This week, Jay Leno purchased Seafair, a famous seaside mansion located in Newport. Leno paid $13.5 million for the house, originally and classically termed a ‘cottage’ by East Coast blueblood standards, but only as a tasteful aristocratic euphemism; it measures nearly 16,000 square feet, and contains eight bedrooms and fourteen baths.
The house has also been known as ‘the hurricane hut’; due to its dramatic and nearly precipitous position on an oceanfront bluff—itself situated on a small peninsula—the home was damaged by several hurricanes in its first incarnation, as the residence of mining magnate Verner C. Reed. In its second incarnation, the home was converted into a condominium complex. The home had been listed for $17.5 million prior to the sale. Seafair had been on the market for several years when Mr. Leno took the plunge.
The mansion is positioned at terminus of a cobblestone drive, which is accessed via a gate from the main road. The home is designed in a crescent shape, to take best advantage of its landscape, and to comment upon its setting. The exterior walls are stone, and the Chateau-like design features an arcing line of hipped, steep-pitched slate roofs which rises to an apex and falls away again.
The home’s interiors emphasize form, with Louis XVI details fitting the grandiose size, position and architecture. Period details and craftsmanship abound, including crown moldings, wrought iron, inlaid oak floors, and crystal chandeliers. The library is particularly striking, with the warmth of its paneled inlaid walls contrasted beautifully with a green marble fireplace mantel. The conservatory and kitchen are also standouts; the latter takes inspiration from the architecture, and presents a series of graceful arches.
The property extends to a whopping nine acres—a sizeable chunk of some of the priciest real estate in the Northeast—and includes a pool and pool house, as well as sweeping lawns and a tennis court. And, a private beach.
Leno left The Tonight Show in 2014, but continues to perform his stand-up act. A website dedicated to his collection of cars and motorcycles, ‘Jay Leno’s Garage,’ provides a look at the comedian’s collection of 290-odd two- and four-wheeled vehicles.
