Is there such thing as a home so magnificently over-the-top it befits the Material Girl herself? Probably not, but this Spanish-inspired century-old masterpiece comes pretty close. Sitting atop the Hollywood Hills, the home—Castillo del Lago as it’s known—was designed by the renowned Los Angeles architect John DeLario, whose work became synonymous with Hollywoodland revival-style mansions in the 1920’s, and can be all yours for a cool $30.3 million (US$21 million), Dirt reports.
Though it was owned by Madonna in the mid-1990s, Castillo del Lago was no stranger to the limelight prior to the superstar’s arrival. Since its construction in 1926, the property has played host to an oil magnate, for whom the house was originally built, a music video director, a fashion designer, and as a filming location for Beverly Hills Cop in the 1980s. Needless to say, Castillo del Lago has seen some things.
It does make sense though that the home’s previous owners have been characters—Castillo del Lago is certainly not for the faint-of-heart. Just to reach the home alone, entrants have to travel up a long driveway flanked by towering palms and lush plants—the property is, after all, three acres large. If one was to stand at the foot of the property and cast one’s eyes upwards, the home appears rather imposing. Creamy white towers covered in ivy stand tall, each appearing to compete with the next for the best view of the Hollywood sign. The towers’ terracotta tops are juxtaposed by the teal trim of the arched windows, giving the occupant at least 15 vantage points from which they can observe the city below.
The interior of the home itself is a continuation of the extravagant Spanish aesthetic the home’s facade alludes to, but just way more intense. The terracotta floors are perhaps the most demure element of the home, although it’s questionable, given that almost every room sees them covered with richly-embroidered and patterned rugs in earthy reds and browns. The walls are similarly adorned, with the dramatic archways flanked by thick curtains in an array of prints and patterns that fall somewhere on the spectrum between daring and audacious.
It is the ceilings, however, that are the real pièce de résistance. Elaborately-painted wood panels cover the ceilings of the living area, while the dining room boasts a gold-trimmed honeycomb ceiling to rival the Sistine Chapel. Bedroom ceilings—of which there are nine—are treated to various fabrics, either pulled tight in a sort of canopy or left to drape in a style akin to a pillow-and-sheet fort constructed by a child.
Polarising yet undoubtedly spectacular décor aside, the home has no shortage of amenities to justify that multimillion dollar price tag. A wine cellar, theatre room, gym, and staff quarters are thrown in with the house, while the yard is home to a lap pool, alfresco dining space, patio and terrace, and, unsurprisingly, a dramatic fountain. A house to truly make you feel like you’re on a holiday—how very Madonna.
Photos courtesy of Jim Bartsch
View Listing | Offered at $21,000,000 | Represented by Linda May and Brett Lawyer
Story courtesy of Vouge Living
