Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Did Y'all See...

...that Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi have re-listed their southern California horse ranch with a new, improved and much lower $10,995,000 asking price? Well they did.

Your Mama previously discussed—at length, as per usual—the Sapphic couple's equestrian compound so, rather than go over it all again with a fine-toothed celebrity real estate gossip's comb, suffice to say...

Missus Degeneres and de Rossi picked up their horsey haven in the swanky Hidden Valley area near Thousand Oaks in June 2009 for about $8.5 million. They first attempted to unload the bucolic retreat about two years later with an asking price of $16,500,000. The asking price eventually dropped to $14,900,000 before it was taken off the open market in the fall of 2011.

The 26-acre, multi-residence ranch property has eight fully updated and upgraded farmhouse-style cottages all decked out and done up in a rustic kind of contemporary day-core featured in a recent issue of Elle Decor. There's also, as per listing details and other online resources, a ranch office, a couple of barns converted to art studios/entertainment spaces, a screened yoga pavilion, a tree house, a tennis court, extensive equestrian facilities (hay barn, stables, riding rings, and etc.), and—y'all can bet—a state of the art security system. Altogether, according to listing details, the property encompasses eight bedrooms,10.5 bathrooms, and (at least) 4 fireplaces spread throughout the various residences and outbuildings.

Last year the property-mad pair sold their celebrity pedigreed compound above Coldwater Canyon in Beverly Hills for nearly $40 million to squeaky clean media mogul Ryan Seacrest and paid $17.4 million for an 8,000-ish square foot Hal Leavitt-designed mid-century modern in the lower Trousdale Estates area of Beverly Hills that had previously been owned by maximalist lady-decorator Kelly Wearstler.

They currently own a modest condominium in Beverly Hills —presumably purchased for staff or family—that's up for sale at $899,000 and just a few months ago it was revealed they spent a spectacular $26,500,000 to acquire a 13-acre estate in tony Toro Canyon near Montecito, CA with a pristine 10,500 square foot 1920s Tuscan-style villa that had been painstakingly restored by high-brow decorator John Saladino as his private residence.*

*Mister Saladino sold the estate for $16,500,000 in March 2012 to a Kiwi couple who, apparently, flipped less than a year later at a tremendous ten million dollar profit to Missus Degeneres and de Rossi.

listing photos: Sotheby's International Realty

Kristin Cavallari Leases Big Winnetka Mansion

WHO: Jay Cutler and Kristin Cavallari
LOCATION: Winnetka, IL
PRICE: $10,000 per month
SIZE: 6,718 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 6 full and 3 half bathrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: The long-legged blond at Trulia Luxe Living offers a quick peek at the $10,000 per month Winnetka, IL mansion in to which television personality (and shoe designer) Kristin Cavallari and her well-compensated professional pigskinner husband, Jay Cutler, recently moved.

As a veteran reality television denizen Miz Cavallari is a funny, new-fangled sort of celebrity who's really more famous for being famous than she is for any actual professional accomplishments. As a blond and tanned teen in the mid-Aughts she starred—if that's what it's called—on the pioneering reality television program Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. She subsequently replaced her former Laguna Beach cast mate Lauren Conrad in the fifth season of the (allegedly) semi-scripted show The Hills and in 2011 Miz Cavallari showed up on Dancing With The Stars. (She was eliminated in the early rounds.) The 26-year old Showbizzer—that's what she is, right?—occasionally lands a small acting role (The Middle, CSI: NY, Wild Cherry) and every now and then she pops up as a guest judge on a reality show competition (America's Next Top Model, Cupcake Wars). She also lends her name—and presumably whatever expertise she has—to an eponymous line of high-heeled shoes produced by the folks at Chinese Laundry.

Since 2009 Mister Cutler has been the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears, a plum job that will reportedly pay him nearly $8.5 million for the upcoming season, his fifth and final season under his expiring contract with the Bears. The couple were married in Nashville last month (June, 2013), nearly a year after they made boy child that was born—out of wedlock traditional family enthusiasts will note—in August 2012. Anyhoo...

According to listing details the stately, stone-faced Euro-style villa has five bedrooms and six full and three half bathrooms in 6,718 square feet plus a finished basement that adds another (approximately) 1,500 square feet of living space.

A graceful circular driveway arcs up to the front door that opens in to a grand—or maybe it's grandiose—double height foyer with inlaid marble floor and a curvaceous floating staircase. There are formal living and and dining room, the former with a fireplace and hardwood floors, plus a wood-paneled library and a family room, the latter with a fireplace. There's also a combination kitchen/den that features a fireplace surmounted by a flat screen t.v., a massive center work island with short snack bar, and a breakfast area in front of a curved wall of glass. (Oh, look, Here's the newlyweds having their picture taken in the kitchen with one of the people from People.)

We're not exactly sure where Miz Cavallari lived before moving to Winnetka in January (2013) but Mister Cutler reportedly lived in a three bedroom condo on Chicago's North Side he rented for $6,500 per month.

listing photos: Urban Real Estate (via Trulia Luxe Living)

Your Mama Hears...

The last Your Mama knew, back in mid-January (2013), lavender-tressed rock-n-roll scion and Fashion Police panelist Kelly Osbourne was shacked up in a rental apartment at the Empire West complex in West Hollywood (CA) where her across the hall neighbor was—as per her own tweets—glam rocking American Idol season 8 runner up Adam Lambert.

