Bill Gates purchased this oceanfront house in Del Mar this spring. According to public records, the property had not been listed since January of 2019, when it asked $48 million. Gates called it his for five million less than that.

The contemporary house measures 5,800 square feet, with six bedrooms and four baths throughout; it was built in 1999, and features a stylistic mix of modern, Pacific island, and rustic Riviera influences. The single-floor layout allows for exposed trussing and the pleasing space of a rambling footprint, and lattila ceilings augment the varied warm wood and beige limestone; the accumulation gives the interiors an incredibly inviting, relaxed feel.

The home’s bedrooms are all charming in their way, but the master’s cherry-finished mahogany built-ins, fireplace, and disappearing glass wall that opens it onto the patio makes it one of the more appealing spaces in the house.

The patio deserves a special word. A sprawling spot with a natural stone floor that gives it the substance and intimacy of a Riviera café, it tapers into a gravel planter, and features plentiful seating, as well as a spa and a sunken lounge with a fire feature centerpiece. A pool and 120’ of beach frontage, and a guest house, complete the exterior living areas.

Bill and Melinda Gates, through their namesake foundation, are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. They have so far committed more than $250 million to the fight against the disease.