What first comes to mind when you say “the best house in the world”? I would venture to suggest that the place where parents live. However, the best - does not always mean "the most beautiful."
Whether you are a traditionalist who loves epic castles, or a modernist who appreciates the clean lines of minimalism, our selection of the most beautiful houses in the world has an option for your taste.
10. Updown Court, England
This private residence, located near London, is actually bigger than Buckingham Palace. Yes, in good old England, there is a man who owns a larger house than the Queen of England.
Around the mansion with 103 rooms, 58 acres (234 718 sq.m.) of landscaped gardens and forests are spread. It features five swimming pools, a fully automated two-lane bowling alley and a 50-seat movie theater with its own bar.
In 2005, Updown Court was the most expensive private home in the world, priced at $ 138 million. Currently, its estimated cost is more than $ 150 million.
9. Acqua Liana, USA
It seems strange to call a mansion with a total area of 1400 sq.m. "Green". However, if you take into account the large number of solar panels mounted on a territory the size of a basketball field, you will probably agree that this house in Florida has not in vain received its title. Their installation cost 120 thousand dollars, but what can’t you do for the sake of nature?
In addition, Acqua Liana includes a water system that uses only wastewater and energy-saving lighting, which reduces energy consumption by 70 percent compared to houses of a similar size.
There is even an automated system of "biological feedback", which allows the owner to control the consumption of resources in real time.
And so that not one eco-maniac “undermined”, we add that the house was built using reclaimed (recycled) wood to save 10 acres of Brazilian rainforest.
The most beautiful house in the world (from environmentally friendly, of course) includes any amenities that you can imagine. These include: seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, a wine cellar, a relaxing spa and a poolside bar.
8. Fleur De Lys, USA
The house, whose name translates as “Lily Flower”, is so beautiful that once the singer Mariah Carey was going to buy it (in the end, she refused the deal).
This huge mansion in Los Angeles has an area of 3,716 sq.m. and 20 thousand sq.m. The land was built by order of billionaire David Seperstein. When it was created, the architects were inspired by the appearance and interiors of the Versailles Palace of Louis XIV.
It has 12 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms for a large number of guests, as well as a wine cellar for 3 thousand bottles.
7. Villa Leopolda, France
In the photo of the most beautiful houses in the world, you can often see La Leopold, or Leopold’s villa. This is a magnificent building, built in 1902 for Carolina Lacroix - the favorite (and future wife) of King Leopold II.
The chic villa was shown in the films “Red Shoes” of 1948 and “Catch a Thief” in 1955. It is considered a historical monument of France. Every day, 50 full-time gardeners take care of the extensive gardens of olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees.
It is curious that exclusively rich and famous did not always live in La Leopolda. During World War II, the villa was used as a military hospital for wounded soldiers.
6. New Colonial, USA
This is one of those cozy houses that you fall in love with at first sight. Located in Seattle, Washington, it stands on top of a hill that offers breathtaking views of the lake and Seattle’s famous Space Needle.
Compared to previous participants in the rating, New Colonial looks modest: it has only 4 bedrooms and the same number of bathrooms.
5. Villa del Balbianello, Italy
Usually photos of the most beautiful houses are all that remains to be admired, because they are unlikely to be allowed inside. But not in the case of the Italian beauty - Villa del Balbianello. This villa was privately owned in the 19th and 20th centuries, and was ultimately donated to the Italian Environment Fund.
Now this building is mainly used for weddings, as well as for shooting films and photographs for various fashion magazines. You can also find Villa del Balbianello in the James Bond movie, Casino Royale (2006).
4. Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The house, once owned by Yves Saint Laurent and his life partner Pierre Berger, is located in Majorelle Park. And he is as unusual as he is beautiful. This Moorish-style villa is painted in the colors the first owner used - artist Jacques Majorelle.
The blue villa, surrounded by a huge botanical garden with more than 300 species of plants, was for the famous fashion designer a safe haven from the outside world. Here he sought inspiration when creating new models. And in 2008, the ashes of Saint Laurent were scattered in the rose garden, in the presence of the workers of the Majorelle park.
3. Garibaldi Castle, Russia
This original construction project implemented in Khryashchevka (Samara region) includes not only a castle created in the Neo-Gothic style, but also a recreation park. People come here for photo shoots, hold competitions and arrange wedding events.
The owner of the castle seeks to achieve full compliance with the medieval building "nomes". Therefore, every detail of the Garibaldi castle is the result of the careful work not only of designers and builders, but also of the team working with historical documents.
2. Hobbit Treehouse, USA
If the hobbits that got into our world left their underground dwellings behind and moved to the trees, the final result would probably be very similar to the "Hobbit House on the Tree." One of the most unusual houses in the world was created on the island of Orkas in Washington by the efforts of Susanne Dege.
All three round rooms are connected by corridors and suspension bridges, which looks very unusual and resembles the Ewok village in Return of the Jedi. Dege acquired this structure in 2002 and spent eight years bringing it into its desired form.
The feedback from those who visited the Hobbit Treehouse ranges from “charm and comfort” to “breathtaking and secluded.” In other words, this is a place that Bilbo Baggins could probably call home.
1. Fallingwater, USA
The house above the waterfall or “Falling Water” is the most beautiful house in the world. At least for fans of organic architecture, seeking to live in harmony with nature, without sacrificing home comfort.
It was created by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most famous American architects of the early 20th century, commissioned by the Kaufman family. Wright made Bear Falls waterfall, located on the construction site, a structural part of the house. And he convinced customers that such a home would be completely safe for living.
For a long time, the House over the waterfall was the suburban residence of the Kaufman. Since 1964, it is a museum and is open to the public. Up to 150 thousand visitors pass through his rooms a year.
