Celebrities who own unusual properties

Stylish star homes that are super unique

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For the super-rich, huge mansions, yachts and private pools are pretty much a given – but when the world is your oyster and every whim is catered for, some stars hanker for something a bit different than your bog-standard mansion. From Celine Dion's water park to Will Smith's palace on wheels, check out the homes of adventurous celebrities who’ve thrown out the property rule book…

Robert Downey Jr’s windmill cottage in East Hampton

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Why live in a regular mansion if you can live in a windmill? Or at least, that’s probably what Robert Downey Jr. was thinking when he purchased an 1885 former playhouse in the shape of a functioning windmill, located in the notoriously wealthy town of East Hampton, New York.

Robert Downey Jr’s windmill cottage in East Hampton

Brown Harris Stevens

The historic building dates back to 1885 and has lots of beautiful original features and quirky vintage style: It's the perfect family home for the Iron Man actor and his wife Susan, as well as their two young children, Exton, six, and Avril, four.

Robert Downey Jr’s windmill cottage in East Hampton

Brown Harris Stevens

The house spreads out over 8,500 square feet offering lots of space for the family to enjoy. When they bought it, the décor was super traditional with plaid carpets and lots of antique wooden furniture. Outside, there’s a large swimming pool, outdoor living room and bar, as well as an alfresco dining table and huge cinema-style TV screen.

Robert Downey Jr’s windmill cottage in East Hampton

Brown Harris Stevens

This beautiful living room shows the charm of the property, with original beam ceilings and open fireplaces. It was on the market for $11.9 million before the couple snapped it up back in 2017, investing time and money into making it their own. Love to stay here? These celebrity holiday homes are available to rent.

Rufus Wainwright’s fairytale cottage in Los Angeles

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Rufus Wainwright revealed his love of fairytales when he bought this three-bedroom property in the Hollywood Hills. With turrets, balconies and surrounded by forest, it's just your typical enchanted castle brought to life.

Rufus Wainwright’s fairytale cottage in Los Angeles

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The Disney-themed property features a Tudor-inspired wooden beam exterior, romantic French doors, spiral staircase and a rickety footbridge, which crosses over a moat.

Rufus Wainwright’s fairytale cottage in Los Angeles

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Although the exterior is mystical and fairytale-like, the interior is cosy and traditional, with exposed beams, an open fireplace and wooden flooring in the main living room.

Rufus Wainwright’s fairytale cottage in Los Angeles

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The property also features old fashioned leaded windows and doors, that open out to the surrounding forested landscape. Purchased for a humble $1.4 million (£1.1m) back in 2016, we’re quite certain this magical home is a source of inspiration for the composer. Loved this quirky space? See more fairytale homes in our gallery.

Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball court home in Orlando

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The former NBA star’s home is equipped with its very own 6,000-square-foot indoor basketball court, emblazoned with the words “Shaq Center”. O’Neal also has an entire room dedicated to his basketball trophies and jerseys, plus 12 bedrooms and a home cinema.

Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball court home in Orlando

Sotheby's

The home takes full advantage of stunning natural surroundings with a 95-foot-long pool, hot tub and cabana overlooking Lake Butler. Plus, motoring enthusiasts are bound to appreciate the huge showroom-style garage, which houses O’Neal’s impressive car collection.

Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball court home in Orlando

Sotheby's

On the first floor, there's an entire guest suite comprising five ensuite bedrooms, a large sitting room and bar, while the second floor includes a 900-square-foot master bedroom and a balcony.

Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball court home in Orlando

Sotheby's

But the sprawling property has been on the market since May last year, and O’Neal has recently had to re-list it at $21.99 million (£16.9m), slashing his earlier asking price of $28 million (£21.5m). See more celebrity homes for sale every month...

Enya’s cat-filled castle in Killeny

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Irish singer-songwriter Enya – who’s estimated to have a staggering net worth of $118.5 million (£91 million) – manages to stay under the radar despite her wealth. Yet she's also notoriously eccentric and lives in a stunning Victorian castle in Killiney, County Dublin in Ireland, with her cats.

