The Aura residence is like nothing I've ever seen before. This unique home is located in Larnaca on the island of Cyprus a short drive from the Larnaca marina and the Cyprus international airport. The design was based on the Kanagawa wave of the famous Japanese artist "Hokusai" and features a unique ribbed roof. The luxurious home on Dekelia beach has six bedrooms, a hammam, media room, swimming pool with two Jacuzzis, yoga platform and more. It is listed at €12,500,000.

The English aristocrat the 12th Earl of Drogheda, better known as Derry Moore to his friends, is an arbiter of taste and style but also an accomplished photographer for Architectural Digest and other magazines, as well as the the author of several books. His latest, In House, just published by Rizzoli, is a selection of interiors from what he considers to be some of the world's most remarkable residences photographed over the last 35 years. The 28 houses pictured within are richly diverse in style and period with a common thread of originality, eccentricity and aesthetic appeal. They range from an airy and colorful palace in Morocco to an "austere but whimsical" Scottish castle; an Art Deco masterpiece in Jodhpur to a cluttered apartment in Prague; and from the museum-like home of one of London's most macabre collectors to the "extravagant remnants of Madrid's aristocratic heritage." Each of the houses is accompanied by commentary from noted architecture and design writer Mitchell Owens, and is laid out with an eye to its unique character by award-winning graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook.

Back in February we reported that Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the sexy supermodel, singer and first lady of France, had sold her family's castle in Italy (above) to an Arab sheikh. Now the buyer, who has since been revealed as billionaire Saudi businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, has relisted the historic castle with an affiliate of Christie's Great Estates with a reported asking price of about $28 million; he was said to have originally paid anywhere from $12 million - $25 million depending on sources. The 40-room, 21,000-sq.-ft. Castello di Castagneto Po, near Turin, has been repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt over the years but is believed to first date from the year 1019. Bruni's father, the billionaire industrialist Alberto Bruni Tedeschi, bought the historic estate in 1952 for about $1.5 million. It is surrounded by 175 acres replete with vegetable gardens, orchards, flowering terraces, ancient greenhouses, a caretaker's house and a farm building.

If the front of this house looks familiar you might be flashing back to the 1990s television show "Party of Five." Charlie, Bailey, Julia and the rest of the Salinger clan lived in this 19th Century mansion in San Francisco. This house on a hill has stunning Golden Gate and Bay views from multiple levels. There are seven bedrooms total. The main level has a reception foyer with 12 foot box-beamed ceilings, stained glass windows and a grand main staircase leading to the upper levels. The main level also features a large living room, formal dining room and an open kitchen and great room with a greenhouse solarium that leads out to the garden. Upstairs the master bedroom suite has his and hers master baths and dressing areas and a home office with wet bar. The top level of this home has a large media/game room with cathedral ceilings, a wet bar with refrigerator and an abundance of skylights and windows. On the lower level there is a garage and storage room. This home is listed at $7.2 million.

[via Zillow blog]

It's hard to resist the urge to cover a house in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween. The historic town on the Massachusetts North Shore has become a Halloween headquarters. It's also got some beautiful old real estate. The Boston Globe highlighted one example as their house of the week and I'm picking up another today. The George Nichols House was built in 1816 and is located in Salem's McIntire Historic District on Chestnut Street, a street which features many fine Federal period homes. This one has nine bedrooms total and is topped by a widows walk. The home has been beautifully restored but has newer details including a media room, wine cellar and lap pool. A separate brick carriage house offers parking as well as an apartment. No ghosts or witches here (although hose taxidermied birds in the library are a wee bit creepy), just a beautiful brick home. This home is listed at $1.8 million with Merry Fox Realty.

[Thanks, Chris]

Earlier a bunch of you lamented that we didn't have the $100 million listing in Charlottesville, Virginia up yet. Thanks to a kind gentleman for directing me toward the listing which has now gone live. The Wall Street Journal broke the story that Virginia winemaker and philanthropist Patricia Kluge has put Albemarle House, her 300-acre English country estate up for sale for $100 million,making it one of just a handful of listings in the nine-figure range. Kluge is the former wife of John Kluge, a billionaire who founded the Metromedia. She has been living in the area for a while making wine and working on a development called Vineyard Estates which is selling multi-million homes in the area.

