Tag Archives: for sale

Marcel Wanders designed ‘suites’ for sale.


While getting my daily real estate fix on Funda, I stumbled across this remarkable project. In an old gunpowder factory building along the river Amstel, a little south of Amsterdam, Dutch designer Marcel Wanders designed these 7 apartments aptly called suites.

Marcel Wanders designed Amstel Suites

Granted, they are stunning, but with the location right along the highway and the suites measuring an average of 530 square feet (about 50m2), they are priced pretty steep. The smallest one has an asking price of €259.000 and measures a mere 430 square feet. The lay out is very clever with a small pantry, a lush ensuite bathroom with bath, and high vaulted ceilings. The most expensive is quite a bit larger, 624 square feet. The living room is bigger, and the ground floor has enough space to house the bathroom. The bedroom is in the mezzanine. The asking price is €355.000.

Marcel Wanders designed Amstel Suites

I wonder who the developer is trying to target. The suites are too far from the city to be considered an easy commute after a night’s out. They are too close to the highway for that outdoors/countryside feel, and they are very much a single persons abode. So basically they target people living alone, with a decent budget, who do not want to live in the city….. In all honesty, they have many alternatives. If they had converted the building into two or three moderate sized family homes, they would have been able to target a bigger audience.

Marcel Wanders designed Amstel Suites

Check out the suites at the project website.

Photographs courtesy of Ouwehand v/d Meijden Makelaars

Own a bit of architectural history; The Affordable Frank Lloyd Wright


In 1895, when this block of apartments was designed, Wright was just starting out as an independent architect. He would need a couple more years to claim his fame with his better known works.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Chicago townhouse

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Chicago townhouse

The Waller Apartments were designed as a set of five party-wall buildings, each of which was subdivided into four apartments. Wrights usual ornamental and decorative signature is missing. Clean, simple and understated lines showcase the use and functionality of the building; cheap housing.  Though the facades now appear dark and covered with grime, segments have recently been power-washed, exposing the brickwork’s original egg-yolk like colour which make it look a lot brighter.

Over the past century, the apartments have undergone long periods of neglect and abandonment. In 1968, the fourth unit burnt down, and its remains removed. In that time, two of the buildings were converted into town homes, including the two-story townhouse now for sale. After going into foreclosure last year, the three-bedroom, 1,200 square feet unit was put on the market, originally listed at $169,000, but since lowered to an unthinkable $60,000. Extensive interior restoration is required but still, after that you could be the proud owner of a real Wright for a very friendly budget.

source: Architizer Blog

Hunky brit actor sells his modest bungalow


So I heard from Big Mama, of Real Estalker fame, that Jason Statham, an actor we like for the very obvious reasons, is selling his Mid-Century architectural gem above the Sunset Strip.  Listing information shows it has 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, a swimming pool and a smallish yet private and secluded garden.  With 2281 square feet it is modestly sized. But the location is sure going to attract buyers who like to combine the hustle and bustle of the strip with the quiet and calm of the hills. I love those glass-wood-graphic-open style homes. This one reminds me a bit of the home of Colin Firth in A Single Man. 

Jason Statham home

It’s on the market for $2,749,000

Jason Statham Home

Elizabeth Taylor’s house for sale for $8,6 million


The longtime Bel-Air residence of screen legend Elizabeth Taylor is available for the first time in 30 years. According to a press release issued by Mossler Properties, the realtor in charge of selling the estate.

Owned by the actress since 1981, the immaculate ranch house was a much-loved refuge. “It was the focal point for the family and where we all gathered, especially at Thanksgiving and Easter,” says her son Christopher Wilding. “She never entertained the notion of moving.”

Elizabeth Taylor home

The approx. 7,000-square-foot house hidden by mature foliage sits on 1.27 acres at the top of a long driveway. The spacious living room opens to a den and dining room, all with access to the outdoor terrace and mosaic tile pool. The master bedroom, with high ceilings and walls upholstered in her signature violet, encompasses a large part of the second floor and has treetop views over the city.

Patio

The actress, philanthropist and businesswoman, who passed away March 23, added her own sure touches to the 1960s home, which was once owned by Nancy Sinatra Sr. Her superb collection of Impressionist art included works by van Gogh, Degas, Renoir and Pissarro that served as the backdrop to rooms filled with orchids, family photographs, awards and personal memorabilia.

The grounds include an English garden and lawn, a koi pond with waterfall, a hothouse, and a lush “jungle” planted with towering bamboo and palm trees. “She loved the eagle’s nest quality of her bedroom surrounded by nature and the contrast of the wildness with the English flowers,” adds Christopher Wilding. “And she was very hands-on with the gardening—she wanted color in the garden year-round.”