You quite literally voiced every concern/thought I had while viewing this video! The dude is entirely obnoxious and one of the most arrogant "humans" I have seen. This is how the nouveau riche would behave.
You nailed it. This "home" IS vulgar and commercial. Ack! Clearly something to prove, like the guy who has to jack up his huge pick-up truck. Compensating.
It looks like an airport from the outside and feels like an abandoned mall on the inside. If he was going for a commentary on late stage capitalism he nailed it!
@@francookie9353 Absolutely can not agree... It doesn't feel like any kind of feat of engineering, it doesn't make any artistic statements, it's not in conversation with the environment around it. Everything artistic about this house feels like an accident, not the product of artistic thought and creation. To me, this is the product of someone throwing together everything they can think of that has a high price tag, but without any thought about how they'd come together or why they'd use them. A child's bedroom, with a $350 budget, feels like it would be more art to me than this home.... Obviously art is subjective, so this is NOTHING more than my opinion. But even when Nick said it felt like a "museum" my first thought was - "yeah, a bad one."
@@Alex-ks3uu I would argue it could almost be an ironic form of art. Like I totally agree that the house itself and the guy who created it are the definition of excess narcissism, I don't think that's up for debate. It could be used as the set of a political cartoon about the excesses of rich people and capitalism, though. So kind of an ironic art piece speaking against everything it attempts to stand for if viewed through the right lenses
Dying at this but man it took a turn at the cameras in the bathroom, that is really friggin creepy! When you said “this guy is a creep, I don’t like anything about this house” I felt that.
I was horrified by the porno mag display, then comes the cameras, on guys urinating, that are streamed (haha) to the ladies bathroom. Ugh. Why does a home even have designated bathrooms? I wonder where the cameras are in the ladies room? Are there cameras in the bedrooms? How about the orgy room? There must be one. Tacky and disgusting. Sustainable? Oh, yeah. The plastic flowers.
And the whole "Now I'm thinking like the girls!!1" No my man you are not. How many straight women would voluntarily watch a bunch of random, grubby penises at a urinal? Urgh. I'm just shivering with discomfort over here. Ew.
“Welcome to this giant-ass house with its 6 elevators, 7 pools, and sculptures flown in from around the world but don’t worry guys I got plastic plants that will take literal centuries to rot in some landfill. Clearly I’m sustainable!”
I really tried to like this house? But it’s not a home/ house to me The light is great but it reminds me of a building 🤷♀️ OMG cameras in the bathroom,u couldn’t pay me to go in that house . So tacky!!
Makes me think of the Frank Lloyd Wright quote: "No house should be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other." This one makes it look as if a hill was beheaded and the house grafted on it like Frankenstein's monster.
What in the oligarch money laundering hell is this monstrosity? The conspicuous consumption dressed as “sustainability” his hilarious. When he said that this house could change the world, Elizabeth Holmes came to mind. Great video, Nick! I agree with you 100%.
I think this house is stunning. In the same way a shovel to the head is stunning. Every turn is a new assault, not just visually, but almost physically. BTW, the designer is also the developer, and I may be mistaken but I THINK he ended up purchasing the house himself. A la Narcissus falling in love with his own image reflected in the water.
The entire structure is appalling; the man is a boor and is himself the epitome of the word "crass". I've disliked this building for a long time, and I want to thank you for this much-appreciated validation. You're the best, Nick, and truly tasteful.
Thank you for your well articulated and blatantly honest comment! I think alot of us agree with this sentiment! And yes, Mr. Nick Lewis is indeed very talented, educated and has a dossier of abundant experience on this particular area of commentary. He KNOWS his stuff....and by the way, alot of us agree with him.... 😳🙄🤭🙃
Yes 100%. There’s a big problem with “modern” styles that are actually just “how expensive looking can I make my house look” whilst turning it into a cold, sterile looking empty white/grey space, but this house is on another level.
I just moved to the other side of the country after living in LA for 10 years. Seeing this video right now is perfect timing. These people are the perfect summary of the culture of Los Angeles and the attitudes and behavior of the people who live there. I worked in carpentry/design/finishing and let me tell you, I could write a novel here, but I'll just say that these people do deserve harsh criticism. They should be called out and they should feel shame and authentically examine themselves and their values. I love this video so much. Watching your reactions made me feel so validated and I'm so glad to not have to work with those types anymore.
“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Words to live by. I might print that out and stick it on my wall. Although I know Nick disapproves of word art!