Her estate is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland on over 300 acres. On the grounds there are three ponds, a pool as well as a pool house, log cabin, a greenhouse and several staff cottages. The main house was completed in 1985 and spans over 25,000 square feet with 45 rooms. The home was designed by architect David Easton and his team and includes a theater, library, recreation room with spa and sauna, a card room and an Islamic gallery featuring an antique Syrian fountain. It's a bit of a pastiche, gilded Versailles-like rooms contrast with simpler spaces that have a more Early American style. Should you have some leftover cash after buying the home you can turn the front grounds into an 18-hole golf course. Arnold Palmer has already designed it.

Any guesses on a final sale price?

Howsham Hall is gorgeous but is it cursed? In September, Country Life ran a story that says that the stately and fabulously restored 17th century mansion near the Malton area of North Yorkshire, England comes with a curse. The Curse of Kirkham apparently reaches way back to 1610 when Sir William Bamburgh built the hall by taking stone and timber from the nearby Kirkham Priory, a former religion community which had been destroyed by Henry VIII during his rampage against monasteries. The plundering of materials from the site was considered to be sacrilege and the curse says that all male heirs of the estate will perish and no true happiness will ever come to the family or its successors. Ouch.

But the home's charms are enough to make anyone want to tempt fate. It is on sale for only the fourth time in 400 years and offers both exceptional formal rooms and practical family areas. The home is situated around a central courtyard with the front door entrance porchway leading into the great hall. Rooms touched with columns and moldings and marble fireplaces are updated with modern touches. We only have a few listing pictures but they show an extraordinary residence. There is also planning permission for an indoor swimming pool to be created within the courtyard. The home has over 80 acres that include formal lawns, a cricket pitch, pastureland and river frontage with the opportunity to moor a boat.

Those with deep pockets and no fear of curses can purchase this home for £6 million through Savills.

Think Lenny Dykstra had the poshest pad in the Southern California community of Thousand Oaks? Not hardly. Check out this incredible home on 23 acres. The French formal home has amazing grounds that feature elaborate ornamental flower beds. Large terraces and a fountain lead to an infinity pool with a fountain. The two-level home is over 16,000 square feet of space. Around 3800 square feet of that is taken up by the master suite which includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a gymnasium. The gourmet kitchen is large enough to require two islands. Everything in this home is done on an elaborate and grand scale. It's rococo for the modern age, all swags and flourishes and curlicues but with a healthy dose of technology (the huge media room boasts a massive screen and motorized arm chairs). This home is listed at $29.9 million.

An incredible property in the Hudson River Valley has come on the market at an extremely recession-friendly price. New York-based handmade furniture company BDDW is relocating to Philadelphia and putting their bucolic headquarters up for sale. The 147-acre property is located just north of New Paltz in Ulster County, and features two incredible stone barns totaling 30,000-sq.-ft., a 1,500 sq. ft. farmhouse and a creek, all for just $1.9 million. The stone barns were built at the turn of the century by architect Julian Burroughs for Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne, Civil War sharpshooter, democrat, wealthy industrialist and philanthropist, to house his thoroughbreds. They were subsequently used as a school for boys and passed back into private hands before BDDW acquired them.

[via A Continuous Lean]

It's in Wayne, Pennsylvania so of course I want to refer to it as stately Wayne Manor but this home is a bit of new mixed with a bit of old. The listing calls it an "artisan revival-style" home, a nod to the fact that it mixes modern home design with a few classic touches like stained glass windows and decorative moldings and wainscotting. There's a lot of stone in this house, Pennsylvania granite, a slate roof, limestone balustrades, bluestone-brick terraces, statuary and monumental steps. This seems like a wealthy executive's home, it has a music room, paneled library, a dining room that seats 36 and a family room that has a more casual decor. There's a refreshing lack of television in the home, another detail that gives it a bit of an older feel. There are two large offices and four bedrooms. A guest suite has a separate kitchen. The downstairs is given over to an entertainment area and exercise rooms. An elevator reaches all four levels. The home is on three acres and there is a pool and a pool house. This home is listed at $14.7 million.

It's always a bit risky to brand anything as "in the style of" and architecture is an area where it seems particularly fraught. I've seen far too many faux Frank Lloyd Wright homes. This home in Aspen, Colorado takes its inspiration from Mexican architects Luis Barragan and Ricardo Legorreta. We've seen the work of each of these architects before. The Campbell Divertimento is attributed to Barragan while Ricardo Montalban's home was a Legorreta.

Looking at those two homes one can definitely see the inspiration. This five-bedroom home offers clean, squared spaces, flat terracotta walls and an interesting use of water features. The overall effect is a lot more Southwestern than anything usually seen in Aspen. The home is on 5.73 acres and has two master suites, a media room with cherrywood cabinetry, professional kitchen, a large central gallery for displaying art and a fitness room, air conditioning. The use of Colorado sandstone floors and earth tones creates a tranquil feel. Windows of varying sizes from tiny squares to floor-to-ceiling view watchers make the most of the available light. This home is listed at $13.5 million.

