The Barefoot Contessa's Barn

With Thankgiving only one week away, our thoughts are naturally turning to cooking and entertaining.  We've always loved the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks by Ina Garten, who also has her own show of the same name on the Food Network.  She has a beautiful home in East Hampton and recently built a barn(!) for entertaining her friends.

Ina's barn houses a large multi-purpose room with a wonderful open kitchen and dining area.  The visible rafters give it that barn-like feel, yet it is still so remarkably cozy!  We think the fireplace (top photo) makes a huge difference.   We also like that she included comfy arm chairs at the dining table so that it can double as a reading space.

The barn also serves as a guest house, with a beautifully simple approach to decor.  We love the mottled mirror over the sofa in the entry.  The objects located across from it make it appear as if it is a painting.

The bedroom and bath are likewise peaceful and simple:

Can you believe all of this is inside this inconspicuous looking building below?!!!

We love it!  If you want to see more barn photos, check out the House Beautiful slideshow. 

Also, the folks at House Beautiful liked Ina's barn so much, they asked her to recreate it in Rockefeller Plaza and named it their 2009 Kitchen of the Year.  Check out the video here:

We love it too!

EXCLUSIVE! Enrique Murciano Buys Home in Hollywood Hills

It took a hottie with Cuban roots like Enrique Murciano to say ENOUGH with the Spanish mediterranean homes!  This TV star of Without a Trace just bought a mid-century modern home in the Hollywood Hills.  He purchased the 4BR/3BA home in August for $1.6 million. 

It took a lot of digging, but we found the photos!!!

We love mid-century houses and think this one is a fabulous example of what makes them so great to live in.  Like most, this one is deceptively low-key.  The front is unassuming, yet the back has a little surprise!

See BACK & INTERIOR PHOTOS after the jump>>

The back of this house has a lower level walkout to the pool, and an upper level breezeway that connects the wings:

That's what gives the living room below a treehouse feel:  

And, as with most mid-century homes, the flow from the living room above to the dining room and kitchen below is perfect for entertaining:

The master bedroom is nice enough:

and the master bath is fabulous(!):

But this cozy alcove overlooking the pool is our favorite:

We love this house!  We realize this house isn't for everyone though.  So tell us, readers, would you want to live here?

Dancing with the Stars' Samantha Harris is Selling Her L.A. Home

What's UP with us and spanish mediterranean houses these days?!!!  First it was Meg Ryan's house, then Christina Ricci's, then James Franco's, then Dorothy Dandridge's.  Now the co-host of Dancing with the Stars, Samantha Harris, has gone and put hers up for sale too!

Okay, so it's not as glamorous as the others, but we love the exterior.  And it's not as pricey as the others either!  Located on a great street in Westwood, the newly remodeled 4 BR/3.5 BA home carries an asking price of $1.595 million.

For that amount, you get less than 3000 sq. ft. and no foyer.  But you do get wood beams on the ceiling, arched openings and a dining room with a raised floor:

As for the remodeling work, we don't see anything particularly special.  But it's not objectionable either.

MORE PHOTOS after the jump!!!

The kitchen looks nicely done, though unremarkable:

Samantha (pictured in the top photo with her DWTS co-host Tom Bergeron) shares this house with her husband and their 2yo daughter.  Naturally, the most charming room is their daughter's:

The master bedroom and bath are terrific too:

So it looks like Samantha and her family prefer a largely traditional decor.  We like that.  She can save all the glamour for those lovely gowns she wears on DWTS! 

Tell us, do you think her home should be a little more glamorous?

Top photo by Bob D'amichi/ABC.  For more info on the listing and more photos, go here.  Thanks Aerial Dave!

King of Comedy Steve Harvey's King-Sized Mansion Up For Sale

Funnyman, actor, radio host, author, and GMA correspondent Steve Harvey has placed his Plano, Texas, mansion up for sale.  His monster home (below) can be yours for only $3.5 million.  This is down from an earlier asking price of $3.95 million. 

Of course, you'd need to find the front door first.  Doesn't this look like two separate homes joined together at the center?  Well, it is!  It turns out that the home on the left is actually his two-story guest house.

Steve's double-house sits on 3.25 acres and comes with a 7-car garage, though the yard naturally seems tiny because of the size of the house.  Clocking in at nearly 11,700 square feet, it has 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and 2 half baths. 

