Inside Brad Pitt�s Modern House and Lifestyle

The House that Brad Built � As seen in ELLE Decor, July 2006

Brad Pitt�s House follows the Modernist ideal of merging indoor and outdoor spaces�particularly desirable in sunny California. To create a visual flow, the same mica stone and local pine were used throughout, although architects GRAFT, who collaborated with Brad on the build, opted for a densely grained wood outside to prevent water damage. The paving stones by the ornamental pool were leftovers from the construction of the dramatic Getty Centre in Los Angeles.

Two tan leather �Egg� chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hanson (available to buy from Skandium) and a vast white sheepskin rug (Stepan Tertsakian has a good range) sit in front of a stunning Italian travertine fireplace�the perfect place to cosy up and read a book. The fireplace is made with stone from the same quarry as Miles van der Rohe�s Seagrann building in New York (visit CVO Firevault for contemporary fireplaces and accessories). A wall of built-in shelving houses Brad�s art and architecture books (Vitsoe provides similar high quality, flexible shelving systems).

Beautifully simple and exuding a zen-like calm�it�s a compelling space even before you find out that it�s home to Hollywood star Brad Pitt. The fact that he also had a hand in creating it merely adds to the appeal.

Here at Elle D�cor, we don�t share the gossip magazines� obsession with all things celebrity�in fact, we loath the �famous for being famous� reality TV casts-offs that fill their pages. But we are interested in celebrities whose success is down to genuine talent, and it seems that in Brad Pitt�s case, those skills extend beyond brilliant acting.

For years now, there�s been talk about Brad�s passion for architecture; his plan to take a break from film to study under word-class architect Frank Gehry, and a possible collaboration with Gehry on a controversial seafront redevelopment in our very own Brighton. When interviewed, he fizzles over with enthusiasm from the subject, as he once told US chat show host Oprah Windrey, �I love that architecture is this huge art piece you can be inside. I believe it lifts your soul and affects your mindset.�

Back in Los Angeles, he�s been working with GRAFT, a trio of dynamic young architects, on his own home in the Hollywood Hills. And here it is�a dramatic yet tranquil space, very much in the tradition of Californian Desert Modernism, using a mix of all-natural materials and fusing the interior with the landscape beyond. As he explained to LA-based style mag Flaunt, the whole idea is oh so simple: �The most important thing I learned with this house is you have to let go of ideas for the sake of harmony.�

If there�s one thing people seem to love more than celebrities, it�s taking a swipe at them�especially if, like Brad, they dare to try their hand at something else. But we admire anyone who has the courage and ambition to chase all of their dreams and, in this case, it�s a dream we thoroughly approve of.

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