Although it was widely reported back in April (2013) that the 28 year old celebrity fashion commentator had moved to a house—she tweeted about it, natch—the "news" went over Your Mama's head and under our celebrity real estate radar. Yesterday, however, we heard word from our trusted tattletale Lucy Spillerguts who told us that the semi-secretly engaged Miss Osbourne rented a gated mini-estate in the Post Office area of Beverly Hills (CA) that was last—and somewhat infamously—leased by promising starlet turned tabloid train wreck Lindsay Lohan.

That's right, children, Miss Osbourne and her vegan chef fiancée, Matthew Mosshart,* are living in unmarried sin in Lindsay Lohan's real estate sloppy seconds. ¡Escándalo!

Miss Osbourne rented as opposed to purchased the Bev Hills (Post Office) pad according to Lucy Spillerguts and property records Your Mama peeped do indeed show the residence in question has been owned since May 2006 by a generically named corporation easily linked to a couple of successful real estate brokers in Boca Raton, FL.

We can't be completely sure of the exact amount Miss Osbourne forks over for rent but we did find evidence online that shows the property was listed for lease at $10,450 per month and suggests it was leased at $10,000 per month, about $1,500 a month more per month than Miss Lohan was reported to have paid.

The Georgian-Colonial house sits high and private up a long, impressively gated driveway** on 1.5 mostly sloped and scrubby canyon acres. Listing details Your Mama dug up show the 2,509 square foot house was originally built in 1937 and is currently configured with three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. There are hardwood floors and several sets of French doors in both the living and dining rooms and the center island kitchen has stainless steel appliances, Carrara marble counter tops, and an adjoining bay-windowed breakfast room/den with slate tile floors.

Two guest/family bedrooms with medium brown hardwood floors share a hall bathroom while the sun-splashed master suite—the one she had did over by Kathy Ireland on Million Dollar Decorator and then didn't show up for the final filming because she'd been in a car accident or arrested or something like that—has much lighter wood floors that may or may not be white oak. There's also a fireplace, a large private terrace accessible through a full wall of French doors, and a fitted walk-in closet/dressing room. The attached master bathroom has a two-sink vanity, a jetted tub and separate glass-enclosed steam-equipped shower, and both a toilet and a bidet for rinsing the naughty bits.

Outdoor spaces includes a basket weave pattern red brick courtyard with fountain—or maybe it's a koi pond with a fountain—and a built-in barbecue station. Somewhat awkwardly off the front of the house there's a partly cantilevered deck with view of Century City and around the side there's a curved swimming pool and spa tucked into the steep hillside that rises behind the house..

Listing details from earlier this year (2013) make some hay about how the house was previously home to "many high profile individuals." Besides rehabbing (again) Miss Lohan—and now several time rehabbed Miss Osbourne—the only notable names Your Mama could easily connect to the property (via the Movieland Directory) are Showbiz power player Sherry Lansing and western movie writer Jack Lait, Jr., the son of legendary writer/journalist Jack Lait.

In other Osbourne family real estate news: We hear Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have vacated the stunning Spanish hacienda-style house on Walden Drive in Beverly Hills, (CA) they'd been leasing from one of the Platinum Triangles most successful real estate agents because the property quietly sold for $5,264,000 in mid-June (2013) to—so says Lucy Spillerguts—90-year old billionaire Sumner Redstone's 42 year old gal pal, fashion and media entrepreneur Sydney Holland.

*In case you didn't already know or might care, Matthew Mosshart is the younger brother of musician/singer Alison "VV" Mosshart who fronts The Kills with model Kate Moss's hubbie Jamie "Hotel" Hince. So the stories go Miss Osbourne and Mister Mosshart met at the Moss-Hince nuptials in July 2011. Miss Mosshart—just f.yi.—is also an official member of the hard charging blues rock back The Dead Weather with Jack White of White Stripes fame. 

**Incidentally, Miss Osbourne's new rental home shares the long and impressively gated driveway with a much larger estate that Canadian financier/mining tycoon turned film and television executive Frank Giustra bought in June 2011 for $7 million from supermodel/reality show presenter-producer Heidi Klum and her ex-husband Seal.

listing photos: Hilton & Hyland

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Bruce Makowsky Flipping Out in Beverly Hills

SELLER: Bruce Makowsky and Kathy Van Zeeland
LOCATION: Beverly Hills, CA
PRICE: $19,950,000
SIZE: 12,500 square feet, 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Listen, chickens, we're feeling a little bored with the usual celebrity real estate fare today so instead of going down that route we're going with a long ditty about a couple of L.A.-based real estate ballers. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming soon.

Like in many places across the county, if y'all haven't heard, the Los Angeles real estate market is once again white hot. The Agency's recently released Agency Report for the second quarter of 2013 indicates sales volumes of prime properties in Los Angeles have pretty much returned to their heady, pre-bubble burst peaks in 2005. We'll let economists and consumers decide if this is a good thing.

If we choose to look—and Your Mama often chooses to look—we have to look no further than a couple of L.A.-based real estate ballers named Bruce Makowsky and Kathy Van Zeeland to illustrate the almost rabid optimism that currently prevails at the electrified tippy-top end of the market in Los Angeles in general and, in particular, the rarefied zip codes that compose the so-called Platinum Triangle (90210, 90077 and 90024).

Mister Makowsky and Miz Van Zeeland—married, they are—have earned bucket fulls of money peddling mountains of mid-priced handbags, shoes and accessories on QVC. The designing duo have utilized their fortune to amass a sizable property portfolio that Your Mama tabulated is valued at more than $90,000,000, based on what property records show were paid for a (at least) half dozen luxury residences in Beverly Hills and Malibu.

