Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Brendan Fraser's Former House of Love

SELLER: Brendan Fraser
LOCATION: Readcrest Drive, Beverly Hills (Post Office), CA
PRICE: $2,995,029 (sale)
SIZE: 3,948 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
DESCRIPTION: Outstanding example of Mid-Century design, Rex Lotery, Architect, circa 1959, expanded and reinterpreted for the Millennium. Gated, private, and fully secured, the property features soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass, white walls, glass tile and stainless steel details, all within the warmth and sophistication of blonde hardwood floors, clerestory windows and other museum-quality finishes and features.

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Given that big and beefy ack-tur Brendan Fraser (George of the Jungle, Gods and Monsters, The Mummy franchise) is back in the tabloids and gossip columns due to his pending dee-vorce, Your Mama thought we'd dig into our archives and discuss the Bev Hills Post Office house he, his soon to be ex-wifey Afton and their three small children sold in April of 2007 before it all went splitsville. Dee-vorce is never funny kids, or at least not for couples who slogged it out nine years in the fickle trenches of Hollywood-style relationships where rich and famous folks marry and dee-vorce frequently and as casually as if they are rotating their tires.

Having purchased this 3,948 square foot house back in June of 1996 for just $675,000, property records reveal that Mister Fraser once again proves to be a bit of a real estate anomaly in the world of Hollywood where many celebs move simply because they've tired of the color of the tile in the guest bathroom. Property records show the mid-century modern-ish house was built in 1966 and includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms. However, listing information indicates the house was built in 1959 and features 4 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms, plus a fourth that big chested Mister Fraser used as a home gym.

The photos reveal a provocative pavilion like living room with sky high walls of glass on three sides looking towards the petite swimming pool and also over the canyons to the city lights below. Clearly the whole place has been staged by Staging Gurl in a Pink Toyota because who else would fail to put any color into the dining room, leave that open book looking sad and ridiculous on the coffee table in the media room, or rent all that beige velour furniture for the master bedroom? No offense gurl, but this is not some of your best work.

As for the house itself, Your Mama rather likes this sort clinging to the hillside kind of residential drama. And we like it even better that the architects and engineers managed to squeeze a pool on to the steeply sloped property. We swoon over all the tall white walls (all you paint freaks could change that easily and cheaply if you lived here), we appreciate the vertical soffits in the master bedroom designed to conceal the curtains, and while Your Mama loathes soaking in a bathtub full of our own filth, we can imagine the view from tub in the master bathroom might just be enticing enough to give it a whirl...after scrubbing down in the shower of course.

We're certain all you kitchen snobs are going to gripe until our ears bleed about the galley kitchen set up. However, what's not easily visible from the photos above is that behind the long counter, where the fruit sits coyly and seductively in a basket, the wall has been opened up to the dining room which helps to make the somewhat narrow space seem less hemmed in. Your Mama loves that big ol' Viking range and the blessedly simple cabinetry, but we could do without the stainless steel counter top. We're also fond of a cute little breakfast booth like we see here, but unless that leather is butter soft we are not okay it's ka-kee color.

Mister Big Time wrote about this house way back in July of 2007 (no link at this time), but at the time he was unable to suss out the sale price. Property records now reveal that Mister Fraser sold the house in April of 2007 for $2,995,029 (last listed as far as we can tell t $3,499,000).

Interestingly, Your Mama dug up a report on a British website that says that Mister Fraser and family lived in a two story house on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Hmm. Makes a certain mount of sense given that they have three small kids and this isn't the most family friendly house. We're investigating.

As of today Your Mama does not know where Mister Fraser has taken his chesty self or where the soon to be ex-wifey and kids are shacked up. Wherever they may be, we wish them all some peace as they sit across the big table with their attorneys dividing up the assets.

No comments:

Post a Comment