Today's estate of the day is a New Canaan, Ct. home on 6.43 acres that was built for entertaining. It is the ultimate family compound with a guest cottage, swimming pool, a pond stocked with trout and a one-of-a-kind sports pavilion.

The main house, which was built in 1983, is 9,244 square feet with five fireplaces, interior stone walls, rustic wood beams, seven bedrooms, 6 full baths and 2 half baths. The kitchen was remodeled in 2005 and has alder-wood cabinetry, French antique limestone floors and a hand-carved limestone sink. There's a two-story family room with a cathedral ceiling, wide-plank white oak floors and a wall of Tischler windows, setting the ease and comfort for family gatherings. The two-story foyer has a circular staircase and there are two adjacent living rooms, one with a window wall and the other with sliding glass doors leading to a deck, each overlooking the glorious pond and swimming pool setting. The main-level master bedroom suite has a corner fireplace, a wall of French doors opening to a deck, and luxurious his and her whirlpool baths. Additional features include a library with separate office and bath, game room and exercise room.

The 10,600 square feet three-level sports pavilion is the ultimate entertainment facility. Winner of a prestigious award for excellence in design and construction in 2005, the pavilion offers a French country kitchen and dining area that seats 30, all overlooking a NBA-level half basketball court with regulation scoreboard. There's also a stage replete with dark maroon velvet curtain and Broadway-level lighting and sound system. The dance studio has a ballet bar and mirrored walls. The fairy-tale setting continues downstairs with a state-of-the-art golf simulator room where you can choose to play one of 50 different courses around the world, including St. Andrews and Pebble Beach. There's also a movie theater with over-sized leather seats for 25; a bowling alley, and a game room that features billiards, pinball and a milk shake bar. The three levels of the "sports barn" are linked via an elevator and a circular log stairway hand-made in Colorado. There's a TV lounge setting on all three levels, and on the third level, there are three bedrooms and three baths.

The property has a trout pond with two waterfalls and a heated pool complete with a pool spa. The pool house features a sauna, two changing rooms, two showers and a bathroom. There's also a cabana with a state-of-the-art kitchen, bar, stone fireplace, Viking grill, wood-beam ceiling and seating for 25. The garage, which is within the sports pavilion, includes a catering kitchen with an extra-large refrigerator and sink. There is also a charming guest cottage with a living room, fireplace, kitchenette, bedroom and full bath.

The house is listed at $12,500,000.

For more information, contact the listing agent, Barbara Cleary of Barbara Cleary's Realty Guild at (203) 966-7772.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler hasn't put down permanent roots in Chicago yet. The Chicago Tribune reports that he is currently renting a three-bedroom house in Lake Forest for $3,750 a month. Cutler does have some real estate in Colorado he is trying to unload. He was traded to the Bears from the Broncos in April and has a pair of homes in Colorado up for sale.

His main home appears to have been a four-bedroom house in Parker, Colorado which he purchased in 2005 for $1.34 million. The home is in a community called Timbers and sits on 1.5 acres of land. Outside the home there is a seating area, patio, bar and fire pit. Inside the home has all the usual luxurious features like a a wine room, gourmet kitchen and great room with massive fireplace. Bachelor-friendly details include a billiard room with a complete wet bar, home theater, a poker room and a bathroom that features a urinal facing a poster of Marilyn Monroe. This home is listed at $1.675 million.

Cutler also owns a five acre property in Elizabeth, Colorado that is for sale for $699,900.

Today's home, Holly Court in Oyster Bay Cove, New York is so picturesque that it has appeared on Martha Stewart's television show. The home belongs to hotelier Paul Stallings, owner of New York City's Hotel on Rivington. Holly Court was built in 1915 and is a Center Hall Colonial on ten acres with a pool, tennis, huge barn and two legal renovated cottages which bring in a yearly rental income of $70,000. The eight-bedroom house has high ceilings, five bedrooms and six fireplaces. It's a beautiful classic with hardwood floors, original fireplaces including one in the sunroom. This home is listed at $3.95 million.

[via Newsday's Real LI]

From the LA Times Hot Property:
--A Hollywood Hills home once owned by actress Dorothy Dandridge is on the market at $3,495,000. The restored 1926 Mediterranean has three bedrooms and three terraces with city views. The property website is here.
--Singer Melanie Brown, otherwise known as Scary Spice, has bought a five-bedroom home in the San Fernando area for about $3.15 million.