Unlike some deep pocketed people who maintain half a dozen (or more) houses around the world for their private use, Mister M. and Miz V.Z. seem to use their high-priced mansion purchases as investments. As far as we know the Makowsky-Van Zeelands' primary residence is a 25,000 square foot faux-Tuscan beast in Beverly Park where they also own two smaller but still huge mansions that periodically pop up for rent. Your Mama was told by someone who tends to know these things that one of them—a 12,000 square foot number of indistinguishable architectural style listed on the open market last year for $100,000 per month—was leased in the near past by the very same Uzbeki heiress who (allegedly) coughed up $32.75 million for a 48,000 square foot Mohamed Hadid-developed mega-mansion directly across from the ever-fab Beverly Hills Hotel. In June 2012 Mister M and Miz V.Z. forked over $17.2 million for comedian Martin Lawrence's 16,000 square foot Beverly Park mansion that they quickly put up for lease at a mind numbing rate of $200,000 per month. Our entirely unscientific research indicates Mister M. and Miz V.Z. still own the one previously leased by the Uzbeki heiress but some sleuthing by Yolanda Yakketyyak turned up evidence that they sold the old Martin Lawrence house in mid-June (2013) for $24 million, more than six million buck more than they paid for the place a year before.

Anyhoo, let's (finally) get on back to the big ol' mansion in the Beverly Ridge development they bought last year for $11.725 million and flipped back on the market for $19.95 million, shall we?

The liberally pastiched behemoth was erected in 2005 on a 1.99 acre lot with sweeping views over the scrubby hills and dales of Franklin Canyon. There are, as per current listing details, six bedrooms and seven bathrooms in 12,500 square feet that have been fully fitted and kitted with a whole slew of modern conveniences and luxuries hidden behind a cacophony of Old World-ish details and high-priced materials: onyx counter tops, more fireplaces with (possibly antique) carved stone mantelpieces than a person can shake a stick at, antique doors imported from Spain, tiles imported from Morocco, and reclaimed barn wood brought in from New Hampshire.

Monthly homeowners dues—these pay for the community's street maintenance, security services, and etc.—run $2,400 per month according to marketing materials we found online. A few quick calculations on Your Mama's bejewled abacus shows that's about what a full-time minimum wage worker in California earns in a month but it is most certainly but a pittance to the sorts of people who can afford to buy and maintain a house with a price tag of nearly twenty millions dollars.

As with a couple of their Beverly Park estates, soon after Mister M. and Miz V.Z. purchased the Beverly Ridge estate that's now back up for sale, they offered  it up for lease in May 2012 at $85,000 per month. It was leased out a few months later for an unknown amount of time to an unknown rich person for, as per intel we dug up online, $75,000 per month.


A careful perusal of past and present listing photographs suggests to Your Mama that Mister M. and Miz V.Z. didn't make many changes to the mansion's lavish interior spaces. Indeed, current listing photographs show some of the very same furniture and decorative accoutrement as was shown in listing photos from the time of their purchase. Curious that, but, you know, make of this what y'all will.

Mister M. and Miz V.Z. did, however, make a number of significant alterations and additions to the exterior areas of the estate as is shown in a YouTube video (above) that tracks the construction of the exterior upgrades. At the front, a multi-tiered fountain was added and, at the back, a pergola-type structure was built to define an outdoor living room/lounge. Custom awnings shade an adjoining, newly built barbecue station and snack bar and over at the edge of the yard, where the amorphous edge of the flat lawn abruptly changes to a scrubby and steep down slope, an organically-shaped negative edge swimming pool with inset spa was installed. Below the pool, an all-new, sun-soaked deck juts dramatically out over the  rugged canyon.

Your Mama, who does not know a snake from the grass, has no idea how much was spent on the exterior improvements but clearly Mister M., Miz V.Z., and whomever their advisers on such matters are feel that the improvements and increasingly electrified market justifies a hair-curling $8,225,000 elevation in value in just over a year's time. The market will bear witness to that optimism but, in the meantime, Your Mama wonders what the children think.

Earlier in our (long) discussion Your Mama mentioned that the Makowsky-Van Zeelands were in the process of constructing a mega-mansion in the hills above the Sunset Strip. Last August (2012) a corporate entity that our research shows and our sources swear is connected to Mister Makowsky paid $12,650,000 for a low-slung residence at the tail end of N. Hillcrest Drive in Beverly Hills.


Very quickly the existing, nearly 7,000 square foot house was razed to make way for, according to a video on the YouTube that Yolanda Yakketyyak dug up, a dramatic, 21,000 square foot mega-mansion with curvilinear roof lines and a curved, negative edge swimming pool that, given the lot's promontory siting, gives way to an honest-to-goodness panoramic view over Los Angeles. The children will note the digital imagery shows a fire channel runs the full length of the pool next to a sunbathing shelf. Maybe we're just old fashioned but Your Mama does not relish the idea of having to hoist our fat ass over a fire channel every time we want to skinny dip, you know?

If their real estate history is to repeat itself we should see the massive modern mega-mansion Mister M and Miz V.Z. are building on N. Hillcrest come up for lease when it's complete with a mind-numbing monthly rate. But, of course, what do we know? Could by Mister Makowsky and Miz Van Zeeland will occupy the premises themselves. Or maybe they'll put it up for sale with an asking price that will send shivers down the spines of everybody but the (lucky) few who belong to the world's increasingly wealthy ultra-rich micro-minority. We shall see, puppies, we shall see.

