We've long been fans of Hollywood power couple Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, not least because of their eye for design. In late 2015, the acting duo paid $6 million for this enchanting townhouse in the stylish Park Slope Historic District of Brooklyn, New York. Positioned a few streets away from the iconic Prospect Park, this was the perfect family home for the couple and their two daughters, Violet and Hazel.
Built in 1909, the 20-foot-wide French Renaissance Revival house offered the couple 3,400 square feet of inside space that was just waiting to be modernized. Beautiful period features could be found throughout, including inlaid bordered parquet floors, elegant bay windows, original timber paneling, delicate crown moldings, chic fireplaces and pretty stained-glass windows, which all added to the property's personality.
The limestone-clad townhouse soars up four floors and features seven bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a formal sitting room, a central parlor and a timber-adorned dining room. Despite being grand and spacious, the home's old-fashioned interior design was making the rooms feel dark and stuffy, not helped by the dark wooden wainscotting that could be found in various rooms throughout the house.
Located at the back of the house through the dining room, the kitchen was small and unremarkable. Kitted out with dated brown countertops and simple Shaker-style cabinetry, it was in need of a facelift and a dose of wow-factor. According to Luxury Listings, Blunt and Krasinski spent $300,000 transforming the residence from top to bottom, and we think you'll agree that every single penny was worth it...
For the task, the Mary Poppins and Jack Ryan stars commissioned Michael Ingui of Baxt Ingui Architects. Almost unrecognizable, the townhouse is now light, bright and undeniably beautiful. Every room is effortlessly cool, thanks to a crisp white color scheme that's embellished with splashes of vibrant color.
Luckily, Blunt and Krasinski retained much of the property's early 20th-century charm, refining its period features by restoring the original ceiling beams and decorative millwork. The previously dark dining room is now filled with natural light thanks to an oversized pocket door and pastel color scheme. The heavy wainscotting and intricate coffered ceiling have been freshened up with white paint, while retro furnishings and contemporary light fixtures add to the home's playful vibe.
The couple's kitchen has undergone one of the most impressive transformations. A showcase of contemporary design, it now offers floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that open the space up to the garden. Sleek built-in appliances are nestled within custom cabinetry adorned with brassware, while the long porcelain island beautifully mimics the flat skylight above. We don't know why, but in May 2018 the duo sold the pad for $6.5 million – $1.5 million less than the asking price.
Fans of Flip It Like Disick will know all too well that Scott Disick is somewhat of a real estate genius. The TV series follows the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star as he tackles high-end home renovation projects across Los Angeles and in 2018, Disick picked up a traditional-style farmhouse in the heart of the city's Hidden Hills neighborhood. Paying $3.2 million for the privilege, he undertook a truly breathtaking makeover...
No doubt Disick was drawn to the home's voluminous rooms, incredible vaulted ceilings and sprawling floor plan. Despite needing some modernization, the property benefited from over an acre of land, which included a spacious patio, a swimming pool and spa, and a sports court. Large windows also allowed for idyllic views across the backyard.
Dating back to 1973, the traditional abode also offered a billiards room, a wet bar, five spacious bedrooms and six bathrooms. Numerous reception rooms provided significant space for adaptation, while the home's wrought ironwork, hardwood floors and crown moldings added to its characterful appeal. Yet despite its high ceilings, ample glazing and simple color palette, the interior felt dingy and needed a serious refresh.
The home's generously proportioned rooms had plenty of potential but were in need of some refining, as the master bathroom shows. Decked out in old-fashioned brown stone, tiles and built-ins, the space was crying out to be brought into the 21st century.
Thanks to Disick's eye for detail, the house has now been opened up to the yard, allowing free-flowing indoor-outdoor living. Key design details include 10-foot glass pivot doors, elegant wide-plank hardwood floors, crisp white walls and exposed timber beams. The bright and contemporary kitchen now features white oak cabinetry, Miele appliances and a stunning center island with marble countertops.
