Celebrity Homes in Montecito

Montecito, California, is an idyllic neighborhood located on the hillside 80 miles west of Los Angeles. The secluded estates are situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County. The seaside community provides a slow pace of life, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. It allows residents and visitors to connect with nature, have private outdoor spaces, deal with less traffic, and enjoy wonderful weather all year. Montecito is home to some of the most beautiful coastlines, from Fernald’s Point to iridescent Butterfly Beach. There are many celebrity homes in Montecito, including Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Ariana Grande.

Today, Oprah Winfrey owns three properties in Montecito. Winfrey bought the neighboring 42-acre property in 2001 and a neighboring horse ranch in 2015. These two properties serve as her home base, and the compound has been dubbed the “Promise Land.” The compound has a koi pond, multiple orchards, tennis courts, a pool house, and a 4,000-square-foot two-bedroom guest house.

The primary house on the compound is a 23,000-square-foot mansion. It is settled squarely on the grounds and has six bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a library, a wine cellar, multiple living rooms, two home theaters, and an office. In 2019, she bought a four-acre ranch from her neighbor, Jeff Bridges. The ranch has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a five-stall horse barn, and a detached pool house with a living room, office, and sauna. The ranch was built in 1919 and went through renovations in 2017.

In June 2020, Ariana Grande bought a 5,500-square-foot home from Portia De Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres, who purchased and renovated the two-bedroom, three-bathroom home in January 2020. The house dates back to the 1700s. Originally built as two barns in Surrey, England, the property was reconstructed into a Tudor-style home in California. Grande also wed Dalton Gomez in an intimate ceremony at her home. The home has vaulted ceilings, rustic decor, and five fireplaces, giving the property a cozy, barn-like feeling.

In 2021, Adam Lavine and Behati Prinsloo closed on a sprawling compound in Montecito. The property sits on 5.2 acres of land and was designed by renowned architect George Washington Smith in the 1920s. In the early 20th century, Smith shepherded the Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes Santa Barbara is now known for. There is a wine cellar, movie theater, swimming pool, multiple uncovered and covered patios, a two-bedroom guest house, and a one-bedroom cottage on the property.

The couple relocated to Montecito in 2020. Their beautiful Mediterranean-style house has nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms. The property has many unique features, including century-old olive trees, a rose garden, a children’s cottage, a tennis court, and a tea house. The couple’s infamous interview with fellow Montecito resident Oprah Winfrey occurred at their home.

Rob Lowe has called Montecito home for many years. He lives on a sprawling 6.7-acre property. The home was built in 1925 and combines Spanish Revival and Mediterranean architectural styles. The main house has its original wood and tilework.

Inside, there is a mahogany-lined fireplace, a formal dining room with a fireplace and French doors, and a breakfast room with windows looking out onto the gardens. The upstairs bedrooms boast stunning views of the greenery and overlook the Pacific Ocean. There are also two detached guest cottages on the property, as well as lavender bushes, citrus trees, eucalyptus trees, and carefully landscaped hedges and lawns.

Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband built their home from the ground up with the help of Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch. The house combines the classical and the contemporary and is primarily one long structure across one floor. The property is powered by solar energy and uses a gray-water system to be environmentally conscious. The couple and designers focused on the use of light and space, as well as the patterns that made their family most comfortable.

The interior has slender proportions and slim moldings and was consciously designed to be tall, beautiful, and minimal. There are numerous subtle design elements designed to nourish the body and mind, such as the sacred geometries found throughout the house. The house has a luxurious home spa equipped with a hot tub, cold plunge, sauna, and steam room. There is also an antique fireplace in the living room. The kitchen has a central range, a rolling ladder, and a fireplace. The landscape is home to native plants, winding paths, a pool, and a fire pit. There are benches situated along the 2.4-acre property to enjoy the views.

In 2003, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her husband, Brad Hall, renovated their two-story 1930s bungalow to be more energy efficient. The renovations included a retractable roof, solar panels, and sustainably-sourced hardwood floors. The couple bought the house in 1996 and worked with David Hertz to renovate their home. Hertz’s architecture firm is known for its environmentally friendly design. They initially planned to add two bedrooms and a bathroom for their sons, but it turned into a larger project after the couple saw Mr. Hertz’s home.

The roof has thermal panels, which allow the family to draw from its propane-powered backup heating system. When they aren’t at the house, the electricity from the rooftop panels goes back to the local utility company. The house was designed like a ship, with steel-cable hardware throughout the interior. There are two terraces on the property, one on each floor. The first-floor terrace is an outdoor dining room with a banquet table, fireplace, and overhead heat lamp. On the second floor, there is a terrace off the primary bedroom with a stucco fireplace, daybed, built-in stereo system, and storage.

If you are looking for homes for sale in Montecito, working with a respected realtor is indispensable to call this dreamy city home. Contact Kendrick Guehr today to get started.