Forget “turning back time.” If we lived like Cher, we’d be thrilled to stay in the present.
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The Oscar-winning actress and singer opened up her Malibu home to Architectural Digest, and it’s an exotic vision straight out of Europe surrounded by the sun-drenched shores of the Pacific Ocean.
“Every room has two different views of the ocean,” Cher told AD of the home, which she purchased in 1998 and spent the next five years transforming. “This house wraps its arms around you.”
Outside the 16,000-square-foot mansion, a pair of vintage bronze bulls, inspired by Cher’s astrological sign (Taurus) sit outside the entrance next to her Bentley. In the grand entrance, limestone block walls, custom bronze doors, and carved panels from India provide an exotic welcome. In the central courtyard, an octagram-shaped fountain is surrounded by inspiration derived from Venetian palazzos, Renaissance villas of Europe, and the Alhambra palace. The sun beams down on the space under palm trees.
Cher brought designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard on to update the property 16 years ago. She presented him with “hundreds of tear sheets” from magazines to share inspiration for the estate. “Working hand in hand, we reworked all the finishes with her signature style of opulent comfort, theatrical elegance, and a timeless color palette,” Bullard told AD.
Now, the living room features a ceiling that was hand-painted using gold leaf stencils and a tea stain. A large Moroccan chandelier hangs overhead, while hand-carved furniture sits below. Massive windows highlight the stunning landscapes outside. Similar windows are shown in the dining room, where the tin ceiling was painted white. Moroccan lanterns and mirrors surround the hardwood floor and mid-century dining chairs. The family room is equally as stunning, and makes one “feel like you are floating on a turquoise sea” when seated, said Bullard.
One of the most fascinating spaces in the home is Cher’s bedroom, which she calls “my sanctuary, my fortress, really my very special place.” Decorated with a 1920s Syrian bed formerly owned by famed Hollywood couple Rudolph Valentino and Natacha Rambova, it features a plush seating area that includes sofas upholstered in hemp silk. Walls are lined in silk and sit next to Moroccan Mashrabiya wood panels that were hand-carved in Fez, Morocco. An atrium off the primary bedroom is the ultimate retreat — it features an antique marble fountain that sits next to a chaise lounge (appropriately named the Cher chaise!) In front of six large windows highlighting the beauty of the coastline. As you’d expect, the primary bath is crafted out of limestone walls, which Art Deco Egyptian paintings hang on the walls.
One of the most unexpected features of the piece is the casual mention that after 20 years in the home, Cher is preparing to move on. Since a home of this size would never be permitted to be built in Malibu these days, it will remain an important piece of history.
“This house has been one of the greatest passions of my life,” Cher concluded. “I have enjoyed every moment of its creation and evolution, but now it’s time to pass this magic on to others.”