Mega-mansion secrets of the super-rich and famous

What life's really like in the lap of luxury

We all know that money can't buy you everything – but it can certainly get you a lot. If you've ever wanted to know the house-hunting wishlists of multi-millionaires and how exactly they while away their days in the lap of luxury then you've come to the right place. From extraordinary amenities to incredible collections, lavish basements and covert bunkers, we've uncovered the real estate secrets of the super-rich.

Read on and prepare to be amazed and just a little bit envious...

Show me the money

Have you ever considered taking a tour of a celebrity-owned home that's just hit the market? Well, you might be out of luck. According to Dolly Lenz, who has been in luxury real estate for 30 years, people have to prove their wealth before viewing certain homes.

"We are the gatekeepers, so we have to be very careful who we let into a home,” she told Cosmopolitan in 2016. Unless your name is Jennifer Lopez, a reference letter or bank statement is usually required.

Unusual requests

Before a VIP even takes a look inside a property, they'll likely have a long list of requests that their patient real estate agent must meet. It could be as straightforward as a pink baby grand piano like this house once owned by YouTuber and cosmetics mogul Jeffree Star but Lenz revealed to Cosmopolitan that over the years her clients have requested everything from perfume refrigerators to rooftop beehives and bedroom kitchens.

Celebrities and ultra-wealthy buyers usually see a house last. Instead, their team is given the job of looking so they don't have to. "We've had celebrities buy homes they've never seen," Lenz confirmed.

Secret home acquisitions

Some stars are happy to have their name in the newspapers but with privacy a top priority for many, some members of the VIP club prefer to keep their house purchases out of the public eye, and there are numerous ways they achieve it.

While child stars like Daniel Radcliffe set up trusts to handle property acquisitions, other low-key celebs like Jennifer Aniston organise limited liability companies before purchasing their homes. By doing this, ultra-private A-listers can avoid signing their names on real estate documents, thus keeping their new digs a secret. This incredible mansion once belonged to Cher and was most recently sold for $35.4 million (£28m).

Deal sweeteners

In 2017 we spoke to Martin Bikhit, MD of luxury property agents Kay & Co. He revealed some of the surprising extras that have come with high-end house deals over the years.

One of Martin's clients offered his $460,000 (£314k) Rolls-Royce Phantom as a sweetener when selling his home, plus everything from helicopters to club memberships have been used as sales incentives too.

Meanwhile, buy your home from a property flipper like Scott Disick and you'll also gain everything from the furniture to the art on the walls.

Customisation is key

Once a purchase has been made, a VIP buyer will spend time customising every inch to suit their own unique needs – sparing no expense.

It's well-documented that celebrity buyers in particular enjoy adding a personal touch to their properties. When transforming his mansion in Calabasas, rapper French Montana turned a dusty old lounge into a $135,000 (£106k) jungle-themed movie theatre.

Perfect for a discerning buyer with a need for speed, this sprawling Bel Air mansion was custom-built with gold fixtures, a chandelier with 50,000 crystals and an entertaining space with a car viewing gallery.

Interior design intervention

While some celebrities and high-profile buyers also happen to be fantastic interior designers, others call in the experts to finish their homes off to perfection.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard has decorated the homes of Elton John, Cher and the Kardashian clan, while Kelly Wearstler names Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller and Gwen Stefani among her clients. Kris Jenner even calls in florist-to-the-stars Jeff Leatham to help her deck the halls every Christmas.

Pictured here, this extraordinary kitchen in an eclectic Parisian residence is part of a scheme designed by luxury furniture brand Boca do Lobo for its art dealer client.

Mega closets

From gilded champagne vaults to shoe closets, the mega-rich like having somewhere spectacular to store their favourite things. Back in 2020, following the renovation of her Hollywood Hills home, Kylie Jenner took to her YouTube channel to show off her new glam room. The sleek space features row upon row of backlit shelves to display the reality star's impressive collection of shoes and handbags.

Other celebs with enviable mega-closets include Khloe Kardashian and Reese Witherspoon, who both turned to organisation experts The Home Edit to beautify their storage.

Enviable collections

Of course, there are plenty of other ways the wealthy spend their cash. From extensive handbag hoards to fine art, many VIPs are known for their enviable collections.

Simon Cowell reportedly owns an array of luxury cars, Elton John has a closet of sunglasses, Tom Hanks collects typewriters and Leonardo DiCaprio has an action figure collection. Meanwhile, entrepreneur and Bling Empire star Kane Lim has a staggering shoe collection that he regularly shares snaps of on Instagram. Displayed on special illuminated shelving, it's said to be worth $300,000 (£236k).

Luxury safes

When you own such important and pricey collections, you may want somewhere to store them securely. While some opt for regular safes that can fit into their wardrobes, others go all out.

This remarkable Millionaire Safe from Boca do Lobo makes a statement with its gold skin and velvet-lined interior. Designed to protect prized possessions in style, it features a combination dial lock, while each compartment inside is secured by an additional lock mechanism.

