Last winter, Vice Media founder Shane Smith put his escapist Los Angeles-area estate up for sale for $50 million. The property in Santa Monica was one of a handful Smith has hefted onto the market in the last few years; in 2019 he sold his Manhattan pied-a-terre, a loft in Tribeca, and that same year listed his modern in Pacific Palisades and sold it in short order, according to public records. The 14,000 sq. ft. Santa Monica property — titled Villa Ruchello — was the crown jewel in Smith’s portfolio, however, a deliriously romantic Spanish-style packed with original details and a seemingly endless series of surprises.
When a prospective buyer came along, the changing of hands represented an ‘all in the media family’ moment of sorts; it was Canadian media heiress Taylor Thomson who made the $48.7 million offer that saw the 3.35-acre estate into Smith’s rearview. The property closed in April of this year. Turns out Taylor already owned a tasteful Los Angeles-area estate, however, a buttoned-up Tudor affair in Bel-Air. Perhaps she spent some time in a comparative enterprise, weekending at one and spending the weekdays at the other, but in the end it was the Tudor of the two that went onto the market to close out 2021. This month, the home listed at $43 million.
With eight bedrooms and at least nine baths across 8,799 sq. ft. of interiors, and 1.06 acres of grounds, the Bel-Air estate is substantial enough. The house was completed in 1926, and features a stone exterior with exposed timbers.
Interiors are bright and stylish; renovations are especially noticeable in the kitchen, of course, where stainless and floor-to-ceiling tile in a muted, earthy cool tone can be spotted. More striking features include the block tile of the staircase risers, and the colorful, East Africa-inspired guest bedroom; a remarkable fantasy even for Bel-Air, and one that would be unmatched on this estate but for the grounds.
Thomson’s grandfather Roy founded the forerunner of The Thomson Corporation, which would later acquire Reuters Group to form media juggernaut Reuters Thomson. Her net worth is around $9 billion, according to Bloomberg.