As well as opening up the entire layout of the home, adding windows and removing its bulky stone fireplaces, Disick also increased the interior footprint to 5,663 square feet. The open-plan living area is simply stunning thanks to the reality star's use of high-quality finishes, including gray marble fireplaces, white oak doors with invisible hinges and recessed TV screens. Disick also installed a state-of-the-art surround sound system that can be accessed everywhere, including the yard.
The master bathroom transformation is one of Disick's most impressive moves. The real estate guru added dual walk-in showers, a freestanding tub and marble accents. Other key design elements include a climate-controlled wine closet that's enclosed behind a sheet of smoked glass and a zero-edge swimming pool. Outside, you'll also find a gas fire pit and a reclaimed wood pavilion. The ultimate house flip, the fabulous farmhouse is now for sale for $5.9 million.
In 2016, Moroccan-American rapper French Montana purchased this stunning Calabasas compound from mega-star and serial house flipper Selena Gomez. Costing Montana a cool $3.3 million, the house sits on three acres of land and now boasts no end of VIP-worthy entertaining spaces. Enclosed behind private gates in the ultra-exclusive Mureau Estates neighborhood of Los Angeles, this captivating residence has undergone an impressive transformation.
Before French Montana got his hands on the property, the Mediterranean-style mansion was classically styled, with rustic stone fireplaces, a neutral color palette, crisp white furnishings and traditional décor. We can totally understand why the 'Welcome to the Party' singer fell in love with the home though, with many of the rooms in the 7,786-square-foot property offering double-height ceilings and direct access to a tranquil courtyard yard.
The house featured six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, with the master suite covering more space than the average city apartment. The room came with a comfortable seating area, a huge walk-in closet, and an ensuite with a spa-style bath and a steam shower. Downstairs, the home's kitchen was extremely old-fashioned but offered plenty of room for improvement.
Before the amazing home makeover, the compound also offered a basic movie theater with old-fashioned built-ins and dated furnishings, a two-story dining room, a gym, an office, and a custom wine cellar finished with slate and stone. Despite being grand and incredibly spacious, the property wasn't quite up to French Montana's unique design standards.
Thanks to a complete interior overhaul, the mansion is now brimming with star quality. The formal lounge has been turned into a dramatic dining room with eye-catching artwork and a theatrical chandelier, while the old eating area is now a state-of-the-art games room. Montana replaced the room's patterned beige walls with sleek gray hues, while the woodwork has been painted black and the fireplace embellished with gilded marble.
The home theater received one of the best makeovers, thanks to the talents of reality star Scott Disick. The project is said to have cost a cool $135,000 and Disick chose state-of-the-art AV equipment and an elaborate jungle theme in honor of Montana's 2017 album, 'Jungle Rules'. The cool compound also boasts an unbelievable recording studio, which reportedly set the hit-maker back over $400,000.
The drab kitchen has been refreshed with simple white units and clean stainless steel accessories, while the backyard now boasts a swimming pool with a spa and waterfall and a cabana with an outdoor kitchen and a brick pizza oven, as well as plenty of spaces for raucous parties. After putting in all that time and effort, French Montana sold the home in mid-2020 for $5.6 million, giving the musician a tidy profit on his investment.
Selena Gomez is no stranger to real estate mergers. In fact, the former Disney Channel star is almost as successful a property flipper as she is a singer. Over the years, Gomez has owned an incredible array of properties in Los Angeles, including this stunning 1950s cottage. In 2017, the 'Lose You to Love Me' singer paid just shy of $2.3 million for the Colonial-inspired home and set about transforming every inch of its interior.
Built in 1951, the Studio City property benefited from 3,200 square feet of inside space, as well as plenty of amazing period features, including vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, brick fireplaces and oversized windows. Yet the single-story dwelling definitely didn't quite fit with the singer's cool and contemporary style. The entrance door led into a traditional lounge with old-fashioned furnishings and a serious lack of wow-factor.
With three bedrooms, two bathrooms and numerous living spaces, the house offered plenty of scope for modifications. This windowless space is located in the middle of the property and was in serious need of some TLC. Traditional and uninspiring, a thorough overhaul was required in order to render the space fit for a pop princess.
