Reese Witherspoon’s $6.9 Million Country House
April 10, 2008
Reese Witherspoon just purchased a new $6.9 million love nest country house in Ojai, California. According to the MLS listing, it’s a Wallace Neff architectural masterpiece that includes an equestrian compound: “The perfect 6+ acre hideaway is nestled in fabulous Ojai Valley, a short drive to one of LA’s most sought after vacation spots. Fabulous new master suite. Incredible privacy.”
The home was formerly owned by actor/director Harold Ramis (”Ghostbusters”).
The wrought-iron staircase:
Unique double doors with arched entry:
Stone fireplace:
The home appeared in House Beautiful when it was owned by interior designer Kathryn M. Ireland, and the photographs are beautiful. In the article, Ireland explained:
Originally, this house was designed by Wallace Neff in the ’20s to be a barn. Then another architect, Austen Pierpoint, made changes in the ’40s so it could be a home. This is classic Spanish architecture, but with a sense of bohemian fun, comfortable and loose. I get everything I get in the South of France, just 90 miles from L.A. But what I like most about it are the barnlike elements. When people design for animals, they do a better job! It’s not about perfect moldings or perfect floors. It’s about massive space and amazing flow. I love the way this house moves from the kitchen into the living room. And then these massive iron door handles everywhere. I love to lift them. It’s downright medieval.
Take a look at the rooms as Kathryn Ireland had them styled and how different they looked with so much color in them:
You can read more about designer Kathryn Ireland and see more photos of her work here.
Wallace Neff (1895-1982) was a Southern California architect largely responsible for the region’s distinct architectural style. He designed many celebrity homes, including the famous “Pickfair,” the mansion built for silent film actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks in the early 1920s.
You know I love my trivia! Actress Pia Zadora bought Pickfair in the 1980s and demolished it to build a new home on the grounds. Deborah Harry and Iggy Pop sing about the travesty in “Well Did You Evah!” Here’s an aerial view of Pickfair:
According to Diane Kanner’s book Wallace Neff and the Grand Houses of the Golden State, Neff said, “I just build California houses for California people.” But this notoriously private architect was an inventive designer who was knew how to update and play off of traditional styles to please his famous, wealthy clients, like Cary Grant and Claudette Colbert.
Back to Reese. She divorced Ryan Phillippe in 2007 (I used to watch him play gay teen Billy Douglas on “One Life to Live” in the early ’90s–anyone else remember that?) and is now dating Jake Gyllenhall. Aren’t they cute together?
A little Reese trivia:
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She was born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon. “Reese” is her mother’s maiden name.
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She began modeling at the age of 7.
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She landed her first major film role when she was 14 in a movie called “The Man in the Moon.”
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She was the first person to host “Saturday Night Live” after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
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She won an Oscar for her role in “Walk the Line” in 2005.
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Her best friend is Selma Blair, who played her rival in “Legally Blonde.”
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She was the highest paid actress of 2007 (according to the Hollywood Reporter), earning a reported $7 million.
Photos via ETOnline, Random Citations, RealEstalker, and Big Time Listings.
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If You’re New Here: Hooked on Houses features decorating inspiration, celebrity house tours, fabulous before and afters, real estate news, fantasy open houses and more fun stuff. I hope you’ll leave a comment and introduce yourself! To see what we’re talking about today, click here.
Entry Filed under: Famous Houses. Tags: Architecture, California, celebrities, Decorating, House Beautiful, House Tour, interior design, Jake Gyllenhall, Kathryn Ireland, Legally Blonde, Ojai, Real Estate, Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe, Selma Blair, Wallace Neff.
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1.
Marie | April 10, 2008 at 7:08 am
Is it my imagination or was the landscaping about 110% better when Kathy Ireland owned the home? And wow.. it certainly WAS more colorful inside then, too! I love the picture of the bathroom… do they color the water to make it look that refreshing blue shade? I know my Georgia water certainly isn’t that pretty!
2.
Bonnie | April 10, 2008 at 8:43 am
Love that bathtub! Could make me a bath person again. Also, the lovely tile on the stair risers.
Regarding the “Did you evah?” reference: now I’m going to have to go home and listen to my Red Hot & Blue cd to hear if there is such a reference. I never noticed it before. Thanks! That is one of my favorite albums, so thanks for the prod to get it out again.
3.
Ali | April 10, 2008 at 9:09 am
Beautiful house! I love that little nook under the stairs and the twisty trees in the yard. The colors from the Ireland era really do jazz it up. Surely Reese (and Jake???) will sauce it up in her own style.
And for a little somewhat off topic rambling -
I love Reese. She’s so cute! And seems so “normal ” (that’s a relative term right?) and down-to-earth for as successul she has become, she’s never in the news partying and drunk driving, seems to be a hands-on mom.
I read in one of the tabloids while waiting in the checkout line that she also purchased a ranch. It had pics of her kids chasing and carrying around piglets. I’ll see what I can find out about that.
Did you see her on American Idol last night with the family in New Orleans?
“The Man in the Moon” - Tearjerker!! And a great movie.
My favorite movie house is from the original 1961 Parent Trap (the dad’s in Carmel, not the mom’s in Boston). Julia, can you dig up information about that one? Just please don’t tell me it was filmed on a set - my dreams will be dashed!