"that's a normal thing that a guy would do, now I'm thinking like the girls" the fact this guy thinks spying on people in the bathroom is a normal thing people do is so disturbing.
I was legit confused when in the SAME BREATH talked about his SIX elevators and how sustainable his home design was ... because he used fake flowers. The cognitive dissonance on THAT one - whoo boy.
Agreed! And the most peculiar element is that *real* flowers, plants, shrubs, trees etc. are the ultimate sustainable items. Nick Lewis captured the ethos of this house when he described it as "creepy." A porn film creator would feel right at home, as the marble would reflect his gold necklaces to perfection.
Makes me wonder... How did us humans drift so far from evolution to allow for these clearly "unfitted" persons to be the ones that, not only survive, but thrive (and often rule!)??
My favorite part of this is when the “designer” says that it had to be 105,000 sq ft, because they cut of 1/4 of the mountain and needed to put grass on the top of the house….seriously, what??? I absolutely abhor this house.
Nick you said it, this guy is a creep. In addition to his “poor” design choices he had to clear cut a hill top to fit this bloated concrete monstrosity.
It reads as urban office space to me. You nailed it with “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” It’s just a tragic waste of resources, soul less, creepy, and sad.
Saw the full version of this video awhile back when it first made its rounds on UA-cam. What stuck out to me is how lonely the man who created it is. He goes off on depressing tangents about his ex, and he says lots of things that imply he doesn't have any friends but wishes he did. He created this monstrosity of a home to bring people together in massive parties, but he doesn't personally have anyone to share that with. I highly recommend watching the original vid if you are curious. Nick only touches the tip of the iceberg here.
@@tkohearn1692 No foster kid should go to a guy that is severely narcissistic and would illegally videotape unsuspecting men peeing and force women to have to see that when they're just trying to go to the bathroom. I would be so terrified for any child who has a guardian or parent like this.
And as someone who enjoys a glass of wine, they need to tint that damn glass to protect the wine from the sun. It's been traditionally kept in cellars for a reason.
I don't even know that much about wine and I had to stop the video and walk away at that part. Clearly the point is to show off their expensive ruined wine, not enjoy drinking it.
The glass may be layered with a UV shield in the middle. I had the same concern at a liquor store near me, where the wine is at the front and the windows are clear, facing full west. The owner said that the windows are layered with a UV shield to protect the wine. I haven't had a bad bottle from them, so it must work!
"Just cause you can doesn't mean that you should" Amen to that. Loved Nick's commentaries and totally agree. Hated the house and the whole idea behind it. Kind of sickening.
My husband and I were talking about this mansion today. This is what happens when a builder designs a house and not an actual designer. Also, this guy was trying to sell it for $500M but no one bought it. So the bank had to take it back. That was 10 years down the drain for him…yikes.
yes !! I'm an Interior Designer , daughter of a realestate agent and I've been in multimillion dollar homes. This house is so cold and sterile it needs some color and texture and some great staging like real artwork on the walls with color ,some soft furnishings like drapes, rugs and pillows to get it to sell. Right now it reminds me of an high end operating room with a view .
“This is excess to the point of grotesque” thank you for saying this! I do not understand why homes are being built so big with such grandiose design in some communities. It’s really a waste of money and it’s sad to see. Imagine if more money was spent on public spaces instead.
They abbreviated the name of the house to The One. The full name of the house is The One Where Everybody Finds Out I’m Tacky (And Have No Idea Of What Sustainability Means).
Wow. There was so much going on with that house and you were so polite in your commentary. I have three thoughts on the structure: 1) My first reaction looking at it was that it was a hospital. My second was a dropped jaw as I realized that he can literally fit a hospital in there. 2) The fact that he lopped off the top 40 ft of the mountain to build this (if I understood him correctly) is horrifying. Also I hope he likes mountain lions because I am pretty sure that area was prime habitat for them before he developed it. 3) I am boggling at how unsuited this yard is to the area. This is a drought-stricken area with chronic water issues and an actual fire season. He installed acres of grass and what look like other very water-thirsty plants and 7 pools. Does he expect the pools to act as fire barriers when all of the plants in the yard become tinder during water restrictions? Will he even be able to keep the pools filled? I understand that he is excessively wealthy but I don’t think even excessive wealth can get the water he needs to sustain that.