To the rear of the house there was also a spacious Great Room, with an open-plan kitchen, a pantry, dining area and snug family area positioned around a fireplace. The room had plenty of plus points, from swaths of windows to the herringbone stone floor tiles. Yet something about the space didn't quite work, as Gomez soon came to realize.
Following an extensive renovation, the 'Rare' singer's reception room is now a chic and sophisticated space. A stripped-back monochrome palette and refined soft furnishings add grown-up vibes to this once-forgettable space. White timber window shutters aid with privacy and block out glare from the California sun, while rich green marble finishes the regal fireplace to perfection.
The former lounge is now a light, bright and beautiful space with plenty of personality. We love the room's playful styling; a blend of retro furnishings, eclectic colors and unique decorative touches. Gomez painted her brick fireplace white and replaced the flooring with a lighter stain in order to brighten the space. A skylight was also added to draw natural light down into what was once a dark and dingy corner of the house.
Though not much has physically changed in the great room, the space feels entirely reinvented. Bright and airy, the room has been opened up thanks to carefully positioned furnishings, rustic-inspired light fixtures and a fresh lick of crisp white paint. Keeping the color palette simple, Gomez opted for neutral tones and Scandinavian-inspired décor. Savvy fans will recognize the beautifully bright kitchen from the singer's Instagram, and from HBO Max's Selena + Chef, Gomez's quarantine cooking show.
Keen property hunters will already know that veteran actor Diane Keaton is no stranger to real estate renovations. The house-flipper has undertaken plenty of impressive projects over the years, including this one. The Annie Hall star purchased the 19th-century Sonoran row house in 2018 for $1.5 million, before selling it on two years later after an extensive renovation for a cool $2.6 million.
The historic home lies in the city of Tucson, Arizona and dates back to around the 1900s. Between 2014 and 2018, the award-winning writer Kathe Lison painstakingly converted the property into a residence. Spanning almost 4,580 square feet, the unique home had plenty of room for improvement still, but its crumbling walls, rustic floors and age-old ceilings needed a lot of work.
Yet it's easy to see what Keaton was drawn to. Soaring ceilings, exposed timber beams, Beehive fireplaces and other quirky period features make this house truly one-of-a-kind. Unfortunately, the sizable living room lacked purpose and natural light, while the kitchen offered ill-fitting contemporary units and out-dated appliances that were hindering the space.
With four generously-sized bedrooms, four bathrooms and over a third of an acre of land waiting to be put to good use, the building's positives far outweighed its negatives. The Something's Gotta Give actor took her time with the project, spending a total of two years refining the home's ancient interior, turning the unique house into a breathtaking family home...
Following an extensive restoration, Keaton has given the Tucson house a new lease of life. The glamorous glow-up transformed the once-dark and uninviting living room into a cool and contemporary oasis, complemented by rustic timber accents and textured whitewashed walls. Keaton also installed clerestory windows in order to draw additional sunlight into the large, open-plan living space.
The artsy retreat now boasts a kitchen that's more in keeping with the overall look and feel of the period property. Rustic timber accents are complemented by matt black units, ultra-thin granite countertops and sleek ceramic floor tiles. Elsewhere, Keaton added an enormous swimming pool to the backyard, as well as a library, a walk-in pantry and a state-of-the-art media room. There's also a private courtyard, a pool house and an attached one-bedroom guest house.
The master bedroom is perhaps Keaton's greatest achievement. The stylish retreat is overflowing with southwestern charm and allows the home's gorgeous rustic plasterwork and original ceiling beams to do all the talking. Keeping the color scheme simple, the suite now benefits from wall-to-wall built-in storage, authentic church pews, and enamel pendant lighting that emphasizes the generous height of the room's decorative ceiling.
This jaw-dropping glass mansion once belonged to movie mogul Tyler Perry before Pharrell Williams took it off his hands in 2018 for a cool $15.6 million. The sprawling Beverly Hills estate spans 17,245 square feet and enjoys a prominent hilltop position on Mulholland Drive, in the world-renowned 90210 zip code. Sitting on over four manicured acres of land, the home's updated interior is now the very definition of modern luxury.