UPDATE (LATER SAME DAY): Yesterday the long-legged blond gal at Trulia Luxe Living reported that former NFL defensive end turned morning chat show co-host Michael Strahan is in the process of flipping a fixer upper mansion in prime Bel Air for $11,000,000, $3.1 million more than he paid for the 1926 Mediterranean tear down last May (2012). (Mister Strahan reportedly made few if any improvements to the property.) That in and of itself is newsworthy in the world of celebrity real estate and, conveniently, illustrates once again just how electrified the high-end market in Los Angeles is.

Well, buckle your safety belts, butter beans, because a magnificent real estate coinkydink has just been dropped in Your Mama's fat lap: We can't prove it since no transaction records have yet to be recorded but we've just heard from a well connected source—let's call her Belle Aire—who snitched to Your Mama that the previously unidentified buyer of Mister Strahan's fixer up in Bel Air is none other than Mister Bruce Makowsky. Tah-duh!

listing photos: Coldwell Banker
video (Beverly Ridge): Roman James Design + Build via YouTube
video (Hillcrest): Roman James Design + Build via YouTube

THE ROYAL PALACES: PART TWO

 

While Prince Charles spends his weekends and much of his weekdays at his country estate Highgrove House, he does have a townhouse in London where he entertains dignitaries and guests.   When he and Diana were married, they lived in an apartment at Kensington Palace along with other members of the royal family.   After their divorce, he moved to St. James Palace and Diana stayed with her boys in their old apartment.  St. James wasn’t really an ideal place to live, but Charles was biding his time until his grandmother, the Queen Mum, passed on in 2002. 

She had lived at Clarence House for almost 50 years and it was always assumed the Prince would move there eventually, which he did in 2003, after an extensive remodeling.  This was Charles second time to live at Clarence House – when he was but a baby,  his parents then Princess Elizabeth and Philip,  lived there from 1949 until 1952 when she became Queen.   At that point, Queen Elizabeth then exchanged palaces with her mother who moved out of Buckingham Palace into Clarence House with her daughter Princess Margaret.

 

 

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  Clarence House

 

Clarence House is located right next to Buckingham Palace, across from its gardens, at St. James Park.  Clarence House and St. James Palace are connected on one side  and by underground tunnels.  Across the street is Lancaster House,  making these three a complex of royal residences and offices.

 

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Buckingham Palace is the large red circle and Clarence House is the smaller one.

 

Clarence House was built in 1825-1827 by the noted architect John Nash, and commissioned by King William IV, or the Duke of Clarence as he was then known before inheriting the throne.   Upon becoming King, William stayed on at Clarence House until his death.    His sister, Princess Augusta Sophia then lived there next until The Duchess of Kent,  the mother of Queen Victoria, moved in.   Following her stay, two of Victoria’s sons moved in one after another,  staying from 1866 until 1942. 

Clarence House was damaged during WW II and was later used by the Red Cross until the then Princess Elizabeth and her husband Philip moved in two years after their marriage.  Princess Anne was actually born there, while Charles was born at Buckingham Palace. 

The house is quite large for a private house, with four floors plus a basement and an attic.  But by Palace standards, it is rather small.  When Charles moved in, his two sons,  both then single,  also moved in with him, along with Camilla who was not yet married to the Prince at that time.   Once William married Kate, quarters got tight and they recently moved to Kensington Palace.  Harry will also be moving to Kensington Palace soon.

  Following the Queen Mother’s passing, when Charles was set to move into Clarence House, he hired Robert Kime, the same English interior designer who decorated Highgrove House after he first cleared out all of Diana’s touches there.   Clarence House had declined significantly during the 50 years that the Queen Mother lived there.  Though she had renovated it when first moving in, she hated being disrupted by construction – hence the house was in great disrepair.  Much of the problem was due to the many dogs she kept there.    The cost of renovating the palace was over 6 million pounds of which Charles used 1.6 million pounds of his own money, probably for Kime’s work in the private quarters.  Once he and Camilla and the two boys finally moved in 2003, the Prince opened Clarence House to World of Interiors magazine who published a few of the public rooms.  It also was open for touring, something that the Queen Mother never allowed.  

Since the Queen Mum was so private, not much has been known about the beautiful ivory building – but that is all changing now.  There are a few pictures and paintings of Clarence House through the years so one can see what has changed and what has remained.  But, the palace has seen many renovations over time and much is not recognizable from past decades.

 

First the exterior:

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From the air, where the red circle is – is Clarence House.  You can see the large garden that the Prince has been restoring, of course!  St. James is behind Clarence House and Lancaster House is across the street from it.

 

 

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1851.   How Clarence  House looked when the Duchess of Kent, mother of Queen Victoria lived there.  The house was quite smaller than it is now.  Instead of 4 stories, it was only three.  Also, the house was later widened and reconfigured inside. 

 

 

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A photograph from the same time.  The front door at this time was on the side street – not here on the garden side.  Prince Alfred changed that later. 

 

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How Clarence House looked when Victoria’s 2nd son Prince Alfred, The Duke of Edinburgh, lived there from 1866-1900.  Over the door is a conservatory that was later removed.  His wife enjoyed spending time there.   Alfred totally renovated Clarence House before his marriage to the Marie, the Tsar’s only daughter.   He added a fourth floor and widened the house.    He also moved the front door to the garden side, shown here.    He filled Clarence House with treasures and riches from England and Russia and the house was said to be finest in the country. 