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Supercar garages

When you're rich, one car simply doesn't suffice. So, when you have an entourage of vehicles to accommodate, you need to create a special place to store them. Pictured here, this remarkable mansion on New York's Staten Island includes a mirror-lined, 13-car showroom for displaying its owner's prized automobiles.

A-list celebrities with enviable garages include Travis Scott and social media influencer Jeffree Star, who once had an underground facility where his pink Lamborghini took pride of place.

Luxury bunkers and panic rooms

And it's not just their possessions that affluent homeowners want to keep safe. Luxury panic rooms, bunkers and high-end security systems are now considered mega-mansion essentials.

Pictured here, Swiss company Oppidum's line of L'Heritage luxury bunkers is aimed at the ultra-wealthy. The 10,760-square-foot (999sqm) structures are designed to be installed 49 feet (15m) below existing mansions to offer residents a lavish living space to retreat to should the worst happen. Each bunker is built to NATO-standard ballistic and blast protection levels.

High-end security measures

While many exclusive homes lie inside gated communities or behind secure gates with 24-hour guards, some wealthy homeowners have gone to entirely new extremes.

Security expert Al Corbi is pictured here back in 2002 below the helipad he installed on the rooftop of his former Hollywood mansion. Dubbed America's safest home, Corbi's dream was to create an impenetrable property – and he succeeded. The LA estate offers bullet-proof windows, an underground bunker, two panic rooms, ballistics-proof bedrooms and a fog system designed to disorientate intruders.

Billionaire basements

Most people have junk, dust and a whole lot of nothing in their basements, but the rich and famous know how to turn redundant space into something magical.

Pictured here, the magnificent Il Magione estate located on Los Angeles' Billionaires' Row puts its lower levels to good use with this remarkable two-lane bowling alley. The residence was most recently on the market for $62.5 million (£49.3m).

It's far from the only mega-mansion with hidden depths. Basketball legend Lebron James has his very own subterranean sports bar, complete with pool tables, a movie theatre and a bowling alley, while rapper 50 Cent is said to have once had a basement nightclub and casino.

OTT luxury

When money is no object, why not bring your supercars up to your penthouse? Pictured here is one of the car elevators in Porsche Design Tower Miami, a luxury residential building in Sunny Isles Beach. Vehicles are transported up the tower's 60 storeys and stored in a unit's private 'sky garage'.

Other extraordinary home features we've seen include quartz bathtubs, carat gold finishes, Bentley throw cushions and Louis Vuitton fire extinguishers.

Artwork collections

Having a seemingly endless budget means there's plenty of cash going spare for art. There are ample celebs out there with vast (and expensive) collections, including the likes of Pharrell Williams, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z and Beyoncé.

It's unlikely that you'll see your favourite A-lister at the local auction house though. Many have a team dealing with their acquisitions, such as celebrity art dealers like Jean David-Malat.

This lavish dining space designed by Oksana Salberg features sculptural furnishings from Boca do Lobo that compliment the scheme's bold artwork.

Luxury freebies

From the latest smart tech to high-end kitchenware, celebrities are gifted plenty of items to decorate their homes with. In fact, according to Shopify's 2024 report, brands will pay around $100 (£79) per 10,000 followers for a sponsored social media post on Instagram.

After noticing the influencer gift trend, Australian comedian Andy Lee set up a PO Box for freebies and took to social media to highlight the mind-boggling extent of promotional gifting.

Secret tunnels

Many mega-mansions also come with escape routes or secret tunnels hiding in plain sight, allowing the lucky occupier to flee their home at short notice – and entirely undetected.

In fact, in 2015 US magazine Playboy revealed that in the 70s the likes of Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson and Kirk Douglas may have had secret underground tunnels that led from their front doors straight to the Playboy Mansion.

Buying up land for privacy

Since security and privacy go hand-in-hand, it's no wonder that the mega-rich are keen to separate themselves from others – including their VIP neighbours.

Oprah Winfrey is perhaps the queen of keeping the outside world at a distance. In 2001, the talk show star bought an estate in Montecito for $52 million (£41m) and set about buying up the surrounding properties, including Jeff Bridges' former home. Today the property encompasses an enormous 70 acres (28ha).

Celebrity house swaps

Why buy any old house when you can buy one with a celebrity endorsement? When it comes to VIP house swapping, you’d be amazed by who has shared the same four walls. Notable swappers include Vince Vaughn and Kate Bosworth, Eva Longoria and Tom Cruise, and Khloe Kardashian and Justin Bieber.

Luxury real estate agent Dolly Lenz told Cosmopolitan that Mariah Carey once specifically wanted to buy Barbra Streisand's penthouse. "Barbra Streisand was her idol. It does happen – even celebs are starstruck," she said. This incredible mansion was the home of rock icon Rod Stewart.

Appreciative A-listers

Some celebrities are known for taking care of their household and estate employees. Oprah, for example, is said to be a generous giver and once paid for a Mediterranean cruise for her staff, while Jennifer Hudson once reportedly bought her assistant a house for Christmas. Rihanna also took to social media to show the display her staff had created for Boss Appreciation Day, proving that not all multi-millionaires are demanding.

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