George Michael’s Frank Lloyd Wright–Inspired Former Estate Hits the Market For $6M
As an ardent Wright enthusiast, self-taught designer Cliff Hickman has incorporated the philosophy of organic architecture in all of his work—including this luxury home in Santa Barbara that once belonged to the late English pop star George Michael.
Set into the Santa Barbara foothills, the house offers uninterrupted views in all directions.
The gated home is a quiet and private sanctuary, yet it's only a 15-minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara.
Originally built for psychologists Scott and Susan Myers in 1985, the California home is set into a rocky hillside on a 5.71-acre lot with striking panoramic views of the mountains and the Pacific Coast. In deference to the landscape, Hickman crafted a low-lying home that emphasizes a natural material palette and outdoor views framed by walls of glass.
A floor-to-ceiling Santa Barbara stone fireplace anchors the heart of the great room.
Walls of glass provide uninterrupted views of the mountains and coast.
Wright’s love of geometric figures also influenced Hickman’s use of the hexagon as an organizing element throughout the floor plan. The polygon informed not only the shape of rooms, but also the central nonbearing fireplace.
The dramatic contemporary design and the 360-degree mountaintop views no doubt drew George Michael to the then three-bedroom property, which he purchased from the Myers for $3 million in 1989. He owned the estate as his California retreat for seven years before selling it to a German businessman in 1996.
Exposed wood ceiling trusses help delineate the different spaces in the great room.
A triangular skylight brings additional light into the kitchen, which connects seamlessly with the living area and dining room.
"This home is the result of a happy merging of the ingredients necessary for a successful design: appreciative clients, a beautiful building site, an inspired design, and the determination by everyone involved to build the very best," says Hickman.
A view of the living room terrace. The generous roof overhangs provide protection from direct sun.
The living area and the dining area both open up to outdoor balconies.
The 4,840-square-foot home is spread out across two floors and topped with a terraced copper roof. The upper floor features a snowflake-shaped open-plan great room enclosed by large bay windows on six sides. On the lower level are four bedrooms and a family room.
The master bedroom suite is located at the front of the home.
A peek inside the master bath with views of the pool and Santa Barbara.
In addition to an abundance of outdoor entertaining space, the property also has a lighted tennis court with built-in stadium-style stone seating, a tennis house with a kitchenette and bathroom, a pool with a hot tub, a redwood sauna, and a five-car garage.
A glimpse inside a second bedroom with a fireplace.
The family room on the lower floor opens up the swimming pool and hot tub.
Natural stone, stucco, and walls of glass surround the building.
The grounds also include a recently built one-bedroom, one-bath guesthouse, which was designed by Hickman by request of the current owner. The guesthouse also exhibits Wrightian influences and was created in the style of the main residence.
The guesthouse, located uphill from the main residence, consists of a bedroom, bathroom, and sitting room.
2211 Mt. Calvary Rd floor plan
2211 Mt. Calvary Rd site plan
2211 Mt Calvary Road, Santa Barbara, CA is now being listed by Kirk Hodson and Jon-Ryan Scholbohm of Compass for $5,995,000. See the full listing here.
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