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Looking for a cool place to call home but unsure what you want? Inspiration strikes each day on Cool Houses Daily. A new cool house debuts each day, Monday-Friday.
November 5, 2009
Neighborhood Watch: Old Louisville
Location: Old Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
Why it's cool: Live in one of the largest Victorian districts in the country.
Coolest features: Old Louisville is one of the largest preserved districts of Victorian architecture in the United States. The neighborhood extends more than a mile south from downtown to the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus and contains three distinct National Register Districts. Most of its classic homes are brick, many of them in the Romanesque, Queen Anne, Italianate and Craftsman architectural styles, and the neighborhood boasts the highest concentration of residential homes with stained-glass windows in the U.S. At its peak in the late 1800s, Old Louisville was the center of the city's social life.
Old Louisville came into existence in the 1870s as "the Southern Extension," one of the city's first suburbs. As many as 260 homes were built between 1883 and 1886 to house the city's wealthiest families.This stunning brick home is on "Millionaire's Row" was one of those homes, and its French Renaissance plus Victorian style is just as breathtaking today.
The home features the neighborhood's ubiquitous stained-glass windows, a whopping 9 fireplaces, a formal garden and lavish formal living and dining areas. The kitchen still evokes the Victorian period, but has been updated with modern conveniences. The home has been a B&B, so you can open it up to guests or keep the lavish master suite all to yourself.
Previous Cool Houses
November 4, 2009
Hollywood at Home
Location: Los Angeles, California
Why it's cool: This Los Angeles mansion is fit for a big star -- with an even bigger billfold.
Coolest features: This enormous Bel Air mansion, known as Le Belvedere, is fit for a princess, king, president or a Hollywood starlet with a big ego and a big pocketbook. On the market for a whopping $72 million dollars, the property has stunning 280-degree views of Los Angeles, and feature 10 bedrooms and 14 baths.
The historic property is decked out in the most lavish decor, from the crystal chandeliers in the dining room (and almost every other room) to the hand-painted gilded ceilings in the media room. View the listing to see more photos of this amazing home.
November 3, 2009
Top 10 Iconic Homes: Can You Name Them?
Why they're cool: We've compiled a list of the country's most famous homes, from historic estates to celebrity palaces.
Coolest features: Whether it's for their stunning architecture, luxurious features or famous owners, some houses become more than just places to call home; they become legendary landmarks. From the historic homes of our founding fathers to the lavish estates of today's biggest stars, browse our picks for the top 10 iconic homes - including the famous California estate pictured here.
See all 10 famous homes, and test your pop culture knowledge >>
November 2, 2009
Buy Lisa Marie Presley's Pad
Location: Hidden Hills, California
Why it's cool: The King of Rock and Roll's musical daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, is selling her Hidden Hills home.
Coolest features: Singer and songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the sole offspring of Elvis and ex-wife of King of Pop Michael Jackson and actor/real estate mogul Nicolas Cage, is selling her home in Hidden Hillls, Calif. According to The RealEstalker, the four-time divorcee and Scientologist bought this home in 1993 for $2.6 million, shortly after she turned 25 and became the sole heir to Elvis's fortune. It's on the market for $8.995 million.
Lisa Marie's estate is set on more than three acres of land, complete with orchards. In addition to the main 5-bedroom, 5-bath house, there's also a private complex with three separate guest houses, pool, spa, waterfall, barns and a tack room. The home backs up to the Santa Monica Conservancy, so it's private enough for even the most paparazzi-stalked celebs. View the listing to learn more about Lisa Marie's home.
October 30, 2009
Surreal Estate: 6 Spooky Homes for Sale
Why they're cool: These haunting properties are said to have paranormal pasts.
Coolest features: In honor of Halloween, we ditched today's "cool" house to show off a few ghoulish ones. From curses to corpses, these six homes are haunted by the past -- and they're all looking for a buyer.
Read on to see what's lurking inside this home, and see five more of the spookiest homes for sale around the world.
October 29, 2009
Get Spooked in Savannah
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Why it's cool: This Victorian apartment building is in the busting Historic District of one of America's spookiest cities -- Savannah.
Coolest features: As Halloween night nears, the city of Savannah is filling up with spirits of the Old South. Known for its ghost tours, there are plenty of Savannah companies that offer nightly paranormal jaunts. Hearse Tours (912-695-1578) picks you up in a convertible hearse, and Savannah Haunted Pub Crawl (912-604-3007) is a bar-hopping, story-swapping tour of the historic district that stops at bars along the way for cocktails. Sixth Sense Savannah (866-666-DEAD [3323]) offers cemetery strolls and ghost walks at midnight.
You can be close to all the haunted attractions in this 1887 home in the center of the pedestrian-friendly Historic District. Originally built as a single-family home, this income-producer is now divided into 12 1-bedroom, 1-bath apartments and 6 garages. Who knows, the century-old house may even come with a resident ghost.
October 28, 2009
Weekend At Bernie's: NYC Edition
Location: New York, New York
Why it's cool: Disgraced financier Bernie Madoff's third home in NYC is up for grabs.
