Blog contributions are provided exclusively from Luxury Real Estate members throughout the world.
Courtesy of: Hurwitz James Company by Unique Homes
In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, an entertainer’s dream has been reduced by $10 million.
Through private entrance gates, a world of prestige and pleasure are introduced to the discerning buyer. The verdant grounds that surround the 26,000-square-foot home are host to a helipad, championship tennis courts, multiple pools, a par-3 golf hole and a 9-car garage that has space for a limousine.
The main residence, which was re-built nine year ago, is nothing less than impressive. From rare hardwoods and imported marble to granite and custom furnishings, the interior living spaces are opulent and one-of-a-kind.
Whether accommodating a dinner party in the formal dining room or gathering in the living room, breathtaking views of Lake Coeur d’Alene will serve as your backdrop. A well-appointed library, a lounge with an octagonal bar and a guesthouse all serve for entertaining and hosting guests.
Listed by Bob Hurwitz of Hurwitz James Company, the $17.5 million Coeur d’Alene estate is awaiting your arrival.
Learn more about this astounding property on uniquehomes.com and on the Hurwitz James Company Web site.
11
Modern Masterpiece, Madrid
By Ann Adenius of Signature Residences Worldwide
This spectacular modern masterpiece is truly a unique trophy property
The sculptural home truly amazes thanks to its visual impact and conceptual design: it’s a stratified building with texturized dark concrete facades.
The house is located in the exclusive Somosaguas area, northwest of Madrid.
The interior is full of surprises, solved with a very complex array of spaces with different heights and levels, as well as the particular shape of some of the rooms. The lower level contains the main hall -covered by a curved ceiling that accentuates its relevance-, living and dining rooms, master bedroom, gym, interior pool, kitchen and service areas. The basement is dedicated to health and leisure, with a bar, games room, chill out, massage room, media room, cellar and gym.
There are 5 bedrooms + 3 bedrooms for staff. The villa boasts 1,700 sqm of living space, on a 4,900 sqm plot of land.
Price: Euro 11million
Signature Residences Worldwide
Tel: +44 (0)20 7095 8701
By Raphael Harris of World Real Estate Immobiliare
One of the few houses on the seaside in Capri and forever the only home nearby the famous Faraglioni rocks. This unique combination makes the site and property exclusive. The house, built in 1913, includes an authentic Roman cistern, which can be transformed into an appealing extra room.
The home has two floors, each equipped with a kitchen, a bathroom, an extra toilet and a separate entrance. The upper floor, which holds 90 sqm, has a central oil heating system and a very big terrace of 110 sqm with amazing ocean views. The ground floor with 50 sqm, offers a terrace space of 70 sqm. Through a private access, one can go directly through the garden to the beach or to a boat anchored nearby. The Faraglioni Villa is one of the most famous and prestigious houses in Capri. It will offer you a new life shared between the mountains, infinite sea and the security in the property value of Capri, which is one of the most secure in the world. It is an enchanting place for you, your family and friends to rest, a prestigious place for one to meet business partners in a not so formal atmosphere. One can certainly not go wrong with the Faragiloni Villa.
17
Best of Seychelles
By Ann Adenius of Signature Residences World Wide
The Seychelles is synonymous with the world’s most beautiful islands and beaches. As nature intended – it’s one of the world’s best-kept secrets and ranks amongst the purest destinations anywhere
Raffles Estates in the Seychelles is a residential paradise consisting of 23 free-standing villas on secluded lots adjacent to a signature Raffles Resort. Situated on 500 meters of stunning beachfront, the resort and estates will be truly unique – private, relaxing, close to nature, yet offering the very best personalized pampering that money can buy and which only Raffles can deliver. Designed to maximize the stunning views of the Indian Ocean with large windows and expansive verandas, these generously apportioned villas will range in size from three to five bedrooms and are priced from €2 million to €4 million.
Raffles facilities available to home owners include: RafflesAmrita Spa – Raffles’ Signature Spa, Fitness Center, Beach Clubs, On-Site Restaurants & Lounges, Sugar Palm Kids Club, Infinity-Edge Swimming Pools, 24-Hour Concierge and On-Site Property Management.
Raffles Estates seeks out the most spectacular expanses of land suited to the grandest villas and mansions, offering the ultimate experience for those impassioned to enjoy the privileges of a Raffles lifestyle with full private ownership.
By Jason LeMoine
WADSWORTH
One of us slipped through the same secret passage—
PEACOCK
Again...?
WADSWORTH
Of course! Back to the study!
As a child, “Clue” was one of my favorite movies, and back then I could think of few things more essential to a home than a series of secret passageways. I would design elaborate floor plans of mansions with square footage rivaling the Louvre (modest for an eight-year-old), and be sure I had easy access from my palatial bedroom to my 1,000-seat movie theater.
However, despite their frequent appearance in fiction (and eight-year-olds’ imaginations), secret passages have a very real history. Since ancient times, secret passages and rooms have been used for everything from evading persecution to smuggling to playing key roles in revolutions. Secret passageways were used in Egyptian pyramids to deter grave robbers. Pope Clement VII used the Passetto di Borgo to escape the Vatican City during the Sack of Rome in 1527. Anne Frank and her family evaded capture for two years during World War II by using a hidden room in her father’s office building.
These days, whether you want to escape intruders or tiresome dinner conversation, secret passages and rooms are making a big—albeit, less grand—comeback. Several companies such as Creative Home Engineering provide the chance for home owners to install and customize their own passages and rooms. Store game room accessories out of the way, protect your family and other valuables in case of emergency, or just get away for awhile—the possibilities are nearly limitless, and they’re almost certain to raise the resale value of your home.
Whether for convenience or security, a secret passage or room could be a valuable addition to your home—and your kids will think it’s cool.
Editor’s Note:
Jason LeMoine is a Technical Account Manager with LuxuryRealEstate.com. His ideas and hard work have helped create many innovative and effective Web sites for LuxuryRealEstate.com and its members. By the way, can you imagine how cool it would be during an open house to turn a candlestick in the study and see the fireplace twist, revealing a secret passage to the kitchen? Now I’m starting to feel like an eight-year-old.
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