Yes, the area is subject to drought and fires; the pools and lawns are major users of water that is regulated in LA. Mountain lions may or may not be frequent visitors, they tend to avoid heavily populated areas. Flattening the mountain was such an abysmal use of the natural habitat, clearly this designer has no regard for natural spaces. Truly unfortunate because there is very little in this area that is undeveloped and supports such magnificent views. Pacific palisades is breath taking compared to this, but the rest of the LA area is not.
Can I just appreciate how normal and rational and classy Nick is in this video especially? To see it as grotesque excess (which it is), but then turn around and appreciate it for teaches him and others, even if he doesn’t agree or like the decisions made…thank you for being a normal person on UA-cam! And championing sustainability and accessibility!
This is just such an adventure of facial expressions. 😂 And about the total lack of warmth you noticed - I think that's kind of the point of conspicuous consumption like this. Gazillionaires don't *want* welcoming and comfortable spaces, because they don't want us to see them as approachable. They want to seem aloof, unreachable, and superhumanly perfect. The coldness of the space helps to inspire the aura of awe and superiority that they work so hard to cultivate.
Oh my goodness, suuuuuch a good take! I'm just surprised some people really think they are immune to the eventual pitchforks and torches that may come when us commoners finally get tired of this crap.
Well they may be trying to cultivate awe and superiority, but all I get from it is the chills. Seriously would never want to live in a place like that.
You went shockingly easy on the house and the slime bags that made that vid! Restraining myself to commenting solely on the design aspects of the “house,” I would have to mention that it’s a space that’s CLEARLY designed For Men, By Men. The over glossed finished, lack of textural contrasts, the blatant “bigger is better” mentality behind the design, and total absence of space designed to be actually LIVED IN, speaks volumes about the designers and the clientele who would be interested in purchasing that tragedy of a bachelor pad on steroids. Nick totally nails it when referencing the idiom “you cannot buy style or taste-“ The whole build screams: new money, no class, sophistication, or depth of personality. Truly Grotesque, indeed!
I wouldn’t say men….. I would say boys. Most mature adult men would agree this is a terrible house. Now an immature boy who thinks only with something other than his brain would design something this obnoxious 😂
My first reaction at the aerial view was that it was a hospital complex for rich people. During the tour all I could think was it was created by a bunch of frat boys that had won the lottery. The biggest surprise was the wine cellars (plural). I was expecting kegs of beer. It would fit better with the Hugh Heffner wannabe vibe.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." Wiser words have never been spoken and I think that saying applies to this house in general. Love you Nick! Great reaction.
Agree with 100% of your takes here. The “sustainability” bit made me laugh out loud… probably more of a guffaw 😂 Speaking of that glam light… I’d love to see you do more videos like your fixing farmhouse one but with more trends you’re over (grannychic/cottagecore, glam, etc). I’m also over most of them but I feel like making them workable would be a fun challenge!
@@j.m.5693 He IS a hoarder, a hoarder of space. This is how I feel about rich people and their huge, empty 'minimalist' rooms. They just want to show how much real estate they own, when so many other people in the world have so much less.
You know when it has been a long day and you find yourself in a huge museum where you have to walk 15 or 20 minutes to get to the exit? That would be life in this house. 😪
Totally agree that this has got to be one of the douchiest houses I've ever seen. Love all of Nick's reactions & commentary - totally spot on. Not only is it excessive to the max & more than a little disturbing (cameras in the bathroom?! wtf?!), but I think the most off-putting thing about the tour is what it says about the designer. He is so obviously virtue-signaling (sustainability my foot - how much energy does it take to maintain that monstrosity?) & self-aggrandizing (me, me, me) & probably a bit of a misogynist. I mean he "says" he was thinking of women in terms of putting cameras above the urinals but how many women really want to see that? It's not as if women get sent enough d!ck pics when dating online. It's like he would have wanted to put cameras in the women's bathroom but knew that'd go over like a lead balloon so decided to switch it up instead & call himself progressive. Just all over ugh.
Trust me, most women I know, even if they're fan of meat wands, tend to want to see them when they're ready for action. When they're in the middle of bathroom duties? LAST thing we want to see.
Thanks for the laughs. Also being in the LA area, where drought is a frequent issue (and some rationing is required), can't begin to fathom how much water is being used in the 'seven pools and water features.' Insane. On the other end of the spectrum, I'm all about tiny house structures. Lve in a smallish one-bedroom apt and would welcome the opportunity to go downsize. This was just a grotesque monstrosity with no warmth or appeal. Hopefully you'll do more reaction videos along this line. Thoroughly enjoyed your take, Nick.