Coolest features: As Bernie Madoff sits in federal prison serving a 150-year sentence for fraud, his third home -- a swanky penthouse in Manhattan -- has hit the market. Like his Palm Beach, Fla. and Montauk, N.Y. properties, all proceeds from the sale of this home go straight to the victims of his Ponzi scheme. Perched at the top of a Pre-war coop, the penthouse features a large terrace with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, a light-flooded living room and an elegant dining room with French doors.
U.S. Marshalls chose Serena Boardman, a broker for Sothebys International Realty in New York, to sell Madoff's penthouse pad. Her approach? She says she's selling the 3-bedroom, 4-bath co-op just like it's any other listing, and is focused on making the most money for the victims of the Madoff fund.
October 27, 2009
Live in Historic Charleston
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Why it's cool: This restored Southern belle in the heart of the downtown Charleston was built before the Revolutionary War in 1746.
Coolest features: The exterior of this four-story mansion was built in 1870, but inside the building lies a structure built when the United States were still British colonies. The courtyard "garage" and the original three-story house is a pre-Revolutionary structure built by William Ellis in 1746. More than 100 years later, the house was transformed by Bertram Kramer, a Charleston building contractor who acquired the property in 1884. He added a full fourth floor, complete with a Victorian-era mansard roof and a conical peak.
Currently being used as a bed and breakfast and event center, the 5-bedroom, 4-bath home features beautifully restored public areas, like two parlors, a formal dining room complete with a fireplace and a cozy library. View the listing to find out more about this historic home.
October 26, 2009
Catch a Flick at Kimora's
Location: Saddle River, New Jersey
Why it's cool: Kimora Lee Simmons and ex-husband Russell Simmons are selling this enormous estate in Saddle River -- and it's on sale!
Coolest features: Fashion model and president/creative director for Phat Fashions Kimora Lee Simmons likely doesn't buy anything that's on the sale rack, but she hopes you will -- the love nest she bought with ex-husband and record mogul Russell Simmons has been reduced again to $16.5 million. Initially listed at a whopping $23.88 million, the former couple has been scouting a buyer since 2007.
The Simmons' home boasts some outrageous features, like a full-sized movie theater complete with a marquee, professional fitness center with steam room and sauna, wine cellar and tasting room, indoor and outdoor pools, and a security system designed by the same company that wires the White House. View the listing to see more of this home.
October 23, 2009
King of Pop's "Wonderland"
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Why it's cool: Michael Jackson planned to buy this super-secure Vegas estate.
Coolest features: Bad memories and child abuse allegations made Michael Jackson vow never to return to Neverland Ranch, but, in the months before his death, he was planning to purchase a new dream home -- one he planned to call "Wonderland." Jackson started eyeing the property in 2007, reports the Las Vegas Sun, and planned to make an offer after he completed his London tour and his finances were in the black.
Known as "The Primm Compound"-- the current owners are casino mogul Gary Primm and his ex-wife, Carol -- the property is nestled among the homesteads of Las Vegas elite like Wayne Newton and the Sultan of Brunei. The 10-acre luxury compound might not have its own amusement park or zoo, but it does have a casino game room, professional beauty salon, staples, wine cellar, a car showroom with gas station and an underground shooting range/bowling alley/recording studio. In all, the compound includes five buildings, 50 rooms and more than 21,000 square feet of living space.
Primm wanted the home to be super-secure, so it was designed with fortress-like features: secret tunnels wind throughout the home and many of the doors are bulletproof, some cleverly designed as walls or cabinets to fool intruders. The home also features a panic room, complete with its own oxygen supply and buried phone lines. A fence surrounds the property, and Primm set up the three gated entrances -- one for the main house, guest house and service entrance -- so that he could control each one, rather than relying on guards. Security was also a concern for Jackson; this was one of the few homes where he felt safe enough to go outside, says his former Realtor, Zar Zanganeh.
The main house, designed by renowned architect F.H. Laundenfrost, boasts 28 rooms, including a master suite with his-and-hers bathrooms and a huge walk-in closet. The "his" bathroom comes equipped with its own barber chair, while the ladies' wing includes a balcony for tanning and a whirlpool tub. View this listing to learn more about Michael's home.
October 22, 2009
Neighborhood Watch: South Boston
Location: South Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
Why it's cool: This stunning condo is located in a signature building in South Boston, one of Beantown's hotspots for young professionals.
Coolest features: Boston is a small city. Its suburbs -- Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline -- are seamlessly part of city life. Residents constantly cross city lines on subways or the bridges that link Boston with Cambridge and Somerville, which lie across the Charles River from downtown. Condo prices in some of Boston's core neighborhoods of South Boston, Back Bay and South End have become out of reach for most, reaching into the millions of dollars.
Young professionals suddenly discovered South Boston early in the decade. They flocked into this waterfront neighborhood, moving next door to second- or third-generation Irish and Polish residents. They drove up property values, but prices still remain more reasonable than prices in the nearby financial district and Back Bay. The housing stock is chock full of dressed-up working-class row houses and condominiums. But South Boston's prettiest amenity is its waterfront, a one-mile-plus stretch of waterfront beach ending at Fort Independence, a triangle of land jutting into Boston Harbor. Bostonians call it Castle Island, and they go there to walk their dogs, eat a hot dog or watch planes land across the bay at Logan Airport.
