garden District.

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In the News: Benjamin Button House Is Up For Grabs

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 11:00:00 -0800

The New Orleans home of Brad Pitt's character in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button can now be the setting of your own life story. The 7800-square-foot Victorian mansion in NOLA's Garden District is on the market for $2.85 million.To hear more details about the property, read more.

With six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a large yard, a library, a music room, and a reception hall along with incredible architectural details, the house is a prime example of old New Orleans architecture: built for entertaining. Unfortunately, I have no interior photos to share, but according to the real estate agent for the property, "It's much nicer than what people saw in the movie." Referring to the O'Hara cotton plantation in Gone With the Wind, she says, "It's more like Tara the than a home for old people." I actually passed by the house a few times while the movie was filming and swooned over the exterior, but then again, New Orleans is known for its coveted cribs.
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House Hunting For Oprah

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:00:47 -0800

There's a rumor flying about that Oprah is house hunting for new digs in DC, so she'll be close to buddy Barack Obama. NYPost is claiming that she's been eyeing a nine-bedroom, $50 million Georgetown mansion from afar. The property on the market fitting that description is the nine-bedroom, $49 million, 1801 Federal-style house shown here, which features "majestic grounds & gardens, parking for 100 cars, ballroom, gatehouse [and an] additional building overlooking Washington Monument and Rock Creek Park." But, she certainly hasn't made any purchases yet, if the rumor is true. Since Oprah's a busy lady, I decided to do a little house hunting in the District for her. Oprah, you can thank me by offering me one of your other digs: perhaps your Miami island pad that's on the market. To see a few of the most fabulous homes in DC I've selected for Ms. Winfrey, check out this slideshow. Source

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Casa Link: Hazelnut at Home

CasaSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:15:46 -0800

The owners of Hazelnut New Orleans, the Casa Shop you met yesterday, don't reserve their interior styling skills for their magasin on Magazine Street. Tom Cianfichi and Bryan Batt, who you may recognize from his role on AMC's Mad Men, are both actors with a knack for interiors and have dressed their Garden District carriage house to the nines in a daring mélange of modern classics (Barcelona chair, Louis Ghost chair), bold colors ('70s avocado walls, a beaded blood-orange chandelier), and thrifty finds (a Salvation Army sofa) that only bona fide creatives could see the potential in. The New York Times has an interesting feature about this duo's design evolution with photos of their home that will floor (or shag carpet) you.
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Nicolas Cage Owns a Haunted House

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:00:12 -0800

Now that we've "fallen back" into the dark, I thought I'd share some grim celebrity trivia with you. While flipping through a photo gallery of haunted "murder" houses at This Old House, I learned that Nicolas Cage is the proud owner of the most haunted house in New Orleans' French Quarter, which he bought for nearly $3.5 million. The house was built in 1832 for Dr. Louis Lalaurie and his sadistic wife, Delphine, who legend has it, violently tortured and murdered hundreds of slaves within the house.

As for the hauntings, there were many reports of paranormal experiences between 1837 and 1932 in the house. In 1920, one resident reported: "There were no other families living here and one night, on the third floor, I saw a man walking carrying his head on his arm." In 1932, the house was being used as a furniture store, and it was reported that the owner "first suspected vandals when all of his merchandise was ruined several times, covered with a foul liquid filth. The owner waited one night with a shotgun, hoping to catch the vandals in the act. When dawn came, the furniture was once again ruined. He closed the place down shortly thereafter."

If you're not easily spooked, read more

While this history alone would prevent me from looking into this real estate, I think that this next fact would deter nearly everyone from buying the property: According to This Old House, "More recently, human remains dating back to the 19th century have been found in the home's floorboards." Maybe that explains Cage's permanently sullen expression.

Actually, Cage has made a habit of purchasing historical homes throughout the country and added this one to his stable in April. He reportedly has many real estate holdings, which he purchases through his trust, Hancock Park Real Estate Company L.L.C., to avoid media attention. His other addresses include a house in New Orleans' Garden District, a historical mansion in San Francisco's Russian Hill, two houses in Las Vegas, multiple properties in LA, and at least one place in NY. Ahhh to be a Coppola...

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