These are the most extravagant homes on the market in 2014
MILL NECK, NEW YORK
The glamour of Long Island’s Gold Coast prevails at Oak Knoll, a legendary 1916 neoclassical estate overlooking Oyster Bay Harbor. Commissioned by businessman Bertram G. Work, the three-story residence was created by architect William Delano of Delano & Aldrich, the venerable firm behind such Manhattan society haunts as the Knickerbocker, Union, and Colony clubs.
WANTAGE, ENGLAND
Christened Kingstone Lisle Park, this historic property occupies more than 1,000 sylvan acres on the outskirts of Oxfordshire, some 75 miles west of London. Presiding over the vast piece of land is a Palladian-style manor that dates from the late 17th century. The masonry façade gives way to a series of grand interior spaces, including a billiard room and a formal entrance hall with a barrel-vaulted coffered ceiling.
OUD-VALKENBURG, THE NETHERLANDS
Constructed around 1200 and rebuilt in 1656 after a fire, Kasteel Schaloen (just outside Maastricht) underwent a neo-Gothic renovation by Rijksmuseum architect Pierre Cuypers in 1894. Historic details such as marble tile and coffered ceilings distinguish the recently restored interiors.
EURE, FRANCE
Old-world elegance prevails at this historic château, which was once home to American heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan. Sporting a graphic façade of stone and brick, the turreted three-story residence presides over some 220 acres. Among the interior’s exquisite details are boiserie-lined walls and parquet de Versailles floors.
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Built for businessman Samuel Stevens in 1843, this antebellum mansion ranks among the city’s best-known homes. Column-lined porches distinguish the dwelling, which is composed of brick and pink stucco and capped with a mansard roof. A winding staircase links the main floors, while mosaic tiles, decorative cornices, and Greek Revival pilasters enliven the rooms.
NEW YORK CITY
One of Manhattan’s best-known residences, this Upper East Side townhouse was built in 1965 as a pied-à-terre for philanthropists Bunny and Paul Mellon. Inspired by French neoclassical architecture, the six-story structure boasts three exposures, with views to the north, east, and south.
ARDRAHAN, IRELAND
The romance of bygone eras abides at this landmark country castle, featuring a 16th-century tower and an adjoining Gothic Revival main house, added in 1882. Particularly striking is the 40-foot-tall great room, where Irish-marble columns accentuate the Gaelic grandeur.
AMBOISE, FRANCE
Situated in the captivating Loire Valley, this 16th-century manor house was expanded in 1767 by its then-owner, the Duke of Choiseul. Today it serves as a charming boutique hotel, fittingly named the Château de Paradis. The interiors retain much of their historic character, with handsome boiserie and decorative fire¬places, while boasting such amenities as a screening room.
TORRITA DI SIENA, ITALY
Dating from the 15th century, this remarkable three-story Tuscan villa graces a 74-acre vineyard property known as Tenuta di Petriolo. Originally a monastery, the residence has passed through the hands of a number of the region’s most prominent families. Vaulted ceilings, terra-cotta-tile floors, and colorful frescoes enrich the generously proportioned interiors, which were renovated in 2007. Among the rooms is a majestic, light-filled chapel, home to a Baroque altar and a working 19th-century organ.
ISLESBORO, MAINE
This private peninsula in stunning Penobscot Bay is anchored by a 1918 manse, one of the best-known homes on the island of Islesboro. Designed by architect Wilson Eyre for the daughter of New York City mayor William Russell Grace, the Renaissance Revival structure features an arched loggia and an angled, winged layout that optimizes the spectacular views.
LUCCA, ITALY
Baroque splendor prevails at this richly ornamented Tuscan villa, which dates from the 17th century and was once home to members of a prominent silk-trading family. The four-story residence’s large colonnaded portico gives way to sunny rooms embellished with exuberant frescoes and moldings.
source : Architectural Digest
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