 

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The conservatory built for Marie, which she loved.  Later, the conservatory was closed in and still later, it was removed – replaced with an open air terrace.

 

 

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One of the most beautiful rooms at  Clarence House was this Russian Orthodox Temple installed by Prince Alfred for Marie.   The room has, unfortunately, since been dismantled.  Still, it’s hard to believe that the son of the Queen had a Russian Orthodox Temple in his house!

 

Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

 

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Prince Arthur, The Duke of Connaught, was Queen Victoria’s 7th child who lived until 1942.   He moved into Clarence House in 1900 and stayed until his death.  His brother, Prince Alfred, was noted for his great renovation of Clarence House and much is written about it, but nothing is written at all about Prince Arthur’s stay there – though he lived at Clarence House for 42 years.

 

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Sometime later in the early 20th century, the same view of Clarence House and St. James Palace to its right.  Notice how bare the garden/park is in front of the two palaces.  Prince Charles has changed all that. 

 

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Another view.  Notice the conservatory has been closed in.  This was later removed, making way for a large terrace instead. 

 

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The Queen Mom sits in front of the door.  Still no gardens at all, just grass.  I love how the man is holding her handbag!

 

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And the garden side view today.  In the immediate front, there is now a parterre garden.  And you can see the conservatory is now gone.  Above there is a terrace.  The house is 4 stories with an attic and basement.  On the first floor – the three windows (one is open) –  is now the Garden Room.   On its left is the Lancaster Room.   These are two of the rooms on the tour that Robert Kime decorated.  You can see there is a balustrade in front of those two rooms creating a patio of sorts.

 

 

 

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The same view in spring with the Prince’s new flower garden.

 

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The Front Door – above where the conservatory once was, there is now a terrace with flower pots that line its three sides.

 

 

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A spring view of the front garden planted by the Prince.

 

 

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Looking at the garden.  Past the columns, you can see the black gates that open to the street.  These are the “birthday gates” where the Queen Mum would meet the public each year on her birthday.

 

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And looking towards the park from the front door.

 

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So beautiful!  The Prince probably couldn’t live in his townhouse without the gardens that he has at his country house.

 

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Along the back side of the garden are these steps guarded by stone lions.

 

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A spring view of the park in front of Clarence House.  Quite a difference from before when it was almost bare.

 

 

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This is the street side view of Clarence House where the “birthday gates” are located.  Through the gates are where the garden and front door of Clarence House is.     

 

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The same view of the side of Clarence House looking the other direction.  The public rooms are here on the 1st floor right at the street.   The street is now closed so there is some privacy at least.    The three center windows used to be the front door to the house.   When Prince Alfred enlarged the house he moved the front door from here to the garden side.  Now – where the entrance hall used to be there, is the small library.  Above these rooms on the 2nd floor are the private drawing rooms and sitting room.

 

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A rare view of the back side of Clarence House.  You can see that it connects to St. James Palace here, and there is no right side of the building at all – that also connects to St. James Palace.   You can also tell from this that the house is rather small by Royal Palaces standards. 

 

 

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The Birthday gates and the door to the right.  The guard stand is missing – it is usually in the left arch.   See that wonderful terrace above?  There are no pictures of it unfortunately.

 

 

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An earlier birthday of the Queen Mum with some of the family including a very young Prince Harry and Princess Diana.

 

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Not many this year came to fete the Queen Mum. But this gives you a good view of the gates. 

 

 

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A bit later with Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice – so young!

 

 

 

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And on her 100th birthday with just Prince Charles attending.  The blue box is where the guard stands.

 

 

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Ever ecologically conscious – the Prince installed solar panels on the roof of Clarence House.  Unreal!

 

 

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A very early floor plan.  The public rooms are seen to the right – along the street.  The dining room and the breakfast room (which is now called the morning room) connects to The Hall, which is now a library between the two main room.   Above those three rooms on the second floor – there are the drawing rooms which are the same exact size of the rooms below.

 

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  A bad copy – but a later floor plan.  The red squares are Clarence House – the rest is St. James Palace.  You can see the three public rooms on the street side with the main hall.   The Horse Corridor leads to one other room on the tour.  The Garden House used to be two rooms but the Queen Mother enlarged them into one.   The Garden Room and the Lancaster Room open to the front garden.

 

 

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The front door which leads into the long hall.

 

First Floor:  Main Hall and Entrance

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The Hall.  The two arches to the right are the Lancaster Room and the Horse Corridor which leads to the Garden Room.   At the end of the hall is the staircase.   Here, the family is leaving for the Wedding Dinner.   The chandelier is especially pretty.

 

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At the front door, after the wedding, Kate and Camilla left from here to go the dinner reception.  Her second dress was so cute – not sure which one I liked best! 

 

 

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And the long Hall from the inside – looking back to the front door.  In the royal houses, it’s always the paintings, murals, and accessories that speak to me first.  Why do they always have red carpets????

 

 

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Looking at the back of the hall towards the staircase.

 

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Kate in front of the staircase.

 

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  I assume that is the Prince’s Standard hanging from the staircase.  Anyone know for sure? 

 

First Floor:  Library 

image  The Library Hall.  Off the main hall are the three public rooms on the street side.  The former entrance hall is now this library.  It sits in between the dining room and the Morning Room.  Robert Kime designed all three of these rooms, using much of the furniture that the Queen Mum had or that which was found in storage.   This side looks into the Dining Room.  The painting just seen over the chair on the right used to hang in Diana’s apartment.  Charles must have liked it enough to bring it here.

