CasaSugar

This Just In: Reese Witherspoon Buys Country Home

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:30:04 -0700

According to Real Estalker, the lovely and talented Reese Witherspoon has shown off her good taste once again - this time by buying a gorgeous four-bedroom, three-bath home in Ojai, just an hour and a half outside of LA. The home, which was listed for $6.95 million, was designed by famed Southern California architect Wallace Neff, who was known for his Spanish colonial-revival house designs. The house was previously owned by textile designer Kathryn Ireland, whose home we featured in this coveted crib post. The property features equestrian facilities, and is located on over six acres. Sounds like a perfect place for her kids Deacon and Ava to raise their piglet, and once boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal heals up, he'll find some good bike opportunities in the area as well.

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Ask Casa: Books on Spanish Colonial Architecture

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:00:58 -0700

Hello Casa,

My dream is to buy or build a Spanish Colonial home for myself one day. I was wondering if you could recommend some books on this architectural style for me. Some coffee table books would be fine, or something on the construction of the homes too and interior design . . . anything at all I would greatly appreciate. I also remember that you wrote a post about Reese Witherspoon and that her new house was a Spanish Colonial. That house was absolutely lovely too. Thank you in advance!

Always, PeachyKeen19
To hear my suggestions for PeachyKeen19, read more.

Hi PeachyKeen,

Thanks for thinking of me! I'm with you on this one; Spanish Colonial is one of my favorite styles of residential architecture as well. This is especially true of homes with original architectural details. There are a few books I think might be right up your alley.

Haciendas ($34.95) by Linda Leigh Paul, from Rizzoli Press (one of my favorites), highlights the interiors and exteriors of 25 Spanish Colonial homes, both traditional and modern, in Mexico and the US, and will give you a broad overview of the style. This book is quite photography-heavy, with 250 rich photos, but I think this is key for understanding the architectural elements. It also gives a great historical background on the style, with information on the hacienda's origin as homes for Spanish nobility, up to newer styles today throughout the US.
Spanish-Colonial Architecture in the United States ($16.95) by Rexford Newcomb traces Spanish architecture throughout the US, including Florida, the Gulf Coast, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. This book is a must-have reference, much more text-heavy than the former, although it is illustrated with 195 photographs and 50 measured drawings. Newcomb is a distinguished architectural historian who's written several books on various styles of architecture. This book is well-documented (no fluff here), and offers a range of perspective views, detailed close-ups, measured front elevations, and floor plans to get down to the grit of the style.
Another title out of Rizzoli Press, California Romantica: Spanish Colonial and Mission-Style Houses ($40.95) is co-authored by actress Diane Keaton and LA-native D.J. Waldie. In architectural circles, Diane Keaton is praised for her preservation of historic California homes, and considered a committed preservationist. California is basically the hub of Spanish Colonial architecture in the US, so this is a must-read even if you plan to live elsewhere. The book features residential examples of both California Mission and Spanish Colonial styles, and introduces you to influential architects like George Washington Smith, Wallace Neff, Richard Requa, Lilian Rice, and Paul R. Williams.

Beyond that, with her cinematic eye, Keaton made a point to specially commission the photography for this book, so the photos alone are must-see. The book also gives you a tour of Keaton's own Spanish-style home, which I've actually written about before.

Hope that helps! And good luck finding your dream home.

Cheers,
Casa

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This Just In: The Penns Write Off San Francisco

CasaSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0700

According to the Wall Street Journal, Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn have listed their home in Marin County, California, about 18 miles north of San Francisco, for $15 milion. The Penns purchased the property in 1996 for $2.1 million, and spent two years rebuilding the original 1933 Spanish-style house. The manse doesn't appear to be listed publicly, but the WSJ said:

The 10,000-square-foot house was designed with hand-hewn wood-beamed ceilings and floors, stone fireplaces and hand-painted tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen. The two-story home has five bedrooms, a home office, an au pair suite, a gym, and a three-car garage. A two-bedroom guest cottage has its own two-car garage. There's also a pool, tennis court, gardens, and dog run.

To hear my thoughts on the property and see additional photos, read more.

You'll have to look at the photos to tell me your thoughts, but I must admit that I'm pretty dismayed by the couple's décor choices. To begin, the hand-painted kitchen tile floors remind me of those hideous leather patchwork purses that are trendy among hipsters these days. Although it does have a pretty stunning, walk-in, stone fireplace, the living room is boring (beige curtains on beige walls), and too lodgy for Marin Country. The Spanish-style exterior is pretty nice, though; it reminds me a bit of Reese Witherspoon's Ojai home. What do you think? Worth $15 million?

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Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:11:45 -0700

Reese Witherspoon will soon call the country her crib.
Looking for a bleach alternative? I've got one.
If you didn't catch my interview with Kim Myles of Myles of Style, dooo it.
Is your silver looking a little grimy? It may be time to polish it.
ReadyMade has gone e-green.
IDoSugar launched! Be sure to check out our registry roundups.
Andy Roddick is taking his tennis whites and soon-to-be bride to Gramercy Park.
April is Good to Grow month! Ready to "soil" yourself?

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