Billionaire filmmaker George Lucas has paid Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot a tidy $34 million for an estate in Bel-Air. Perot purchased the late 1920’s Spanish eclectic for $18 million in 2013. The property spans about 9/10 of an acre, and is known as ‘Mi Patria’; my country, as christened in its renovated state by Mr. Perot.
The renovations to the five-bedroom, eight-bath home have been fairly sweeping, leaving much of the original charm that makes a period Spanish from the apex of the Los Angeles craze in the 1920’s so strikingly disarming. Floors remain original, and are narrow-plank finished high-gloss; doors, and the wrought-iron baluster, handrail, and wood-tread staircase appear to be original, too.
Lighting now represents a slightly uneasy blend of modern and period or period-influenced, and ceilings are generally closed, and without exposed wood, which is a little unusual for the style and period, and may indicate a renovation design element more in keeping with contemporary tastes; the covered porch, however, does retain the exposed wood. The second-floor stained-glass paneled ornamental window suggests Tudor revival more than Spanish, but adds a dash of accident and whimsy without being garish.
The arcade porch and terrace are lovely, and look out over the Romanesque pool and pool-house. Tiled fountains remain intact, thankfully, with brightly hand-painted tile, and tile floors of terrace and courtyard are timeless. The grounds contain some truly spectacular gardens, as well as a putting green for leisurely practice, and the property’s strategically artful landscaping keeps the estate private despite its location.
George Lucas’ Museum of Narrative Art is currently in the works, with its location definitively settled to be L.A. The billion-dollar project is being funded by Lucas.
Ross Perot made two bids for presidency, making a run of it the first time around, in 1992, as an independent. He founded the wild’n’wooly Reform Party in the mid-1990’s, and ran for a second time on that ticket.
Lucas’ and Perot’s net worths are estimated at $5.7 billion and $3.9 billion, respectively.