 

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This side looks into the beautiful Morning Room.   The Queen Mum is on the left while Queen Elizabeth is on the right.  Again, the chandelier is gorgeous.  The walls are painted a very soft aquamarine.

 

 

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The Queen and her boys – in the Library. 

 

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Nicole Kidman meets the Prince in the Library against the striped curtains.

 

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Here in the Library, you can see more of the striped curtains.  Not my favorite!   The bright lights wash out the green on the walls.   Isn’t he precious with his nameplate on his walker?

 

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Another view of the three windows in the Library.

 

 

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Charles and Camilla stand in the doorway to the Library. 

 

The Dining Room:

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1861.   This was painted when the Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria’s mother, lived in Clarence House.  The dining room really hasn’t changed much at all since that time – except for the moldings and the mantel.      Such a tiny table for such a large room!!!

 

 

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And, today, the dining room as designed by Robert Kime.  In person this room is said to be very pretty.  To the left is a painting of  Queen Victoria’s dogs – including her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!   The portrait of the Queen Mum was never finished.    The back console – that looks like the original table used during the Duchess of Kent’s time.   I wonder if it is the same table?

 

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And set for a dinner party.  The curtains seem so skimpy to me!

 

 

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Here the table is extended for a meeting.  Notice the gorgeous double wood doors that lead to the Library. 

 

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Here, you can see how close to the street the house actually is.  Good thing that street is now closed to traffic!

 

The Morning Room:

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Across from the Dining Room and next to the Library is the Morning Room.  Here is how it looked when Prince Alfred lived here.  You can see that it is decorated in the height of fashion – Victorian.  I do like the round plaster cameos that are hanging, but this design era is my least favorite!

 

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The same exact room when Prince Elizabeth and Philip lived here before she was Queen.  This was Philip’s study.  You can see it was very minimal – decorated almost entirely with wedding presents.  Actually this looks like it could be from today – the white sofas and the solid, dark velvet pillows!

 

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When her father, the King, died, Elizabeth became Queen and she moved to Buckingham Palace.  Her mother trading places with her daughter,  then moved to Clarence House.   Princess Margaret was still single so she moved back here too.  The Queen did quite a bit redecorating herself.   She was very feminine and she turned the Morning Room into an aquamarine beauty, installing glass enclosed shelves to hold china.    She also added moldings and a fancy new mantel.

 

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Margaret poses in front of the new mantel and the new, silk covered sofa.

 

 

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This gorgeous chair remains in the Morning Room today.  Margaret lived at Clarence House until she married Tony Snowden and they then moved to Kensington Palace.   She secretly conducted her scandalous affair with the once married Peter Townsend while she lived here – away from the press.   The Queen refused to allow her to marry Peter so she was wed to Snowden instead and later divorced him. 

 

 

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And here is the Morning Room today – such a beautiful room – pale aquamarine.   The chair by the fireplace is Chippendale.  The rug is the same one the Queen Mum used.  It might be a new copy though, not sure.  Notice the Queen’s crown is on the ceiling molding.

 

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  Another view – decorated by Robert Kime.  The large window looks onto the front garden.   I like the arrangement of the furniture in the previous picture better.  Those standing lamps are too distracting to me.

 

 

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Another view.

 

Photographer: Christopher Simon Sykes

In the corner is a painting of the Queen Elizabeth as a little girl.  And notice the framed drawing of the Queen Mum’s corgi dogs.  Beautiful lamp.

 

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In another corner – a 17th century long clock.

 

 

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At night, the curtains are drawn.  Not sure why they close the ones that lead out to the front garden?  It would be so        pretty at night with the garden all lit up.   Call me Charles!  I love how Kate’s dress was worn to coordinate with the room.   She really needs to go on a diet though.  Too fat!

 

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Celebrating the Queen and Philip’s 65th wedding anniversary, Charles hosted a dinner party for them.   They moved the sofa in front of the large window.   Here, the couple with their four children.

 

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A group of school children curtsy to Camilla.  Here you can see both oval topped china cabinets.  Those children must be extra smart to be picked for this event!!

 

The Lancaster Room:

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Here you can see the next two rooms are side by side on the garden front.   There is a balustrade that surrounds the two rooms creating a small terrace that opens up onto the garden.   The door to the Lancaster Room is when you enter the Entrance Hall onto the Main Hall, it is immediately on your right.  Behind the Lancaster Room is the Horse Corridor – a long hall.   The door to the Garden Room opens up on that hall.

 

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Another view of the Garden Room with the door/window open to the front garden.

 

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Standing on the small terrace that leads out from the Lancaster and the Garden Rooms.  You can see that the window opens to create a door to the terrace.

 

 

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An early photograph of the Lancaster Room during the Queen Mother’s time, probably before Princess Margaret moved out.   Hanging on the walls are War Images of Windsor Castle, commissioned by King George VI during World War II.  When presented with these, the King said “it must have been raining that day.”

 

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A later view of the Lancaster Room during the Queen Mother’s time.   You can see the mantel and the molding is the same now, but the window is missing.   I suppose the picture has been flipped so that the window can’t been seen here.  The name comes from Lancaster County who presented the marble mantel to the then Princess Elizabeth and Philip when they married.    The same chairs, lamp and table sit across the back wall as does the firescreen, sconces and chandelier. 

