Managing to be both cozy and expansive—a neat trick not frequently carried off in a ten-thousand square-foot home—this house and property owned by actor and producer Jeff Bridges dazzles inside and out. Initially listed at $29.5 million, it’s come down to $18.5 mil. This is a Mediterranean property in the finest Californian escapist style; it might be located in Ravello.
Sprawling across nearly twenty acres in Montecito, the property features an abundance of stone and raw wood, a mix of rounded and gothic arches, a tiled rooftop terrace with stone balustrade, bedrooms with lovely ocean views, one of the most tasteful lagoon-style pools we’ve ever seen, and an ivy-clad exterior. The front courtyard and recessed entrance with substantial oak door is a beautiful introduction sure to entice those drawn to an innate sense of historical and cultural reference. Lighting is subdued lantern-style, evoking comfort and invitation.
The three-level main house, designed by Barry Berkus and constructed in 1988, features six bedrooms and 6.5 baths, stone columns, great hall as well as living-room, large dining room, and fairly large office. The master suite, on the second tier, features large master bath and closet. The third floor boasts a secluded tower/study, and the terrace mentioned above. There is a basement with wine cellar.
Beyond the main house are two guesthouses, a recording studio with theatre (vintage guitars not included), rustic playhouse which may be reached across a footbridge, walking trails, and greenhouse. All told, a fairly magnificent little fairy-tale enclave.
Jeff Bridges, the multi-talented son of ‘Sea Hunt’ star Lloyd, and brother of gifted Beau, took his first major role working with Peter Bogdanovich in 1971’s ‘Last Picture Show’; in 2009 he took home an Oscar for his portrayal of Blake, a man caught up in the contradictions and limitations of middle-aged redemption in the winning ‘Crazy Heart.’ He may be best known, though, as The Dude, the stoned-out hipster who finds himself straddling film-noir homage and postmodern absurdity in the Coens’ 1996 cult classic, ‘The Big Lebowski.’