From the Chicago Tribune's Elite Street:
--Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon has sold his mansion in Northbrook, Illinois for $2.85 million and moved to Florida.
--Former Chicago Bulls forward Antonio Davis has taken a loss on his three-story house in Naperville, Illinois selling it for $1.4 million. He Davis also has a contract to sell his mansion in Burr Ridge, which is listed for $3.299 million, and he has a waterfront lot in Plainfield on the market for $399,000.
Former Chicago Blackhawks center Alexei Zhamnov has sold his 11-room home in Lincoln Park for $2.725 million.



From the Boston Channel:
--Add Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez to our list of slow sellers. He's cut the price on his condo at the Ritz Carlton in Boston from to $8.5 million $7.9 million.


From the NY Post:
--While in New York City Jeremy Piven stayed for a week in a triplex penthouse at the Prime condo building at 333 W. 14th St. which is listed for $5.9 million. The listing is here.
--Rolling Stone founder and publisher Jann Wenner has closed on a Hamptons home 6,300-square-foot, three-story waterfront home on Old Montauk Highway for $11.9 million. The home which was listed for $14.9 million, is within a half-mile of Bernie Madoff's old beach house.
--After rejecting Related Companies President Jeff Blau's $31 million bid last May, the co-op board at 820 Fifth Ave. found a buyer for homebuilder Ara Hovnanian's full-floor fourth floor unit. The new buyer is Kenneth Griffin, the founder, president and CEO of Citadel Investment Group in Chicago who reportedly paid just under the $35 million asking price. Tommy Hilfiger once owned the apartment, though he never lived there and the co-op board also rejected Ron Perelman and Steve Wynn.

From Christie's Great Estates:
Legendary director Ingmar Bergman's family compound in Fårö, Sweden, has been sold.


From Brickwork: The London Property Blog:
-- An Edwardian villa in Sheffield Terrace, Kensington W8 which was once the former London home of Madonna is listed for rent for £13,000. The listing is here.
--R&B singer-songwriter Craig David's Hampstead penthouse is for rent at £6000 a week. Earlier this year it was for sale for £6.25 million. The listing is here.


From ShelterPop:
--Grammy winning Dixie Chick Emily Robison has listed her large loft in the old Duerler Candy Factory in San Antonio, Texas for $1.5 million. The 4,800 square foot loft was purchased as raw space and converted into a four-bedroom family home. The listing is here.

From Homes and Property UK:
--Prince Harry's girlfriend Chelsy Davy has moved into a two-bedroom Belgravia flat which cost £1.65 million.
--Perthshire landowner Jamie Montgomery is selling Kinross House, his 17th century ancestral home overlooking Loch Leven, for £4.25 million through Strutt & Parker. The mansion has 15 bedrooms, a ballroom, 80 acres and a cricket pitch. The listing is here.

From the NY Observer's Manhattan Transfers:
--Julian Schnabel has finally sold the triplex penthouse at Palazzo Chupi. Artist and director turned developer Julian Schnabel once wanted $32 million for the unit but settled for $10.5 million. The buyer is William J.B. Brady who bought a $15.5 million unit in the building several years ago. The Chupi duplex remains on the market for $12.95 million.

--Katie Lee is paying Billy Joel $3 million for their West Village townhouse as part of her their divorce. The couple purchased the home in 2005 for $5.9 million.
--More than a year after art dealer Daniel Wildenstein sold his family's mansion at 11 East 64th Street for $42.5 million, the 29-foot-wide townhouse has reportedly gone back on the market for $37 million.
--Ex-Morgan Stanley vice chairman Bruce D. Fiedorek has listed his fifth-floor apartment at 998 Fifth Avenue for $34 million. The listing is here.

From the WSJ's Private Properties:
--Real-estate mogul Steven Roth of Vornado Realty Trust was the buyer of Bernard Madoff's beach house in Montauk, N.Y.
--Real-estate investor Jeff Greene bought a Beverly Hills property out of receivership for $35 million in 2006 and then put another $15 million into the renovation. Now, instead of selling in a slow market he has put the 25-acre estate up for lease for $250,000 a month. The 43,000-square-foot main house has 11 bedrooms, 14 baths and a 6,000-square-foot ballroom and the property includes six acres of wine-producing vineyards. The listing is here.

From Rented Spaces:
--Madonna sued by her neighbors for noise.
--He works so his tenants have homes.
--Comfort tops fall home decor trends.
--Cash in on wine mistakes.
--Do you live in one of the most stressed-out cities?
--Is mustache decor a hot trend?