 

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  And today – with its gorgeous marble fireplace mantel.   This room is the first one on the tour.  When you enter the Main Hall it is the room first on the right side, facing the front garden.  Robert Kime also decorated this room.  His fabrics are used on the chair and sofa.  Twin secretaries flank the fireplace.   Beautiful convex mirror.    The front garden is right outside the window.

 

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The view towards the opposite direction where there is a large cabinet.   The same set of watercolours are hanging on the walls today.

 

 

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Here is one of the watercolours of Windsor Castle and yes, it does look rather gloomy and rainy!!!

 

 

The Horse Corridor:

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Another long corridor, called the Horse Corridor,  is reached by the Main Hall.    This corridor leads to the large Garden Room.    This was also decorated by Robert Kime.   It’s called the Horse Corridor because it is lined with oil paintings of horses that the Queen Mum collected.    I love the damask wallpaper.  Not sure why the English royals always use red carpets, but they do!

 

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Close up of where the Horse Corridor leads off the Main Hall through a beautiful French door with arch.

 

 

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The French doors with the arched transom leads from the Main Hall.  Here you can see this beautiful horse portrait above the Chinoiserie styled sofa.  Such a pretty hall.

 

The Garden Room:

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Prince Alfred’s study.  This room matches the molding and fireplace location of the Garden Room today.  Of course – this room was enlarged during the Queen Mother’s time.  But this gives you an idea of what the room may have looked like during the height of the Victorian Era. 

 

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There are very few pictures of the Garden Room during the Queen Mother’s time there.  This shows her sitting in a favorite chair.

 

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Princess Margaret’s grandchild was christened in the Garden Room.  This large room used to be two – one was Princess Margaret’s sitting room and another was a Lady in Waiting’s room.   After Princess Margaret was married, the Queen Mum had the two rooms made into one.   The sconces flanking the fireplace are still used today.

 

 

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Alison Watt, 1989, painted the Queen Mum in front of the Garden Room’s fireplace.  The chair is the same one the Queen Mum is sitting on in the two picture above.

 

 


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The Garden Room today.   There are two large sofas in one arrangement before the fireplace and another is on the back wall of the room.   The desk was used by the Queen Mum.    The gorgeous black and red chinoiserie secretary is 17th century and came with Prince Charles from St. James Palace.   Clarence House feels more like a house than a Royal Palace because of the way that Kime decorated it.  It’s not overly fancy, but instead it seems warm and inviting, almost cozy, despite its size. 

 

 

 

London - Clarence House Garden Room - Royal Collection 2008

Looking from behind the sofa towards the fireplace.

 

 

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The back of the room has another sofa covered in antique silk fabric that sits below a fabulous tapestry.  Two cane chairs wear red Fortuny.  And the piano sits underneath a large beautiful oil. 

 

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Near the window that looks over the front garden sits this desk. 

 

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This desk belonged to the Queen Mum. 

 

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The view out the windows is to the front garden.

 

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These steps guarded by huge lions is what is seen from the Garden Room. 

 

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The Garden Room is used a lot for visiting dignitaries and interviews.  Here, another view towards the front windows.  Again- why close the garden windows – it could be so pretty at night, all lit up outside, instead of a black hole.

 

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22 year old Claire Jones was chosen by the Prince to be his official harpist.  I love this tapestry at the back of the room.  Gorgeous.

 

 

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Those two paintings that flank the door are incredible.  I love the frames.

 

 

 

 

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The ottoman is really much bolder in these pictures than the ones in World of Interiors. 

 

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Love the arm covers – they don’t match!   And love the fabric thrown over the back to protect the sofa from grease stains.  Actually, that’s a good idea.

 

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I really love this room – it’s so cozy and warm – seems just like a regular house albeit with gorgeous paintings and tapestries. 

 

 

 

 

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Here – you can see these sconces are the same ones that the Queen Mum used in this same room.  Love the framed intaglios in blue underneath the sconces.  And – that 17th century lacquered secretary is to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

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A dinner party set up in the Garden Room.  Looks prettier than the dining room I think.

 

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The gangs all here at a party the Prince threw for the Queen.   All her children, grandchildren and cousins attended.

 

 

 

The Cornwall Room

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The Cornwall room is not on the tour but it was recently added for the time while the Prince’s watercolours are being displayed there.   Again, these walls are the soft gray/aquamarine found in the Library and the Morning Room.

 

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The mantel is so pretty – it looks handpainted.

 

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Here is the Prince’s watercolour of Highgrove.  He signs his paintings A.G. Carrick – a combination of his middle names Arthur George and one of his titles The Earl of Carrick.

To understand the costs of running a small palace such as Clarence House, consider that on a given year, about 10,ooo guests may be entertained at over 100 events.  To run these events, the staff now numbers 124 at an average salary of 50,000 pounds, compared to 33,000 pounds at Buckingham Palace.   The total cost of staff is around 6,300,000 pounds a year. 

 

The Second Floor:

Main Drawing Room:

The second, third, and fourth floors are private and have not been shown since Robert Kime redecorated them for the Prince and his family.   But, some of the prettiest rooms in the house are on the second floor.  The main drawing room is over the Dining Room and the Library while the large sitting room is over the Morning Room. 

