I just find it terribly sad. I see no joy in ownership of any of it.

A donor to the Milwaukee Art Museum (a gem of a museum, you must go) gave her art collection and a space to display it. But here’s the thing: the space was a recreation of her living room! With her furniture! The docent told me that the Donor came to the gallery from time to time to sit, read her mail, and visit her art. I loved visiting that gallery, it brought the art ”home” to me, let me connect with it. Kind of like The Frick, I could imagine the owner selecting art and living with it, looking at it every day, even just in passing.

PS after the donor died, the MAM disassembled her gallery and the art is scattered about the museum.

PPS I doubt the house in the link will be a museum like The Frick.

Or Design Toscano. DH keeps threatening to order one of those nekkid lady body-parts-protruding-from-the-wall horrors that are featured in the catalog that does seem to keep arriving at our house, in spite of never having ordered a thing from them. ::shudder::

Sorry, no idea. Doesn't ring a bell.

bpath thats a cool story

I mean, c'mon. Who wouldn't want this???

Hahahahahaha! Oh lord.

Well, I wouldn’t have statuary in my house anyway. Not this house, at least. It wouldn’t suit the style, but also I don’t want to dust it, or bump into it! I wouldn’t mind a St Francis of Assisi in the garden, though, or a buried St Joseph in the yard when the time comes to sell lol

I'm reconsidering my opposition to a wealth tax, but only if we can charge it to just the people who created that monstrosity. WTH!

Just did a little digging and I believe this is explained best as cultural differences with regards to what constitutes art, beauty, taste.

^^^ well, someone did!

You all are a tough crowd. If I look at it more like a gallery than a decorated home, it doesn't seem that bad. Definitely not to my taste, either the furnishings or most of the art, but some of it is quite nice and all seems to be hung/displayed nicely. I thought the realistic servers were quite fun.

LOL, beagles!

DLM - I'm sure you're right.

Yes, DLM, that’s likely true. I didn‘t intend to talk about the art itself (well, maybe a little, and I knew it would come up!) but the use of the house. Oh, and they won’t get $3Million for the property, what is with that pricing?

Wishful thinking?

I certainly hope they get it! That's good for the rest of us!

Unless they are heirs of the Ritz Carlton hotels, I think they have some 'splainin' to do. I recognize these towels.

Towel thieves with execrable taste. Cultural differences don’t begin to explain all that mess away!

As a serious answer to the question posed, I would like a very small beach house to visit occasionally by myself when I need alone time, one I wouldn’t have to rent out so it was available on a moment’s notice. Our only experience with a second home was a large lake house jointly owned by several family members which meant no one took responsibility for it and it became a burden. I think would not mind long distance managing a very small place if I didn’t have to run decisions by anyone else. I would lend it to friends for solo occupancy only, not for a vacation but for recuperation. From divorce, illness, death, life, whatever.

MtnRd, good catch!

<Hence the barely-functional kitchen>

There are two kitchens, and the second one is quite large and accommodating. This makes sense for a house that is rented out for parties. I've been to a few parties in Malibu and Bel-Air in houses like that, and the furniture is spaced out for people milling about - not sitting down and having conversations.

We are using our second home to display some of the art we have that will not fit in our Los Angeles house, and we still have quite a bit in storage.

Sad to say, but the second house same with bedroom furniture in the master bedroom that is a very similar style to what you posted. I hated it at first, but I'm keeping it for now because I do not want to spend the money at this time to replace it. Oddly enough, some people like it. I thought it was nauseating when I first saw it, but I'm learning to overlook it for now.

And once again, we are raising the hopes of some unsuspecting RE. Agent who is thrilled with the interest in their listing.

^^^ Hahaha!

Hahaha!

I'm not sure it answers the question since I would enjoy it-and it's my cildhood dream-an aviary, a tropical garden, and a sort of free-roaming little zoo..

A piano(I don't play. Actually I can't sing either. No idea. It's just in my mental picture. Maybe so somebody else can come and play?)

More art..not enough space for art right now

Murals, wallpapers..if it fits the house..

But I would be there..it's just it's more like a dream thing

..I just read all the comments..it's a very funny thread..))

April, in my mom's memory care, residents can have one room or a two-room suite. One resident has a suite, and the "other room" contains her glossy black Grand piano. There's enough room for it, the bench, and a player, maybe someone to stand in the curve of the piano, but nothing else. It is never played, she's been there for over 3 years. But it makes her happy to have it there.

Come to think of it, our piano doesn't get played much, either, anymore, and it's certainly not a work of art, just a 60+year old console piano. But, like a fireplace, I find it hard to imagine a home without it.