Enya’s cat-filled castle in Killiney

Uzerakout / Wikimedia Commons

The singer, who is known for recording the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, says her castle is ‘very much a home inside’. She’s thought to be fairly reclusive and neighbours report rarely seeing her.

Enya’s cat-filled castle in Killiney

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Enya bought the castle – which she calls Manderlay – for $3.3 million (£2.5m) back in 1997 and has remained there ever since. Inside, there are six bedrooms and bathrooms filled with Lalique glass, an overall gothic décor setting the theme.

Enya’s cat-filled castle in Killiney

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The location is tranquil and picturesque, set in the seaside village of Killiney, 45 minutes outside of Dublin. Enya’s neighbours include fellow music star Bono, and The Edge, Van Morrison and Pierce Brosnan, who all own properties nearby. Love this? See more fairytale castles you can actually buy...

Jackie Siegel’s ‘Palace of Versailles’ in Florida

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When it comes to the most extravagant celebrity properties, Jackie Siegel might just top the list. She and her husband David, Westgate Resorts mogul, have invested 15 years and around $100 million dollars in building a huge replica of the Palace of Versailles in Windermere, Florida.

Jackie Siegel’s ‘Palace of Versailles’ in Florida

Wikimedia Commons

When completed later this year, the home will have a staggering 14 bedrooms, 32 bathrooms, 11 kitchens, several indoor and outdoor pools, a roller-skating rink, bowling alley, 30-car garage and two elevators – to name just some of its insane features. It will also be home to the Siegels’ nine children.

Jackie Siegel’s ‘Palace of Versailles’ in Florida

Queen of Versailles via YouTube

It’s set to be the largest home in America, with a massive 90,000 square feet spread over three floors. The supersized mansion has even attracted its own ‘Queen of Versailles’ documentary, while Siegel has named her Instagram handle @therealqueenofversailles.

Jackie Siegel’s ‘Palace of Versailles’ in Florida

Queen of Versailles via Youtube

But progress hasn’t always been plain sailing, as the recession hit the Siegels’ Westgate Resorts business hard and the couple were forced to temporarily halt construction, even attempting to sell the unfinished property at one point. See more copycat homes that look just like the real thing...

Drake’s ‘Yolo Estate’ in Los Angeles

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If you were a multi-platinum selling rapper why wouldn’t you kit your house out with waterslides, man-made underground grottos and a gigantic pool? That’s exactly what Drake has done in his $8 million mansion in LA, which he’s named the ‘Yolo Estate’.

Drake’s ‘Yolo Estate’ in Los Angeles

Realtor.com

The most impressive features are to be found outdoors, with his multi-million-dollar pool complete with cascading waterfalls, an 80-foot slide, and a man-made grotto. Elsewhere in the garden, there’s a tennis court, volleyball court and mechanical bull.

Drake’s ‘Yolo Estate’ in Los Angeles

Realtor.com

It’s hard to imagine ever running out of things to do in this house: with a 24-seat movie theatre, a spa room, a game room and gigantic wine cellar, as well as a gym to work out in, there’s plenty to keep boredom at bay. The house also contains six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms so there’s plenty of space for guests.

Drake’s ‘Yolo Estate’ in Los Angeles

Realtor.com

This one-of-a-kind property isn’t Drake’s only piece of real estate, as it was recently reported he bought a $4.5 million house across the road from the Yolo Estate, as well as investing into the building of a new mansion in Toronto.

Lady Gaga’s quirky home in Malibu

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From the outside, Lady Gaga’s French Provincial-style home looks anything but gaga – but inside, it’s a different story. Behind a ‘secret door’ there’s the 'Bat Cave' – an 800-bottle wine cellar, home theatre, bar, and vintage bowling alley from the 1960s.

Lady Gaga’s quirky home in Malibu

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The estate, which the singer allegedly bought for $22.5 million, has the luxury of oceanfront views from a saltwater infinity pool, while the garden contains a ball court and outdoor dining areas. It’s also located in a picturesque location between mountains and coast.

