This entertainment “it” couple has long lived out their fairytale lifestyle on the east coast. Despite the fact that their professions are west coast through and through (she’s a well-known actress and he’s a sensitive rocker), the duo and their two kids have long preferred to soak up the seasonal changes that come with northern climes, along with the penthouse-in-the-city-during-the-week-and-Hamptons-home-on-the-weekend approach to living famous. But it seems that they’re finally ready to embrace their west coast roots (hey, he was born on the west coast of England!) as they recently purchased a home in prestigious Brentwood. Of course, they apparently weren’t quite ready to give up all vestiges of their former lifestyle; the house they chose, known as the “House of Windsor” is nothing at all like the average Hollywood home.
There are two styles that permeate the posh pockets of Los Angeles: Spanish Colonial revival and midcentury modern. Nearly everyone has seen some of the more famous examples of these two styles in cinema; remember the Cullen house from Twilight or Jackie Treehorn’s glass-walled Malibu residence in The Big Lebowski? And all you have to do is drive around the city to see hundreds of rooftops covered in terra cotta tile. But Paltrow and Martin decided to eschew these prominent styles in favor of a structure that has decidedly east coast allure. Aside from the intense sunlight and smog particular to L.A., you might think you had taken a weekend jaunt to the Hamptons upon entering this white-washed beauty.
All the hallmarks of east coast architecture are present, with vaulted ceilings, plank flooring, farmhouse doors, and white-washed wood paneling galore. The rooms are airy and bright with built-in cabinetry, window seats, and the chic black hardware that is just a bit too stark for most laid-back, California homes. Despite Paltrow’s on-again-off-again attempts at vegetarianism and other eco-friendly pursuits, you’re not likely to find any bamboo blinds (or even bamboo plants) decorating the stark surfaces of this home. It’s strictly old-world elegance with antique furnishings, four-poster beds, and a few well-placed splashes of color in the form of cushions, throws, artwork, and the occasional vase of flowers.
One wonders why they even bothered to move from one coast to the other, especially considering the $10.45 million price tag (which actually came down from $11.96 million when the home was first listed for sale last year). The 6-bedroom, 8-bathroom (more bathrooms than bedrooms?) estate designed by Windsor Smith includes 8,000 square feet of living space nestled amidst uncharacteristically green lawns and landscaping (including plenty of oak and sycamore). In addition, the property in Mandeville Canyon sports paddocks and stables for horses (no word yet on whether they will be put to use under the new ownership).
Of course, it’s not as though the family will live in their new home permanently. With residences all over the world (including Kate Winslet’s former home in London) they have plenty of options should they get tired of the traffic, smog, and unrelenting sunshine. But with the best of both worlds at their disposal (east coast architecture paired with persistent sun and nearby beaches) they may just opt to stay for a while.