WTH?!? I can’t see anything, or say anything, nice about this one. Maybe the bare hardwood floors? I got nothing else. I think Ida was right, ‘Touch of Class’ catalog pretty much describes it, and I hadn’t thought of that catalog in ages.

I’d google “a Touch of Class” catalog but they might find me.

Those bronze statues are quite expensive, but also taste specific.

The outside of the house is hideous and I only got through half the photos before I made a fast retreat.

Blfenton, I drive by the house often. It's rather typical of millennial houses in the area, so I turn a blind eye to that lol. We could never figure out why there would be all that statuary in the yard, but no landscaping to speak of. It's on a busy road and there is no buffer at all.

Based on the other listings in the area, that house is overpriced. The poor thing doesn't work well as a house, a gallery or an event space. It feels sad and forlorn to me. It's especially depressing as an event space.

I can't think of anything I'd want that I couldn't live in. Heck, I don't even want a second home. Everything has a maintenance cost in money, effort, thought, energy. Unlimited financial resources would make it easier, but dealing with staff or a management company still takes effort. I'd rather go to the conservatory to look at plants, a museum to visit art, a hotel for vacation - and not give it another thought when I'm done.

If I could have a magic wand to make some tweeks in my current home, I could get excited about that. :-)

I’m sure the photos lure people in to gawk, but at some point they are going to have to remove most of the art, certainly the sculptures, and market the house itself. Still can’t figure out what the little cube structure at the back of the house is.

I like the piano.

Wow That’s Freaky

Wait...not so fast, man...they could have received those towels in exchange for decorating advice!!! I simply cannot get over the tile work in those bathrooms...

I thought it was nauseating when I first saw it, but I'm learning to overlook it for now.

This is why I have to get everything done or changed that I don’t like about a house within six months of moving in—preferably before. After living there awhile you start by tolerating things you hated about the house, then you get used to them, and then you become blind to them. That’s not necessarily bad—until you see a photo of it and realize you still hate it!

Great thread! LOL'ing during the debate coverage.

Oh wow, that salmon color on the walls.

I have joked with MIL that we will need another house if she continues to buy us as many Christmas presents as she does, so there you go! These people went ahead and did it.

ETA there are some very large waterfront homes here that have that kind of interior and decor.

I'm stumped. I can't imagine having a second house/space that wasn't for living or vacationing. This is so strange to me.

The whole inside needs to be torn out. Especially the bathrooms. All I see are slip and fall hazards with the raised tubs and wet tile steps. It scares me just to look at it.

Interesting in that I am right now reading a book written by the woman who ran the B&B we just visited. It's a memoir of her experiences and also tips for anyone considering doing it. One of the pluses she mentioned about running a B&B was that it gave you an opportunity to let your creativity and decorating juices run free with decorating the rooms (within reason and she outlines some things that won't fly that she learned along the way). BTW, the B&B was full of collectables, which I loved. The woman had been an antiques dealer and furnished the place with all second hand eclectic stuff. I loved, loved the place but I know some would find it cluttered. She collected antique toys from the 50's. I loved seeing them all around the place but I am a kid at heart. The room was quiet and comfortable, the location excellent, and the food was fantastic, so I had no complaints. In the memoir she says that for her running a B&B is fun (they are almost always booked full up due to their location) but it's not a big money maker. It was something she and her husband did after the kids flew the coop and they already had retired from their first round of careers as college administrators.

I have another family friend who ran a B&B for a couple of decades, she and her Mom always had fun decorating the place, which they redid every so often to keep it looking "fresh." But it is a tight market and AirBnB and the like are cutting into it.

I get this "Touch of Class" (thank you btw..Always thought it's "A Touch of Glass" and found it surprising name lol)..how-no idea..all the catalogs in the world so it seems found me..they share their own cookies or something...the amount of mail we get is highly irritating.

Here’s a story on the background of the house. I think it gives a little different view.

Thanks for the last article bpath. I noticed the taxidermy basement isn’t featured in the real estate listing. Enough shudders without that, I suppose.

They have to have one hell of a security system considering they don't even live there.

I wonder what the insurance is like, then? Surely they have a caretaker there?

Yes, the article makes it seem even creepier with all the dead animals in the basement!

Here's a link to an article w/ pictures of the dead animal room if anyone wants to see it: https://www.chicagobusiness.com/residential-real-estate/lake-forest-house-sale-jungle-animals-not-included 

I'm exhausted and I left my book in the sixth bedroom, lol.

Beagles, that page isn't found. Suppose it was taken down?