Here are a few photos of the interior:

 The kitchen (above) is probably the nicest looking room in the house.  And the coffered ceiling in the keeping room below is a nice touch.

But we can barely tell his dining room . . .

from his living room . . .

. . . or his study:

Enough with the chandeliers and beveled-glass windows already! 

Look, we like Steve.  But we think he's yet another celebrity of humble origins who feels the need to show off his wealth with an oversized ostentatious house. 

Tell us, do you think it's too much?  Or is it simply a well-earned reward for achieving success through fame and hard work?

See the agent's listing for additional photos.  Hat tip to Celebrity Address Aerial!

Top Chef Host Padma Lakshmi is Expecting! A Bohemian Pad Awaits Her Baby--Swing Included!

CNN is reporting that Padma Lakshmi, host of Bravo's Top Chef, is expecting her first child at age 39.  Padme struggled for years with endometriosis, a condition that can cause infertility.  Her physician is referring to it as a "medical miracle."  The currently single Padma, who was previously married to Salman Rushdie, has not named the father.  Doesn't matter, we know this baby will be absolutely gorgeous, just like her mom.

So what kind of home can Baby Lakshmi expect?  A pretty cool bohemian NYC condo with little hints of Indian influences (a nod to Padma's paternal heritage).   Padma even has a swing in the middle of her living room(!): 

Not sure what all she does with that swing these days--after all she IS a Single Girl in the City--but we're sure she'll put it to good use when the baby comes.  And that's one less item to go on her baby registry.

As a former fashion model, Padma certainly has an enviable closet.  Guess she'll have to push that aqua Badgley Mischka dress and all those other designer frocks aside.  Time to make room for diapers, dolls, and dainty little baby things.

And there'll be no more tantalizing recipes from her Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet cookbook made in her kitchen below.  It's all bland baby food from here on out, sister!  And speaking of food. . . why is her closet more stylish than her kitchen given her current vocation?

Okay, maybe the tiny kitchen is pretty fabulous too, by NYC standards.  It's at least worthy of that Roberto Cavalli gown she's wearing!  

Anyway, congrats to Padma.  Here's to eating for two!

All condo photos by Douglas Friedman.  For more photos and information on Padma's condo and clothes, check out the recent article and slideshow on Harper's Bazaar online.

We're Mad for Mad Men's Jon Hamm! Oh Yeah, His House is Nice Too!

We're completely addicted to AMC's Emmy Award-winning show Mad Men.  And Jon Hamm is our drug of choice.  Okay, was that way too Hamm-y?  All we're saying is, Jon is super sexy and seems to be as mysterious as Don Draper, the character he plays on the show. 

Jon lives with his longtime girlfriend actress Jennifer Westfeldt in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles.  Thanks to a lead from one of our favorite new sources Aerial Dave (and a little bit of digging on our own) we know that they own this gorgeous Spanish Mediterranean:

Their home lies on a street lined with equally gorgeous homes.  According to property records, theirs was built in 1923.  Even though it sits on a tiny lot, the home clocks in at a little over 3100 sq. ft. with 5 bedrooms and 3 baths. 

Unfortunately for us, Jon and Jen are intensely private.  As far as we know, they have never allowed the press into their lovely home.  So dear readers if you know where we can get our hands on some shots of the interior, please let us know!

Gosh, we haven't even seen the inside and we already love it!

But who are we kidding, we love him! And he knows why! Get a load of this hilarious SNL video, which has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with houses:

Matt Lauer Buys Waterfront Cottage in Southampton

We've never been so jealous of a 1,500 sq. ft house in all our lives!  This tiny little cape cod style cottage was so appealing to the NBC Today Show co-host Matt Lauer that he paid the full asking price of $2.15 million for it.

 

This little charmer has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a country kitchen.  It also has a delightful sunroom with a waterfront view:

The real attraction is this wraparound deck with access to the boat dock and 85 feet of frontage on a pond connected to Little Peconic Bay:

What a perfect little getaway spot!  It shows that it doesn't take much to make you happy . . . if you happen to have $2.15 million!

