Designers Get Brutally Honest About Madonna's Former L.A. Home That's on Sale for $21 Million
Madonna’s former Los Angeles estate recently hit the market for a cool $21 million. The home—listed by Linda May and Brett Lawyer of Carolwood Estates—is nothing less than spectacular at first glance. So we tapped designers for their unfiltered thoughts on it, from what they love about the home to the changes they’d make.
Known as Castillo del Lago, the Spanish-style property was designed by John DeLario in 1926. Madonna purchased the nine-bedroom, six-bathroom home in 1993 for around $5 million and sold it three years later, according to a memoir the star’s brother Christopher Ciccone wrote, The Wall Street Journal reports. Records show fashion designer Leon Max of Max Studio currently owns the home, which spans more than 10,500 square feet.
“Castillo del Lago has all the details that any designer would love to work with,” designer Daniella Villamil tells House Beautiful. She explains: “The incredible architecture and landscape immediately transport you to a medieval Spanish village. I love a palpable handmade component. You can feel the craftsmanship and attention to detail of the people who contributed to the home's design and construction—it permeates its walls and becomes part of the estate's energy.”
Villamil believes it’s essential to preserve the unique soul of any home. To enhance this one, she’d update the lighting “from ornate wrought iron sconces and chandeliers to simple, more elegant fixtures.” She also adds that some areas of the home were updated but missed the mark. This includes the kitchen, which she says “feels disconnected and too generic to belong to a house with so much character.”
For designer Shaolin Low, the beauty of the home in its current state comes from its historical feel and lack of modern touches. With a penchant for mixing styles, the designer would love to see lighter tones and refreshed artwork to maintain the old-world feel but give it a youthful kick.
A particular callout for designer Michelle Boudreau is the lush landscape that’s “so perfectly imperfect with the multiple plants and pots and a clean open lawn,” she says. To calm and minimize the patterns throughout the interiors, Boudreau would bring in elevated textiles and a mix of unexpected furnishings and artwork to breathe new life into it.
One element of the home that designer Susan Wintersteen would focus on is the dated window treatments. "I would recommend tearing out every window drapery and cornice," she says. "Windows don’t need covers if you don’t have to cover up for privacy or sun."
Whether you’re eyeing this property for yourself or living in a space with a similar aesthetic, these designer suggestions are certainly worth taking into consideration. You can browse every incredible photo of the home here for inspiration. We envy whoever lives in the estate next!
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