Meet the American Idol Mansion

Filed under: Famous Homes, Celebrity Homes, Cool Homes

The top thirteen "American Idol" contestants are bunking at this massive Los Angeles mansion. Check out the great room -- It's bigger than some people's homes.

Last week, "American Idol" contestants moved into a titanic, 15,000-square-foot Tuscan-style mansion where they'll live together until each one is voted off the show. Tucked behind tall walls and electronically-controlled gates, the estate sits high on a private promontory above Beverly Hills on fabled Mulholland Drive.


Inside, monolithic wrought iron and glass doors swing open to a gargantuan great room; it measures a staggering 45-feet wide and 60-feet long with a soaring 28-foot high coffered ceiling. Here, there are two extra-glammy, mirror-lined staircases and a second floor gallery that wraps around and looks down on the hangar-sized room. There is more than enough elbow room in here for the contestants to turn cartwheels, toss a football or stage an impromptu concert. (Contestant James Durbin announced last night that he and a few other finalists had formed a band.)

The palatial space includes a carved stone fireplace, travertine floors and a two-story wall of windows. A 15-foot projection screens drops out of the ceiling at the touch of a button.


Hopefully, the hardworking and exhausted contestants have a private chef to whip up nutritious meals and late night snacks in the professional-grade catering kitchen. However, in the event that they have to cook up their own dinners. the bright and airy kitchen is just off the great room and offers every convenience and high-grade appliance that money can buy.


Although the colossal crib contains 9 bedrooms and 7 full and 2 half bathrooms -- plus staff quarters -- the Idol hopefuls sleep only in one of the two mammoth master suites that occupy the entire second floor. The men sleep summer camp style in twin beds in one suite, the women in the other. Each master suite is larger than the average-sized American home and includes a panoramic view, fireplace, sitting area, spacious spa-style bathroom and walk-in closet. Full-service kitchenettes in each of the master suites saves the contestants the long trip down to the kitchen for a midnight snack.

A vast second floor terrace has dramatic unobstructed views and there is plenty of room to roam on the two plus acres of lavishly landscaped grounds, including a waterfall and koi pond. A 2,000-square-foot, two-story guesthouse adjacent to the swimming pool and spa has been re-worked for the contestants into an entertainment pavilion with a pool table fashioned from a vintage Ford Mustang.


The impressive property has been on and off the market since the spring of 2008 when it was listed with an asking price of $19.5 million. Almost three years later, the deluxe digs are now listed with a much lower but still spine tingling asking price of $12 million.



As it turns out, "American Idol" is not the first reality television show to make use of the house: In 2010 the property was used for VH1's "The Ultimate Catch" and was most recently seen on Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing."


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