The sad part is this happens to me with most high-end real estate shows, as well as all the unboxing videos and closet tours. And I’m not a minimalist or struggling financially. It’s just bad taste, excess for the sake of excess.
It's interesting that the architect said that he picked out every single item in the home. It looks that way - completely impersonal and devoid of any personality of the owners. And everything is so shiny! And absolutely no shade outside! Lazy, unimaginative design.
Not to mention that all that gorgeous California sunshine reflecting off every external surface is going to turn all those seven pool and whatever other outdoor relaxation areas there are into perfect sun-traps where people will get burnt to a crisp within five minutes!
I think you may underestimate the "designer" For me this building is not a house and definitely not a home. It's a nightclub. The shiness is not a bug it's a feature. In the morning it helps to get rid of guests. People with hangover don't like plenty of light and reflections on marble and metal. Wine room is a display for bar not a long time storage, even 7 pools are reasonable if you invite 1 or 2 hundred guest for party.
Nick, that was amazing. You said everything that needed to be said, yet somehow said it with a kindness and understanding that it didn’t deserve, but that does you credit. I choose to surround myself with content like yours and I’m very happy with that decision. ☺️
I love the Chihuly glass wings (I check the original video and it's Simone Cenedese, a murano glass artist based in Italy) but it felt like a cross between an office building, hotel, and an airport. 🤷♀️ Should be an office for a start up tech company who’s owner is a trust fund baby.
This is probably going to turn into that or a straight up hotel. But i don't know if they zoned it for commercial use or not... So this might just be a nightmare for the next owner to convert. Poor development work all around!
@@Topaz_Estrella Looks to me as if it's going to be one of those places that ends up derelict within a decade because it can't be put to any sensible use whatsoever, then bulldozed in order to have something a lot more useful and/or liveable put up in its place.
Airport...mall...a whole missmanagement of styles and lack of clear direction... I do like the outdoors... Not love mind you... Like... It will end up abandoned down the road like so many of those opulent homes built with a lack of vision. They could use it in a movie maybe? I do like a Furious 10? Or maybe a zombie apocalypse movie? 😆😂🤑
This looks like an influencer agency house, where a bunch of influencers can vlog excessive lifestyles, and the two-floor office and 50-car garage can house their editors and PR staff. Quite many of those are being flaunted on youtube, all more or less the same.
Thank you for bringing up sustainability!!! Celebrities want to talk about “being green” and “making a difference” but they own these kinds of homes and take private jets. I’m sorry that’s unacceptable. WE NEED TO HOLD THESE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE! #CARBONTAX….🥳
A carbon tax would be applied to us pions, the rich would just plant a few trees to "offset their carbon footprint" and go on with their lives. The whole climate change scam is just a massive wealth transfer from the poor to the rich. Look at who supports it, who is pushing it. The poor who can't afford a new car, let alone a massively expensive electric one, get brutalized at the pump. The rich pass the laws while flying around in private jets. The poor get told their wood stoves must go, too bad if they freeze. The rich build homes like this.
I remember watching another tour of this house, when it was closer to completion. The one thing I took away from it was how ridiculously excessive everything is. I am usually of the school of thought that says, "If you worked hard for that money you should be able to spend it however you like", but I actually found myself getting quite cross that someone would want all this, when there are so many people in the world who do not have a roof of any kind over their heads. As design goes, most of it is highly impractical from a basic maintenance stand point. Who dusts those two story high book cases/wine racks? It also feels more like a museum or fancy hotel than a home, and is devoid of any kind of human scale that would make it feel like one. How it ever got planning permission on such a prominent sight defies belief.
I’m with you, normally I’m not at all judge-y about how people spend their money, it’s not my business, but the choices here just feel so wrong. If there was a playground instead of a nightclub, a great library instead of a giant smoking room, or a beautiful native garden instead of a plain lawn, or fountains for birds and frogs instead of some of the swimming pools…I don’t know. It’s really not about the amount of money, it’s the way that it’s spent that’s a turn-off for me.
The missed point is that people who don’t have a roof over their heads are not lazy…I’m sure many of them actually work harder than the people with excessive money. To me, if you made that much money, you were probably complicit in cheating someone of fair pay, cheating suppliers, cheating your customers, or got lucky off the legalized gambling of the stock market that supports all the cheating. Sociopathy shouldn’t be a better way to earn wealth than working hard.