 

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The Duchess of Kent’s Large Drawing Room.  This room seems to match the current Drawing Room in size and layout.  Plus, there is a fireplace chimney on the back side of the house.  The drawing room is located over the Dining Room and this is the same exact size with the three windows.  Also, the molding remains there today.   The décor is much more sophisticated than that of Prince Alfred who lived in the Clarence House right at the Duchess did.  This is not cluttered, nor a mishmash of furniture like his was.  It looks like there is a painting of her daughter as a young lady on the very right wall. 

 

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  A portrait of Victoria, the Duchess of Kent with her baby, Victoria, who grew up to be Queen Victoria.  

 

 

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The large Drawing Room during Prince Alfred’s time.   During his renovation, he added ceiling molding to many of the rooms.   A skirted table sits next to a tufted sofa placed on an angle.

 

 

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The Large Drawing Room – during the Queen Mum’s time.  I am so curious to see what this looks like today!!!  This room doesn’t go with the smalll drawing room – so I think it was probably redecorated at one time.

The Small Drawing Room:

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The newly redesigned Smaller Drawing Room that is connected to the Larger Drawing Room through an opening balanced by columns.  These rooms look much the same today.

 

 

 

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Then Princess Elizabeth’s Small Drawing Room – looking into her Large Drawing Room.  

 

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And looking the other way at the smaller drawing room – furnished entirely with wedding present given to Princess Elizabeth and Philip.  Certainly – these furnishings don’t match the elegance of the room.  When she moved in, it was reported that she was redecorating and "ripping out or refurbishing yards and yards of crimson carpeting," while painting everything a creamy yellow, like these walls.   This mantel was moved from the Sitting Room because it more closely matches the one in the large Drawing Room.

 

 

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An hand tinted version of Cecil Beaton’s photograph of then Princess Elizabeth in her smaller drawing room.

 

 

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The smaller Drawing Room during the Queen Mother’s time.  This is probably how it was decorated at a later time than the pink large Drawing Room show above.  The two rooms have the same fireplace but different chandeliers.  Both rooms have similar Aubusson rugs.  This room is so beautiful!!  I love that chest and wish I had information on it.  It’s gorgeous, as are the French chairs with gilt wood.  

 

The Sitting Room

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The Duchess of Kent’s Sitting Room.  This room changed once Prince Alfred renovated – the window on the left was closed to make room for the widening of the building.    At that time, the fireplace was moved, also.   This room is decorated to coordinate with the Large Drawing Room.  The same velvet fabric was used in both rooms along with the same consoles, though the carpet and chandeliers are different.

 

 

 

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And the sitting room under the Princess Elizabeth – so 50s looking!  The furniture is covered in chintz slipcovers.  The new mantel came from Kensington Palace.  This room sits right over the Morning Room on the first floor and is the same exact size.

 

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And the happy family.  Princess  Anne was born at Clarence House in a bedroom that later became Princess Margaret’s.   When Princess Margaret was pregnant she returned to the same bedroom to give birth to her own son David Linley. 

 

 

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The Sitting Room decorated for the Queen Mother – after Princess Elizabeth left go live in Buckingham Palace the Queen redecorated her rooms, making them much more dressy.  The walls were upholstered in a silk damask in the light aquamarine color.  She used a similar but more ornate oval mirror and kept the chandelier – but added a different, very beautiful marble mantel.    The portrait of Elizabeth as a child now hangs in the Morning Room.  Such a pretty bench in front of the fireplace!

 

 

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Looking towards the door with ever present screen hiding it. 

 

 

 

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Her desk was always messy and filled with her family pictures and mementos.  The large window overlooks the front garden.  It was installed by Prince Alfred during the renovations and is quite beautiful with a transom.

 

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The Queen Mother, in her favorite yellow, stands in front of the portrait of Elizabeth as a child.  You can see the pattern of the damask here.

 

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Here, the sitting room was painted – but not sure if the furniture was changed or if the artist did it himself.  You can see the beautiful red cabinet that was in the small Drawing Room.  It is believed that this room is now Prince Charles sitting room. 

 

Private Sitting Room:

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In the area facing the front garden is a section with bay windows.  The Queen’s private sitting room that probably connected to her bedroom was also painted and shown here.  Unfortunately there are no pictures of this room.   But, it looks like it was covered in a handpainted wallpaper ala Gracie.  I would love to see this!!  Also notice her collection of pagodas on the lacquered chest – ala Mary McDonald.  Her desk is set up in the bay window.  This room is now believed to be Prince’s Charles room.  He and Camilla’s bedroom is on the third floor, while the two princes live in apartments on the fourth floor.

Unfortunately there are no photographs of any of these rooms decorated by Robert Kime.  Still, it is probable that these rooms look more like the Garden Room does than the dressy confections that his grandmother the Queen Mum had. 

 

Bedrooms: 

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  The Duchess of Kent’s private bedroom.  Very pretty bed draped with a chintz that matches the arm chair, but the rug doesn’t match at all.   The walls are hung with a trellis and floral pattern.  The dresser on the left is so beautiful!   Again, this room is not in the over stuffed and messy Victorian style that the next tenant Prince Alfred liked.  It is sophisticated and very decorated looking!

 

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Prince Alfred’s wife Marie’s bedroom – again a jumble of furniture and mess.  But, there is a beautiful tufted daybed that stands out here. 

 

 

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And their daughter’s room – another Victorian mess with wicker chairs and profusions of accessories. 

 

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour and history lesson on Clarence House.  What will happen to this house when Charles becomes King?  Some people think he will remain here rather than move to Buckingham Plaza, but the majority say he will make the move and turn Clarence House over to William and Kate.  Prince Harry will then move into their apartments at Kensington Palace.