Lady Gaga’s quirky home in Malibu

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Superfans may already have glimpsed the star’s home, as it was featured in her documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two. She refers to it as her ‘gypsy palace’ – perhaps because it’s set on six acres of land, and includes stables, riding trails and grazing pastures for Gaga’s horse, Arabella.

Lady Gaga’s quirky home in Malibu

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Despite its quirks, the styling throughout the property is sophisticated, charming and elegant, making full use of the large, beamed rooms and enviable surroundings.

Celine Dion’s water park in Florida

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Not many mansions come equipped with a 500,000-gallon outdoor water park – but Celine Dion’s Florida property is not your average celebrity home. For starters, it took Celine and husband Rene Angelil two years to build, sits on 5.7 acres of land and has over 400ft of coastline.

Celine Dion’s water park in Florida

Sotheby's International Realty

The property was intended to be a vacation home for Celine and her family to avoid paparazzi – yet it’s anything but low-key. The water park includes multiple pools, a footbridge and slides, while the property features a tennis court, beach house and numerous guest houses.

Celine Dion’s water park in Florida

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Inside, there are five bedrooms, five bathrooms, multiple living rooms and huge walk-in wardrobes, plus there's gym in the beach-side cabana. A little more kitted-out than your average holiday home...

Celine Dion’s water park in Florida

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Yet Dion, who has come to spend more time in Las Vegas, put the property on the market for $72 million (£55.3m) back in 2013. However, the hefty price tag meant that it only sold four years later, and for just over half the price. See more homes with surprising secrets here...

Will Smith’s extravagant RV

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On top of his $42 million (£32.2m) family home in Calabasas, LA, the A-list legend takes his luxury on the road with him in a $2.5 million (£1.9M) motorhome RV, nicknamed ‘The Heat’. He’s used it on location while filming movies – notably Men in Black 3 and The Pursuit of Happiness.

Will’ Smith’s extravagant RV

Celebrity Motor Homes via YouTube

As you might expect, it’s not your average RV. At the press of a button, the sides extend to provide 1,200 square foot of space spread over two floors, giving ample comfort and space for the star while filming.

Will Smith’s extravagant RV

Celebrity Motor Homes via YouTube

Inside, there's a grand total of 14 TVs so that Smith and guests can enjoy watching his latest movies. Arguably the most impressive feature is the granite kitchen, worth a whopping $100,000 (£77.5k), but there’s also a leather ceiling, a wardrobe room and a remote-controlled mirror with – you guessed it – a TV installed behind it.

Will Smith’s extravagant RV

Celebrity Motor Homes via YouTube

The luxury trailer has been featured in TV show Celebrity Motor Homes, where the presenters went in to explore and show off its amenities. ‘The Heat’ can be rented out by members of the public – but it’ll come at the steep price of $9,000 (£6.9k) a week. Check out these millionaire motorhomes that'll make your jaw drop...

Bob Hope’s spaceship home in Palm Springs

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Legendary actor Bob Hope must have been in a seriously spacey mood when he commissioned this house in Palm Springs, California. The property was designed by American modernist architect John Lautner for Hope and his wife, who gained quite a reputation for the remarkable parties they hosted at their futuristic home.

Bob Hope’s spaceship home in Palm Springs

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Built in 1979, the 23,000-square-foot property is the largest and most ambitious private residence designed by Lautner. Constructed out of concrete, steel and glass, the dramatic residence features a futuristic curved copper roof with a huge opening to reveal the sky.

Bob Hope’s spaceship home in Palm Springs

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The huge hilltop property has six bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, two pools, a tennis court, its own waterfall and pavilion with an outdoor fireplace. Large terraces overlook stunning views of the Coachella landscape.

Bob Hope’s spaceship home in Palm Springs

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The property was put on the market back in 2013 with an ambitious asking price of $50 million (£38m) but it made headlines in 2016 when it was eventually sold for a more humble asking price of $13 million (£9.9m).

Bob Hope’s spaceship home in Palm Springs

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It remains one of the most amazing homes in California and a testament to Bob Hope's adventurous taste in property. Loved this? You've got to see this sur-real estate!