Back in the winter of 2020, Sandra Lee, Food Network program host, picked up a 1948-vintage cottage in a less populated corner of Malibu for $3.4 million.

The home’s location gave it tremendous potential as a full revision, and Lee wasted no time embarking on what turned out to be a full reimagining of the property. And the fruit of her pricey rethink, titled Villa Avalon, is for rent for $75K per month.

A look at the listing information compiled prior to Lee’s closing reveals a rustic and rather plain-Jane spot on a high-drama outcropping. A three-bedder with a timber deck overlooking the water, a series of oversized windows, French doors, a red brick fireplace accent wall, track lighting, a plank ceiling with exposed trussing, and a brick courtyard as a preamble, the property hadn’t seen a new owner in decades when Lee came along. Aside from the views, the lone amenity was a sauna.

The end result of Lee’s imaginative overhaul of the 1,719 sq. ft. house is a living style that’s chock-a-block with details. All vestiges of the home’s former life are gone. The brick courtyard is now a grassy little enclave with a pair of fireplaces and a patio, while the home’s new details include crystal chandeliers with cast plaster ornaments, and a dazzling master suite with mirrored closet doors, a fireplace, a large dressing room, and a bath with decorative French doors and a freestanding soaking tub.

The terrace overlooking the water has also been transformed, of course. Now designed in a semi-landscaped style, it features statues, a fire feature, planters, and a tile floor. It is accessed by a wall of sliding or pocketing glass, and offers access too: a glass door opens to a staircase descending to 75 feet of deeded beach.