@@Mulberrysmile I am glad I am not the only one that feels that way. I thought I was overly cynical that excessive money earned means you scammed people to get it, but that is often what I see to be true in life. Cheers my kindred spirit!
Well, you called every aspect of that place perfectly - and you were remarkably polite! From the exterior one would expect a hotel or a luxury apartment complex. The interior is almost 100% in bad taste: the fact that the speakers both wore sunglasses indoors is a testament to the excess glare from glass walls + polished floors; every space is oversized and unpleasant. It's no surprise that the place sold for 25% of the builder's boasted value. It would be interesting to follow up and see what the buyer does with it.
I missed the moment I was supposed to be impressed. I laughed out loud nearly every time the builder thought he was making an awesome point. You said exactly what I was thinking…he’s a creep. Change the world? What an empty comment….it makes me love my simple creative life all the more…
2:34 someone needs to tell this guy about the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville, NC. It's 175,000 square feet -- and the last time I checked, 105,000 is smaller than 175,000 😂 EDIT: This may be one of the best videos you've made, Nick. It's hilarious, thoughtful, constructive and informative!
I love visiting stately homes - I live in England - and last year I got to visit Wentworth Woodhouse, which has the largest frontage of any stately home in England. It had pretty much its entire contents sold off in the twentieth century for Reasons... and *still* felt more welcoming and home-y than this echoing empty trashy heap of marble. I had the impression that the reason the camera didn't show the whole of the foyer was so that the reception desk/check-in desks remained firmly Out Of View. It felt way more like an office complex or airport than anything that could be described accurately as a home.
It feels like a reality-TV-gone-wrong horror movie set. Dozens of bachelors and bachelorettes arrive to achieve TV fame, party wildly for a couple of days, and then spend about a week getting slaughtered one after the other, and noone can escape. That's the vibe this place is giving.
I've been to airports that look more welcoming in the middle of the night, nearly empty. This house is just an overgrown manchild trying to show off how big his pee-pee is.
@Nick, you’re a class act. This “designer/architect” & his comments just showed the world he is an absolute joke, epitomizing how “nouveau riche” doesn’t just mean wealth recently acquired. I wouldn’t be surprised if the eventual buyer plans to use it as a luxury destination wedding/event space and/or rent it out for movie/tv/etc production companies. Although all those hard surfaces are a hellscape for the sound engineer. I might be wrong, but I get the feeling he built the home on spec and just made it as outrageous as possible. Did they ever mention how many bedrooms? Because of work & volunteer efforts, my life has intersected with that of some people of significant financial means. Sure, some of them had extra-extra-large homes, but none of them would have agreed with the outrageous waste of resources through poor design and over-indulgence exemplified by this “home”. Like, what homeowner actually needs 7 pools & water features? (See my “buyer’s plan” theory above.) And, as someone already mentioned, who puts a wine cellar right next to floor-to-ceiling windows?!?!? (Certainly not somebody who knows even the basics about wine storage.) Felt like I was watching a movie parodying the lifestyle of the stereotypical 1990s coke-snorting tech bros. Ick, need to go wash off the slime.
21 bed, 42 full baths. This designer and architect have been working on the house for a decade and finally went bankrupt. It sold at auction for $126mil to the owner of Fashion Nova.
@@movingforwardLDTH No problem! Oh, also... 7 or 8 of those bedrooms are for staff. They're like... reasonably sized bedrooms, but Niami says they could fit 4 staff members comfortably 😂 Can you imagine coming to work in this massive house with its sprawling footprint, and they have you bunk up with 3 other people?
The place is gross on multiple levels... You were so wonderfully gracious Nick. This was definitely about more than the design, and appreciate your very well considered response ☺️
When the guy would describe the fabulousness of some tacky, over-the-top feature, my shock was met by looking into Nick's eyes as he was equally alarmed by what we had just heard. I've NEVER felt so intimately connected to another person whom I wasn't physically next to.
So... on the topic of sustainability, he has a glass enclosed, temperature controlled wine room with floor to ceiling windows? The amount of energy that's going to go into keeping that room at temperature, especially in LA, is absurd.
That wine cellar went up to the ceiling and could hold more wine than anyone could drink in their lifetime. And there's TWO of them. Speaking of cooling/heating, imagine how much gas/electricity etc is used just to heat/cool the ENTIRE HOUSE.