4.
hookedonhouses | April 10, 2008 at 9:50 am
Just got an e-mail from Ali who did the researching into the Parent Trap house for me. She found this on Wikipedia:
“The film was shot mostly in California at various locales, including millionaire Stuyvesant Fish’s 5,200 acre (21 km²) ranch in Carmel, Monterey’s Pebble Beach golf course, and the studio’s Golden Oak Ranch in Placerita Canyon, where Mitch’s ranch was built. It was the design of this set that proved the most popular, and to this day the Walt Disney Archives receives requests for plans of the home’s interior design.
“Of course, there never was such a house; the set was simply various rooms built on a sound stage. The careful use of double-exposure and split-screen shots, as well as a double for Hayley Mills, provided the illusion of the twins.”
So apparently the house was as fake as the “twins.” Thanks, Ali! -Julia
5.
JLB | April 10, 2008 at 10:36 am
I love the “Parent Trap’ Houses. Both the original and the re-make.
6.
JLB | April 10, 2008 at 10:37 am
I am sure Reese will make this house perfect again. I really like her “down-to-earth” nature and don’t get me started about Jake. I will go on and on for hours. HaHaHa
7.
irishsof | April 10, 2008 at 10:53 am
Too bad the house doesn’t come with Ryan Phillipe.
8.
Aubrey | April 10, 2008 at 10:58 am
I love this house and I’m not even a huge fan of arches or Spanish-style architecture. I love all the “chunkiness” and simplicity. Kathy Ireland must have been really modern in her decorating because I think those rooms would still look so good today–or maybe the styles just revolved back to that era, like clothes do.
9.
Amy | April 10, 2008 at 11:13 am
Absolutely beautiful! I agree that it looked better decorated with color. It makes the whole place very warm and gives it character.
10.
Lynn | April 10, 2008 at 11:48 am
Oh, honey I’d buy this house. I love Reese.
I do like the bright colors of the original owner, but I like a clean, neat, no cluttered look it has now. Yes, I’m boring, but it’s much easier to keep clean this way.
Keep it up, you have me enjoying your site so much. I just found a friend a house yesterday. I can usually look at a house a decide if it fits that person. Well this one did. When her husband came home, he said “That’s the house.” Keep in mind The house is in North Pole, Alaska, they are in Texas. I just know the likes and dislikes of those people. I bet you can choose a house for someone as well, can’t you?
Have a great day!
Lynn
John 15
11.
Lynn | April 10, 2008 at 11:55 am
I just realized after looking at the photos again, It’s the same furniture as the other owner. I bet the first look is what it looked like on sale. Notice the bench under the stairs , and what looks like a Bible on the coffee table. So the look isn’t Reese’s. I bet hers is nice, being the Southern Bell that she is.
12.
Stephanie | April 10, 2008 at 12:24 pm
This house isn’t really my style, but I liked it much better when you showed the pictures from the photo shoot!
13.
melissa lewis - off the wall | April 10, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Oh my, I do have to say that I think that house is now my dream home. I love the decor of the house especially when Kathy Ireland owned it. Love the bight colors through out balanced so well with the natural walls and other natural elements. Perfect!
14.
Courtney @ nestinginstincts | April 10, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I actually remember this house from when it belonged to Kathy Ireland and was in House Beautiful! I remember being fascinated with Ireland’s use of color…it was never too much because she stuck with crisp white walls throughout. It’s the perfect blend of restraint and all-out color. It’s a bit too rustic for me, but I would have fun playing off the rustic elements with more traditional and unexpected ones too. I think it would be pretty with a neutral color palette too because the architecture is so strong and interesting. Okay now I’m just rambling…and dreaming…
15.
Tori | April 10, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Wow, wouldn’t that be a beautiful house to spend a weekend in.
I would love to know how it feels to be living in pottery barn
catalog.
16.
Dolly Parton’s Chil&hellip | April 14, 2008 at 11:20 am
[...] Reese Witherspoon’s $6.9 Million Country House in Ojai, California. [...]
17.
Kirstin | April 15, 2008 at 10:02 am
WOW, I love LOVE that home!!! I would love to live in Ojai again! I lived there when I was a kid with my Grandma and it is the most peaceful, relaxed little country town you will ever experience!…orange groves eberywhere and mountains surrounding, Ojai is gorgeous! My dream would be to convince my husband to move there! He isn;t that into the idea and thinks it’s too remote, but…one can dream….
18.
Julie | April 30, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I have this magazine, and I lusted after that house so bad! I turned down the pages so I could show my sister my “dream house”….sigh…
19.
jelena | May 19, 2008 at 8:47 am
damn it! i want this house soooo bad
ahaha if it had some stables for my horses it would be my all time dream home.
20.
Isabelle Johns | May 22, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I love Reese! She is so good!!! This is like love at first view!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is the best I just cant stop loving her mua Reese
Love, Isabelle
21.
limily | May 22, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Hey rock!!!!!
That house is awesome so gorgeous
Ill kill for it
wow
my house
It is my house i just borowed it to reese
shell give me it back next month
Its a joke
22.
Sue C. Barber | June 10, 2008 at 10:13 am
To me, the house is to black and white, no color. Is she afraid of color? Can she not afford a professional decorator? Doesn’t look like a celebrity home to me.
23.
trendoffice | June 23, 2008 at 1:09 am
What an inspiration! It is so good to be able to see these photos - thanks for all the sources.
24.
vicki A., int. designer | July 5, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Wasn’t this house listed in arch. dig. a couple of years ago? I could swear it was….even inquired about it while passing thru ojai. I recgnized the view down from the top of the staircase into the living room. If there are any similar ones available with a few acres, please let me know. I, too fell in love with the irregularity of it!