The all-glass compound is considered one of the most unique homes in the area and benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows that draw plenty of natural light inside. The home was custom-built in 1992, and despite being fairly new, was starting to show signs of age, not helped by the property's dated, mismatched furnishings.
Designed for entertaining, every room is open-plan and spacious, but prior to the makeover, old-fashioned stone fireplaces and time-worn window dressings were adding years to the home. Yet the mansion offered plenty of USPs, including towering geometric ceilings, characterful pyramid-shaped skylights and an atrium-like entrance hall that soars up three floors. The triple-height foyer features floating marbles staircases that intersect one another for the ultimate architectural welcome.
Across the home's footprint, you'll find 10 spacious bedrooms, 11 marble-clad bathrooms, and multiple entertainment zones. Many of the rooms, including the boardroom-like dining area, offered wood-accented built-ins, dramatic light fixtures and polished marble floors, as well as direct access to the home's abundant outdoor decks. In need of a design injection, the mansion was just waiting to be transformed by one of the most stylish men in music...
Unsurprisingly, Pharrell's makeover doesn't disappoint. Sleek, modern and fresh, the Grammy Award-winner spared no expense when bringing the property up to his high design standards. The interior is now the perfect place for relaxation and entertaining, thanks to its luxurious furnishings and lavish fixtures. There's a cozy den, a laid-back family room, a formal living room and a home theater for cozy movie nights, each decorated with retro-inspired furniture in a plethora of metallic shades.
The main living area, once a dark and uninviting space, is now airy and filled with natural light. Taking a less-is-more approach, Pharrell stripped out the busy, dark furnishings and replaced them with a chic vintage-style modular sofa in a cool blue hue – the perfect complement to the turquoise-framed glass and pure white walls of the home's exterior.
Pharrell also updated the kitchen with gold and stainless steel fixtures, and transformed the palatial master bedroom into a mid-century oasis, with timber accents and 50s-inspired furnishings. The 'Happy' singer kept the estate's sports facilities, 30-car motor court, resort-style pool, slide and grotto. However, in October 2020, Pharrell parted with the property for just $14 million, making a substantial loss on his investment.
We know what you're thinking: this petite pad can't possibly belong to acting royalty Brad Pitt. Well, you'd be right. In fact, the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actor joined forces with the Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, to pull off a surprise guest house renovation for one of his closest friends.
The makeover featured on the new HGTV show Celebrity IOU, in which notable VIPs surprise important people in their lives with special renovation projects. Pitt took part in the pilot episode of the show and helped the Scotts to convert a redundant garage building into a purpose-built guest retreat.
The 400-square-foot unit belongs to Pitt's long-term make-up artist Jean Black, who he has been friends with for some 30 years. The pair have worked on more than 40 films together and Pitt even revealed that Black had to apply make-up to his derrière for Legends of the Fall in order to cover up his dodgy tan lines. Wanting to give something back to his lifelong friend, Pitt decided to surprise Black with the guest house of her dreams.
The garage featured basic shelving units, plastic storage boxes and folding chairs. Yet large windows and a generous ceiling offered a glimmer of renovation potential. Far from letting the Property Brothers do all the heavy lifting, Pitt pulled his weight and helped with everything from knocking down the ceiling to drywalling the walls. The team had just three weeks to complete the surprise project before Black returned home from a work trip.
During the three weeks of renovation works, the Scott Brothers and Pitt completely overhauled the tiny garage, turning it into a beautiful guest suite for Black's visiting friends – of which Pitt is likely to be one! To make the most of the limited internal layout, Drew and Jonathan chose a Murphy bed, which could be folded away when not in use, saving precious floor space.
The snug space still offers extensive storage, but now features a make-up station for Black to keep all of her favorite tools, as well as a bathroom and a living area. There's even a secret door bookshelf that leads into a walk-in closet. Keeping the design clean and simple, the Property Brothers opted for streamlined white units, space-saving recessed shelving and natural timber tones.
The chic, minimalist space also comes with a compact but perfectly practical kitchen, which has everything a guest would need for a cozy night's stay. A large window also opens up to a small patio area outside, ready for Black's friends to share an alfresco drink on a warm evening. If you ever needed proof that less is sometimes more, then this is definitely it.
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