Beverly Hills is often called the city of dreams. It’s a place where people from all over the world come to escape the humdrum of everyday life and indulge in fantasies. In fact, its reputation as a place for inspiration and luxury is unsurpassed around the world. This historic area is home to some of Hollywood’s most iconic homes, including Lucille Ball’s Beverly Hills home.
Situated at 1250 Crescent Drive in Beverly Hills, this house was built by Lucille Ball in 1948 and served as her home for many years. Over time, it has evolved into a museum that explores the history of American entertainment through personal items belonging to the famous Ball family members, such as Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz Jr., who lived there. But if you are an admirer of this historic house like we are here at KAOS Network, you need to know more about it before you go there. That is why we have created this blog for you!
Exploring Lucille Ball’s Home
Lucille Ball’s former hideaway in Palm Springs has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and 1900 square feet of living space. To explore the house, take a Lucy Hometown Tour. This will lead you to locations throughout Jamestown, New York, related to Lucille Ball’s life and career. A stop on the tour includes the original entrance to Lucille Ball’s dressing room at Desilu Studios. Take a look at the audience entrances to “Our Miss Brooks” and “I Love Lucy” at Desilu Studios. These stops provide a glimpse into Ball’s life and career as an actress, producer, and writer. By taking a tour of Lucille Ball’s house and exploring its locations, you can learn more about the woman behind one of television’s most iconic characters.
Capturing the Beauty of Beverly Hills
Lucille Ball was one of the most influential stars in television history. She is known for her role as lovable “I Love Lucy” character Edna Berghoff. The two-story colonial house she purchased in 1954 with her then-husband Desi Arnaz served as the setting for this iconic TV show.
Ball lived in the house until her death in 1989, and it has since been meticulously preserved by the National Historic Preservations Program of the U.S. Department of Interior. This includes a full restoration to accurately reflect its appearance during Ball’s life and tenure as owner.
The home features an uninterrupted view of green turf and snow-capped Mount San Jacinto, which is visible from every room of the home. The two-story house also boasts many unique features, such as a built-in aquarium, a spa bathtub, and an elevator. The latest restoration took place in 2002, when the home was restored to its original condition and updated with modern amenities like a swimming pool, hot tub, and sauna.
Personal items in Lucille Ball’s home
Lucille Ball’s childhood home, located at 59 Lucy Lane in Celoron, NY, is a uniquely preserved example of vernacular architecture. The house features several original items from Lucille’s childhood: the entryway, bathroom, bedroom, parlor, dining room, kitchen, and wicker sitting room.
The exterior of the house features a hipped-roof with gabled dormers, clapboard siding, and a holly hedge. The interior is furnished with many pieces from the early 20th century including wood flooring, wood paneling, and lacy curtains.
The house also houses a variety of collectibles from Lucille’s childhood such as dolls and toys. The most interesting piece is an electric chair used in the trials of convicted murderer Willie E. Webb II who was killed in Celoron in 1935.
There is also a stained-glass window designed by Lucille’s first husband Owen Moore that still remains intact after over seven decades.
As for Lucille’s Hollywood home at N Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills, CA 90210, it is listed at $1.75 million and includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two decks, a fireplace, patio, and avocado and lemon trees.
It was built in 1953 as a vacation home for Lucille’s husband Richard Williams but was later converted into a permanent residence for her when they married in 1951.
Inside the house are many pieces that reflect Richard’s influence such as the fireplace mantle and foyer wall sconces made by his studio RKO Radiophonic Workshop. Other notable features include an art deco dining table by George Nakashima Studios and custom-made banquette seating.
Why is Lucille Ball’s home significant?
Lucille Ball’s childhood home in Celoron, New York is known as the “Candy Palace.” The house is a prominent example of Craftsman Bungalow architecture, which was popular during the early 20th century. The house is composed of several different types of wood, including cedar and fir, and the exterior is decorated with natural elements like rocks, plants, and stucco.
The home was built in 1915 by John B. Gates, a building contractor based in Buffalo, New York. He designed many houses for rural neighborhoods in the area but is best known for his work on housing developments in Middle America. Gates used his own plans to build the “Candy Palace,” but he also incorporated elements from other Craftsman-style homes he had seen while traveling around the country.
The “Candy Palace” features an asymmetrical design with a hipped roof and two stories. The front façade features two large arched openings and a porch across the entire length of the house. A garage and gardens are located on the back which opens to a creek and fields beyond. The interior of the home includes wide-plank floors, wooden beams, and high ceilings.
What are some of the features of Lucille Ball’s home?
Lucille Ball’s Palm Springs, California home is a fantastic example of the iconic actress’s design sensibility. Built in 1953, the house was designed by Paul R. Williams, the first African-American member of the American Institute of Architects. The home featured a swimming pool and a lanai-type signature space that combined and expanded the use of interior and exterior areas.
The house also featured three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, and laundry room on the ground floor, and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor. Besides its modernist style, there are several other details that make it stand out from other homes in Palm Springs at the time: a cantilevered roofline with exposed rafters and joists, cross-laminated timber (CLT) siding on the outside walls and an arched doorway with stained glass windows.
Conclusion
Lucille Ball’s home is a true representation of the life she lived. She was an actress, producer, voice-over artist, and most importantly, a mother. Her home shows that she was very focused on family and living her best life. If you have not visited the house yet, do it today. Comment below telling us your thoughts on the house and whether or not you have been to it as well!