Thursday, February 16, 2012

Nine weeks on (and with the help of 500 workers) Petra Ecclestone offers a glimpse inside refurbished former Spelling mansion



Billionaire heiress Petra Ecclestone has completed the nine week refurbishment of her most recently purchased Los Angeles property, The Manor, that once belonged to Aaron and Candy Spelling.
The sprawling 56,000 square foot mansion was built by the television power couple in 1991 and was bought by the 23-year-old daughter of Formula One mogul, Bernie Ecclestone last summer for a staggering $85million.
Changes made to the property were imagined in three weeks and realised in an impressive nine, thanks to the efforts of British designer and builder to the stars, Gavin Brodin, and a team of 500 workers.
The reason behind the purchase was partly investment-motivated and partly so she could spend time in LA to promote her new 'red carpet, celebrity-driven' fashion line, Stark.
Ms Ecclestone and her husband of six months, James Stunt showed W Magazine around the newly decorated home, which boasts 14 bedrooms, a number of living rooms, a pool, solarium, bowling alley, cinema and bar.




'I know that the house is huge, and yes, it really is quite overwhelming,' Ms Ecclestone explained to W. 'But with the other houses we looked at that were a similar size to this, you felt like you were in a museum.
'They didn’t feel homey. I think because there was a family here previously, it was warmer and cozier.'
The foyer of the 'cozy' house, is a 5,000sq ft space paved in striped black-and-white marble and flanked by a double staircase carpeted with a luxurious black runner.
Though one of the numerous living rooms is white on white, the Formula One heiress confessed: 'I’ve got quite masculine taste. I don’t like a lot of pattern... [everything] is very dark and kind of sexy, with, like, a boudoir feel to it. You’re not scared if you stain something.'
But the couple, she admitted, have contrasting tastes when it comes to accent pieces and art. Hallways are lined with Mr Stunt's portrait collection, the most prized of which is his series of Sir Peter Lely pieces.
The banker enthused: 'All my Lelys are important. In Althorp, the Earl of Spencer has the Windsor Beauties, which is a very famous group of pictures by the artist.
'I’ve been trying to rival the Windsor Beauties. I have more, I think, than him, and I’m just five off the Royal Collection.'
His wife meanwhile prefers more contemporary pieces like her beloved sculpture by Marc Quinn of twin Pamela Andersons in bikinis.






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