This two bedroom, 1 bath condo is located in the heart of South Boston in The Monks Building, a historic building with 12-foot ceilings and original hardwood floors throughout. The condo has a whopping nine windows, adding to the loft feel. Convenient Southie shops and restaurants are just steps away.
October 21, 2009
You've Got Sale
Location: Los Angeles, California
Why it's cool: Perky rom-com darling Meg Ryan, the leading lady in iconic films like "When Harry Met Sally" (1989) "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993) and last year's remake "The Women," has relisted her Bel-Air home.
Coolest features: Meg Ryan sure knows how to sell deli sandwiches (See: "When Harry Met Sally" (1989) ), but she's still hoping someone will say "I'll have what she's having" in reference to her Spanish estate in Bel Air. She listed the compound in October 2008 at $19.5 million, but withdrew it from the market at the end of February after months of no luck. Now, it's back on the market at a new price: $14.2 million.
Built in 1931, the Spanish-style house is completely restored (the listing boasts a "museum quality" restoration), with detailed tile and iron work, rich wood floors, windows and arches. The house also has lots of French doors which open to stunning city and ocean views and a dining pavillion. There's also a guest house on the premises.
October 20, 2009
Style Spotter: Italianate
Location: St. Helena, California
Why it's cool: This rustic farmhouse in California wine country is a great example of the Italianate style.
Coolest features: This Victorian beauty is part fanciful and part farmhouse. Built in 1865, the magical property is a great example of the Italianate style: The rectangular shape, stone exterior, symmetrical windows and chimneys, and a cupola, or square tower, in the center of the roof.
This piece of St. Helena history is rustically romantic, and has served as the venue for many social events and weddings, one of which was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. The home has a formal dining room, restored historic fixtures, a charming two-bedroom guest cottage, a recently-remodeled caretaker's studio, and, of course, those stunning vineyard views from nearly every room. View the listing for another peek inside this California gem.
October 19, 2009
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let Down Your Hair
Location: Narragansett, Rhode Island
Why it's cool: This fairy tale-worthy home in Rhode Island has a tower fit for Rapunzel.
Coolest features: Known as "Hazard Castle," this historic gem features gables, turrets and a striking 105-foot tower. Considered one of the most significant historic buildings in Narragansett, Rhode Island, Joseph Peace Hazard began construction on this stone structure in 1846. The family, among the earliest settlers of Rhode Island, was involved in the textile manufacturing trade, and were among the first to see the resort potential of nearby Narragansett Pier.
Purchased by the Catholic Dioceses from the Hazard family in 1951, the property has most recently been the home to the Our Lady of Peace Spiritual Center. The historic gem shares its setting with a barn, a quaint brick garage, a shingled residence with two guest apartments, and a 21,000-square-foot retreat center with a cafeteria, meeting space and chapel.
October 16, 2009
Top 10 Celebrity Homes for Sale
Why they're cool: Rich, famous celebs are selling these fabulous homes across the country.
From Barry Manilow to Ricky Martin, Mel Gibson to Joan Rivers, celebrities are listing properties and chopping prices all over the country. Take a peek inside 10 of the coolest celebrity homes on the market right now, including the home pictured here.
See who lives behind door number one, plus nine more celebrity properties >>
October 15, 2009
A Grown-Up Treehouse
Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Why its cool: This completely restored Oregon hideaway is perched amid the trees.
Coolest features: Originally built in 1975, this was the first residential project of organic architect Robert Harvey Oshatz. The home was restored to better-than-new condition in 2008 with all-new appliances and fixtures, and it's now on the market.
The home's ship-like front is inspired by the natural curves of wood, and the home's interior follows that circular pattern. A tall, circular brick fireplace and chimney fills the living room, and each room flows seamlessly into the next. In the living room, the tall glass windows let in plenty of light. Outside, the tall deck is fitted around the tall trees, allowing for unparalleled forest views. View the listing to see more photos of this amazing home.
October 14, 2009
A Crooner's Former Compound
Location: Toluca Lake, Calfornia
Why its cool: Crooner and movie star Bing Crosby once owned this palatial estate.
Coolest features: Also owned by Andy Griffith and Jerry Van Dyke, this 2-acre compound was once owned by Bing Crosby. The singer/actor lived here from 1936 until early January 1943, when the 20-room house was damaged in a Christmas tree fire. According to The L.A. Tmes, the damage was estimated at $200,000, including the family's cocker spaniel, Crosby's collection of records, golf trophies and his pipe collection.
The home that has housed Old Hollywood royalty is now on the market for a cool $10 million. It sits on totally private grounds with 2 electric gates. The 7,200-square-foot home has 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and a gourmet kitchen. Outside, there's a rose garden, Olympic-size swimming pool, in-ground spa and and Italian marble barbecue. The home also comes with a guest house/cabana.
Top 10 Celebrity Homes
From Barry Manilow to Ricky Martin, Joan Rivers to Ben Stiller, see the 10 best celebrity homes on the market. See their lavish homes
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