Not only that, but light is bad for wine. That's not just a cavernous, expensive to climate control wine cellar, it's a *shitty* wine cellar that's going to destroy the wine stored in it.
@@WriterOfMany Wikipedia says heating/cooling the whole mansion $50,000 per month, using 50 HVAC systems, quoting a Fortune Magazine estimate. Article "The One (Los Angeles)".
I really appreciate that even when you are (understandably) critical, you are still basically kind. You are clearly a very nice person and I thank you for that.
So warm and cosy and so smart of him to put in plastic plants. And it was all him but hundreds helped him but it was all him after all. It really does change the world.
I came across the tour of this "house" on UA-cam awhile back and couldn't figure out where the "home" part came in. Wide expanses of stone and glass and empty space made it feel like living in an airport terminal after hours, a large commercial entertainment venue but not a home. Not even a luxury resort feel to it. Just cold and empty. A corporate headquarters high rise Executive Boardroom had a friendlier vibe.
There's no way I could have gushed ,"Oh,I thought they were real!" Because not for even a split second did I think those flowers were real. And I agree that that's a strange hill to display your "Sustainability " on. However if he paid for real flowers or better yet, paid a gardener to grow the flowers and plants needed, requiring worm farms, mushroom boxes** composting, planting for multiple seasons...then at least that might, by just a teeny tiny little bit, lessen the carbon foot print for all those temperature controlled rooms. I kept expecting that foyer to echo. ETA **Because you know, you just know that monstrosity has a basement in which to grow mushrooms....and there's plenty of BS for them to feed on.
I agree with all your comments Nick. Based on this place, the designer doesn't have much talent he's just bamboozled people by spending a lot of money - the house version of the emperor's new clothes.
As a professor of history of architecture told to our class once: “It’s not coincidence that things that best houses in history are the ones that you fill a home, and you will never find home in a house kind of mall or hotel”. Now I would add kind of a nightclub. Greetings from Caracas, Ven
The designer is a braggart If you’re that talented and sought after you do not need to keep telling us Sustainable????? He’s deluded. Nick I sooo enjoy your channel. You’re just so easy to listen to plus we learn and laugh. Stay well ❤️
Really enjoyed your excellent "thanks, I hate it" faces and your insightful & smart commentary, both on the home itself and on the hypocritical, unselfaware discussion in the original video. It's great to hear more about your ethics and values - I'd love to hear more from you about sustainability and accessibility in design in future videos.
It has been said before money does not equal class! It looks like commercial space has no feeling, no warmth, no homey vibes. You certainly made my morning Nick I got quite a few chuckles out of this video.
I used to live in Monaco and spent some time in the Candy's brothers $350m apartment which I couldn't bear because it was SO excessive. All the design features were there to make the owner feel rich, nothing was there for art. The library there was huge and filled with cookie cutter art books that would never be read. I feel I know the sort of idiot who would 'design' something like this, I assume he just comes up with ideas and other people who have skill and talent actually build the thing. Particularly since he didn't even know all the details on his own build. It was just two twats trying to out-twat each other.
" two twats trying to out-twat each other" is the title to their next show! :D Jokes aside, how heartbreaking to have such wealth and still not be able to bring art to their home. :/ Did you at least get a Belle-moment in that library (from Beauty and the Beast's grand library scene if you've ever seen it)?
Hi Nick! I live in LA. I’ve seen numerous video on The One. The more videos I watch about this property, the more it comes across as a Venue and not a house and definitely not a home 🤦🏼♀️
The developer ended up pitching it as a venue when realizing that no one wanted to use it as a private residence. However it just sold as month at a $154 loss.
I can't stop laughing!! You're so diplomatic. I don't know how you kept your cool for the length of a full video. The One = hideous, beyond wasteful, embarassing in its sheer stupidity. Nick Lewis=delightful, to the Nth degree.
In the late 1800s, when industrialist millionaires built their excessive homes, at least some of them strove for a cohesive style. This marble monument is really boring. The millionaires of the past may have created more rooms than one could reasonably use, but some of those rooms were beautifully crafted, and you could spend hours appreciating the detail. This house has practically no detail, just open space. I saw no areas where anyone could comfortably live. This is a total waste of money. Meanwhile, thousands are sleeping under bridges.
Those millionaires at least hired the architects, furniture makers and painters that the old money crowd used. They knew who to copy from, and so, as you say, the excess was a bit over the top but also cohesive. The result would have been theatrical rather than jarring, I suppose.
