The home of Frederick Forrest Peabody (the man behind Arrow Shirt) has hit the market in Santa Barbara, California, for $57,500,000. Peabody purchased the property in 1900, enlisting the help of architect Francis T. Underhill to create the home we know today (which is one of five Historic Hilltop Estates in Montecito). Sitting atop 11.2 knoll-top acres, this property features spectacular coastal views of the ocean, mountains, beaches, valley, harbor and even the Channel Islands.
Since that time, architect Don Nulty was tapped to undertake a three-year restoration and reconstruction to incorporate all the most cutting-edge modern amenities. From the central courtyard the various wings of this minimalist home branch out. Highlights of the 22,727 sq. ft. interior include the centuries-old library (with French oak panelling acquired from William Randolph Hearst's estate at auction), the five fireplaces, the covered loggia with mountain views, the master suite (with a 19th century hand-painted and silvered Chinese wall covering), the formal dining room (with gold silk walls and 18th-century chandelier from Belgium), the spacious living room, the home theatre and the beauty salon. The estate features a swimming pool with ocean views, a lily pond, marble statues, a studio, and a guest cottage.
The manicured grounds feature one of the finest botanical gardens in all of Santa Barbara, with hundreds of fruit trees - everything from lemons and limes to figs, cherimoya, and even 16 varieties of banana on a particularly warm slope. Beds of rose bushes fragrance the air, while the cutting garden is a celebration of color, from the deep coral of the ‘Hot Cocoa’ flower to the luscious pink of ‘Yves Piaget’ and the delicate while petals of ‘Sombreuil,’ a climbing French tea rose.
Harry Kolb at Santa Barbara Estate Homes from Sotheby's International Realty has the listing.
