Even if you've never heard of Ettore Sottsass, you have likely seated your derriere in one his modern, rainbow-hued chairs. Sometimes called the Godfather of Italian design, Sottsass was a known pioneer in the Anti-Design movement, "which opposed the 'correctness' and 'good taste' of functionalism." Well, that explains this house in Woodside.
Designed in 2001 for Sottsass' friend and IDEO cofounder David Kelley, this five-bedroom experiment on as many acres is one among just three Sottsass homes in the United States. Now, for a cool $15 million, you could be the master of this postmodern domain.
Created around the concept of a mini village, the property has five pavilions—each designed with its own shape, material, and attitude—arranged like children's blocks around a central glass atrium. A wood-sided barrel of a building acts as an office; and the living room, dining room, and kitchen are all separated not by walls but by a forest of freestanding cabinets, rendered in an airy hue, that double as storage for your dishes and art objets.
The property has plenty of "normal" amenities too: a pool and hot tub; a guest house with its own kitchen, bathroom, gym, and rooftop terrace; and, to fulfill all your childhood pony-crazy dreams, equestrian facilities that never end. (In addition to the main barn, there's a washing stall, birthing stall, and shaving shed for your handsome horses, plus a riding arena.) If you're new to riding, no worries—there's a caretakers' cottage (with a bedroom, bathroom, and tack room) ready to house your very own ranch hand. If iron horses are more your fancy, the stables work just fine as a vintage car garage instead.
Love it or hate it, your guests will never forget it.
Location: 1250 Canada Rd. (Woodside)
Size: 4.93 acres
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 6.5
Year built: 2001
Asking price: $14,995,000
// For more information, visit 1250canada.com