So true! Biltmore house is about 70k sq ft bigger than this place (so much for the claim to be the biggest house) and actually feels like people could comfortably live there in a homey way with beautifully crafted rooms as you say, even with the grand scale.
@@jkoerner23 I toured Biltmore years ago, and although there was too much to see in one afternoon, I could appreciate the splendor of each room and could see how they contributed to lavish living.
This was hilarious. All I could think was The Shining in this place and Jack Nicholson running around with an ax. I so hope someone makes a movie using this place. Horror of course.
I love how quickly your face changed when he mentioned sustainability. It was great. Great video and commentary. I hope you react to more of these mega mansion because sometimes rich people have the worst taste.
Best comment was "the best about nightclubs is coming home". Totally relate, Nick. 🤣 Your facial expressions made me laugh out loud. Love from Germany.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. These are my ol’ stomping grounds.😊 Well, mostly the beach cities; Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beaches. My aunt had a home in Brentwood and later in Bel Air. Her homes were featured in Architectural Digest several times. She always had the best designers, gorgeous mahogany furniture and couches and chairs stuffed to the brim with down. Although her homes were considered large, at that time 3k to 4k square feet was large, they felt inviting and cozy. The lands were beautifully landscaped. The Brentwood home had a large pool off the living room surrounded by eucalyptus trees and other indigenous trees. It had a hidden tennis court terraced below the home and pool in the canyon. The Bel Air home was built on a hill with a large pool and terraced gardens that looked all the way to the Pacific ocean. Several years after she passed each one of those homes were demolished to put up homes that used all the land. In my opinion, I thought they looked ordinarily pretentious. There was history in her homes too. The Brentwood home was a cottage style built in the late 1920’s. When walking up to the front door the house seemed small. But upon entering it had wide bead board wainscoting down a wide long carpeted hall that led to the living room. We spent a lot of time there while growing up. The Bel Air home was built in the 40’s but with an emphasis on modern architecture not quite art deco. It was all about the view. The kitchen, living room, adjacent family room and the primary bedroom faced the view. In the primary bathroom there was book matched Italian pink marble with a vein of gold running through the sinks. I love architecture and interior design. I appreciate architecture and design that lasts throughout the ages. I do think great architecture and design can be from any genre. But this property is not to my taste either. It’s just another builder outdoing the others. And, W😂W, this builder fancies himself a Hugh Hefner. Only Hef would be appalled at the use of cameras in the bathrooms. On the other hand, I would be willing to use the “foyer” as an art studio. The views are incredible. As far as I know foyer is always pronounced the way you say it Nick. I definitely agree, this is a cool palette. Not sure why the builder thinks its warm. Most of these properties never feel warm to me. They’re just too big for my sensibilities. Not sure I understand the attraction to building so large either. Which begs the question, what will happen to all these mega mansions? They are not nor ever will be sustainable. My thoughts about unusable mega mansions are; maybe they could be used as mega shelters for the hundreds of thousands of homeless. At least turn some of them into affordable flats? But most likely they’ll be ripped down in the near future just as the mega mansions were demolished a hundred years ago. On a lighter note, this home is easy to spot on Google maps, that is, if anyone’s looking for a party to crash. Just kidding, don’t be doing that. 😊
And perched high on a hill with not a plant in sight. The evaporation rate from those seven pools will be sky-high, and the cost of re-filling them astronomical. In a dry place like LA, that's an eco-crime.
So i looked up THE ONE online and it’s had loads of troubles financially and was eventually sold at auction for less than half of what it originally was listed at !!
I love the kind of input that you provide and I especially love the wholesomeness of your comments. It makes me laugh when I could tell you. Don't like something but you always find a positive way to say it. Plus, you have a fantastic sense of style and I'm taking notes on everything!
Let's face Nick...this was truly a waste of resources with little or no design payback. You are correct about the views. I also am a designer and my reaction to much of this waste was "eww"! Lots of eye rolling here🤗
Nick’s facial expressions and giggles - this is the most fun home reaction video I’ve ever seen. That house - both obscene and absurd. It deserves to be thoroughly mocked. As does that pretentious (and repulsive) designer.
You are spot on. This house is only a temple to the excess of the one percenters… also raises the question on how they even manage to get that rich. Hint, it’s not from “pulling themselves up by their bootstraps”.