Photos: Sotheby's International Realty/Story source: WSJ

EXCLUSIVE HOUSE PHOTOS! Sarah Michelle Gellar/Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Home

Congratulations to beautiful actress Sarah Michelle (Gellar) Prinze and her handsome husband Freddie Prinze Jr. on their new baby girl!  Little Charlotte Grace Prinze arrived on Saturday, September 19th.  According to People, her parents are "over the moon."

We've obtained EXCLUSIVE photos of their home!

Looks like precious little Charlotte will have plenty of room to grow in her parents' luxury Bel Air home (above).  According to property records, the home is nearly 7,000 sq. ft. with 7 bedrooms and 7 baths.  Hmmm, 7-7-7!  Wonder if they spend a lot of time in Vegas?

The foyer below is unremarkable--even if we visually delete the previous owners' ugly decor.  (These photos were taken just before the Prinzes moved in.)  What's with the fake flowers over that hideous cabinet anyway?   The mirrored-wall behind it only makes matters worse!

We like the wood-paneled study (below) though, which we assume has been redecorated to lighten it up and remove all that dull 1980's plaid:

Freddie (or Sarah!) will need a place to escape during those sleepless nights with the baby.  And the study surely looks cozy enough.

While we don't have photos of Charlotte's nursery, we do know that Sarah Michelle purchased most of the furnishing for it from Argington, a children's furniture shop.  Here's the stylish crib she selected:

Judging from the crib and some of the other pieces we found on the store's website, we think Charlotte will have a very chic nursery--one fit for a California princess!

We're thrilled for the family and wish them the best!

Top photo by Claire Greenway/Getty Images.

Crib photo by Argington.

VH1 Divas Edition, Part 1 - Miley Cyrus at Home

If you missed last night's VH1 Divas Live, which felt more like a teen edition, you didn't miss much. Except an apparently drugged out host Paula Abdul nearly falling on her ass during one of her lousy opening song and dance numbers. She redeemed herself, though, with a pretty good imitation of Ellen DeGeneres dancing through the audience aisles.

Anyway, this year's crop of divas -- Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Adele, and Miley Cyrus, ranging in age from 16 to 29 years old (Isn't there a minimum age for divas?) -- belted out their hit songs pretty decently. They also sang duets with big music stars like Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, India Arie, Martina McBride, Melissa Ethridge, and Sheryl Crow, ranging in quality from outstanding (Wonder/Hudson) to piss-poor (Lauper/Lewis).

So all we really wanna know is, how do these divas live?

Up first is the home of, ahem, diva Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana. She lives in this 5BR/6BA mediterranean style home in North Hollywood:

At 16, she's the youngest of the diva bunch, so naturally she lives with her parents. Her dad is one-hit-wonder country singer Billy Ray "Joe Jackson is my Idol" Cyrus, who co-stars with her in Disney's Hannah Montana show. Here's the whole family in their kitchen below:
Miley's bedroom is allegedly inspired by the Hotel Viceroy. While we're sick of hotel-inspired houses, we do like the capiz shell chandelier:

And what teenage girl wouldn't want a dressing room like this of her own:

Up next in Part 2: Leona Lewis' home.

John Krasinski Says 'Away We Go' -- He's Selling His West Hollywood Home

John Krasinski -- that cute guy from The Office and the recent flick Away We Go (who isn't even all that cute, but that's what makes him so cute!) -- is moving on. He's asking $1,245,000 for his little english country-style 3BR/3BA house in West Hollywood.

We're guessing he needs a bigger place since he just got engaged to actress Emily Blunt of The Devil Wears Prada fame. This one's pretty small at less than 1,300sf.

It's also possibly a little overpriced to be located right across the street from an apartment complex. But at least it sits behind a tall hedge, giving it that feeling of seclusion.

Unfortunately, the house has been stripped bare of all personality in preparation for sale. Krasinski actually could have benefitted from a home stager to give the house some warmth. Notice how there isn't a single tchotchke on any table surface below?
And although the kitchen and bathroom are perfectly adequate, both look like standard Home Depot specials from earlier in the decade:
Nevertheless, the home has its small charms like the built-in china buffet in the dining room:

But, again, how about putting something on that dining table and buffet, like some freakin' china?!!!

Oh well, we get the feeling John was more of a chinese food take-out kind of guy anyway. And he's so cute (did we say that already?), we'd buy his house if we could!

If you want to see more of his home, here's the listing. We wish him luck!