Elizabeth Taylor’s Bel Air home is getting a Hollywood glam makeover, but the star’s touch is staying intact.The actress’s former estate is entering a new chapter under developer Ardie Tavangarian, who plans to retain the character and memories associated with Taylor while giving the property a fresh look.Taylor lived at the 1.3-acre Bel Air estate for 30 years, and Tavangarian says much of what made the home special to her will remain. The project also clarifies reports that the famous property had been demolished or was facing demolition.Instead, the estate is being transformed into what Tavangarian calls a Taylor/Tavangarian manor, with the original home being combined with a major new addition.“We’re trying to create something that is a continuation of Elizabeth Taylor and her legacy while creating a phase 2 to enhance the beauty that is already here.”He believes the property’s unique character can be preserved while making it a place where Taylor “would be comfortable living in.”“I’m approaching this as though she is my client,” he told New York Post.
Taylor’s Hollywood touch stays
Taylor bought the estate for $2 million back in 1981 from Nancy, Frank Sinatra’s first wife, and lived there until her death in 2011 at the age of 79. Parts of the original 7,000-square-foot home will become an Elizabeth Taylor wing. Her master bedroom and bathroom, beauty centre and other spaces she treasured are being restored.The home will also retain much of the room where Taylor kept her famous jewellery in velvet-lined cases. “We’re just modernizing it from a point of view of functionality,” Tavangarian told The Post.A gallery filled with Elizabeth Taylor-related artwork is also planned. Taylor was an iconic actress and humanitarian activist who gave audiences decades of exceptional performances and much-needed pathos.
Home to Hollywood hideaway
The original home is being restored to strengthen its 60-year-old structure, while the rest will connect to a new 12,000-square-foot addition.A large hill next to the house has already been levelled to create space for the new section. The addition will use Tavangarian’s signature construction methods, including underground framing and deep foundation footings.These will allow walls, floors and ceilings to be built underground and strengthened like a heavy-duty bunker to hold back thousands of tons of shifting earth.New York Post reported that the new section will include a 4,500-square-foot retractable roof for stargazing and an expansive grass overlay.Taylor’s ranch-style home has two levels and five bedrooms. The addition will be three levels in some areas and will have three bedrooms.The existing brick exterior will remain and continue onto the new structure to create a similar look between the old and new sections.The new part of the home will also have a high-end screening room, a spa and other wellness amenities.There will even be a family “pajama room”, where residents and guests can relax, watch a huge-screen TV and enjoy popcorn and other treats from canisters placed around the room.
Sapphire pool, roses and Koi pond
Tavangarian plans to keep much of the estate’s original landscaping. The thick bamboo that stood on the hill that has now been levelled will be removed.Taylor’s striking sapphire-coloured pool, which reflected the colour of her eyes, will remain surrounded by natural landscaping and tall trees.The koi pond and shell-shaped fountain built by Taylor’s nephew are also being restored.Arbors of climbing roses will continue to dot the property, along with a bright pink hybrid tea rose named “Elizabeth Taylor”.Some areas of the home are also being returned to their original state after being converted into a showroom and offices for a high-end audio/visual company. The firm rented the property from former owner Rocky Malhotra and stayed for a period after Tavangarian bought the estate from the razor blade tycoon in summer 2021.Tavangarian said he paid $15 million for the compound and expects to spend at least another $47 million on its restoration and expansion.
What’s next for Taylor’s former avenue
There is currently no buyer lined up for the property. Tavangarian declined to say how much he might ask for it when the work is completed next year. His custom mansions often sell for more than $100 million.His luxury projects include Villa Siena, a 35,000-square-foot Bel Air mega mansion listed at $135 million.Tavangarian told the New York Post last month that he had a buyer for the long-listed and repeatedly price-reduced property. The deal fell through after the potential buyer reconsidered and decided they “didn’t want that kind of footprint in LA.”The compound was relisted this month at $135 million after first being put up for sale in autumn 2024 for $177 million.
