above: the front facade of the most expensive home ever sold in the United States
It's been all over the news for the past few days. The most expensive single family home ever sold in the United States was recently purchased by Russian billionaire Yuri Milner for $100 million dollars.
Yuri Milner, 49, heads Digital Sky Technologies is a major investor in Facebook Inc., Groupon Inc. and Zynga Inc. He is also the stocky founder of DST, a Moscow-based fund that's made a splash in Silicon Valley via its investments.
The 25,500 square foot home in Silicon Valley's Los Altos hills is a limestone French-style chateau with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis court and pavilion, a ballroom, a library, a gameroom, a theater and wine cellar.
Entry hall:
Kitchen:
Formal Dining room:
One of the Living rooms:
Library:
Game Room:
His Bath:
her Bath:
Master bedroom:
Master bedroom's sitting area:
Theater:
Upstairs Hall:
Loggia:
Tennis Pavilion:
Hilltop views:
Aerial views:
images courtsey of the architect and the AP
The home, referred to as the Loire Chateau, sits atop an 18-acre hilltop site with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. The classical estate was inspired by an 18th-century French Chateau and is organized around a central entry court enclosing a formal entrance on three sides. The north wing is designed for entertaining on a grand scale, with a ballroom, formal dining room, home theater, wine cellar and spa/gym, while the south wing houses family rooms and bedroom suites. The living areas are all located on the second floor to take advantage of the dramatic Bay views.
Designed by classical architect William Hablinksi
Interiors by David Desmond
Landscape by Thomas Klope