Thanks Nick, this was a fantastic lesson in the difference between being rich and being wealthy. I feel rich in my small 1960s bungalow because it means something to me, I love it and value it. I fill it with things I love and that have significance to me. That house probably means very little to its owner, except as a way to display wealth. It has no evidence of personalisation (other than the pornography and toilet cams)
🤣 I wouldn’t have wanted to watch this house tour with anyone else but you Nick! Your reactions were hysterical! I almost peed myself when he mentioned sustainability! I actually dropped my IPad when he was so proud of the porn on the walls. I can’t imagine in exactly what ways this house is going to change the world.
The toque/beanie in warm LA pissed me off at the get-go. In south Louisiana, with our French connection, I would say most of the people I know prounounce it "foi-yay"; when I lived in the Northeast for a while, most said "foy-yer".
So... I didn't love it.
You quite literally voiced every concern/thought I had while viewing this video! The dude is entirely obnoxious and one of the most arrogant "humans" I have seen. This is how the nouveau riche would behave.
You nailed it. This "home" IS vulgar and commercial. Ack! Clearly something to prove, like the guy who has to jack up his huge pick-up truck. Compensating.
This is not a house (home) 🏠, is a city mall 😆
I did not like it either and yes that man is saying foyer in a weird way
Who IS that guy??? His "reality" is jaw-dropping!
It looks like an airport from the outside and feels like an abandoned mall on the inside. If he was going for a commentary on late stage capitalism he nailed it!
The house itself is a work of art. 😱
@@francookie9353 Absolutely can not agree... It doesn't feel like any kind of feat of engineering, it doesn't make any artistic statements, it's not in conversation with the environment around it. Everything artistic about this house feels like an accident, not the product of artistic thought and creation.
To me, this is the product of someone throwing together everything they can think of that has a high price tag, but without any thought about how they'd come together or why they'd use them.
A child's bedroom, with a $350 budget, feels like it would be more art to me than this home....
Obviously art is subjective, so this is NOTHING more than my opinion. But even when Nick said it felt like a "museum" my first thought was - "yeah, a bad one."
@@Alex-ks3uu I would argue it could almost be an ironic form of art. Like I totally agree that the house itself and the guy who created it are the definition of excess narcissism, I don't think that's up for debate. It could be used as the set of a political cartoon about the excesses of rich people and capitalism, though. So kind of an ironic art piece speaking against everything it attempts to stand for if viewed through the right lenses
Amen
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣perfect
Dying at this but man it took a turn at the cameras in the bathroom, that is really friggin creepy! When you said “this guy is a creep, I don’t like anything about this house” I felt that.
Yes, agreed. One could assume the guy is an exhibitionist. What other reason would there be for it?
I was horrified by the porno mag display, then comes the cameras, on guys urinating, that are streamed (haha) to the ladies bathroom. Ugh. Why does a home even have designated bathrooms? I wonder where the cameras are in the ladies room? Are there cameras in the bedrooms? How about the orgy room? There must be one. Tacky and disgusting. Sustainable? Oh, yeah. The plastic flowers.
And the whole "Now I'm thinking like the girls!!1" No my man you are not. How many straight women would voluntarily watch a bunch of random, grubby penises at a urinal? Urgh. I'm just shivering with discomfort over here. Ew.
I wouldn't use a bathroom in this house as a woman, too.
I dont even understand what they were thinking when they did that
"I picked out every single thing in this house." Yes. I believe that 100%.
“Welcome to this giant-ass house with its 6 elevators, 7 pools, and sculptures flown in from around the world but don’t worry guys I got plastic plants that will take literal centuries to rot in some landfill. Clearly I’m sustainable!”
How can you talk about the sustainability of fake plants SECONDS after mentioning all the elevators??? At least he makes my job easy.
@@Nick_Lewis Really! Grotesque was a good word for the excess.
@@Nick_Lewis At least real plants are compostable, and don't have plastic polluting our planet forever!
I'm not sure he knew the meaning of the word, tbh.
I really tried to like this house? But it’s not a home/ house to me The light is great but it reminds me of a building 🤷♀️ OMG cameras in the bathroom,u couldn’t pay me to go in that house . So tacky!!
"Douchiest mansion you could possibly imagine" is perfect summation of this monstrosity
Well put.
Manstrosity* hahahaha
Makes me think of the Frank Lloyd Wright quote: "No house should be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other." This one makes it look as if a hill was beheaded and the house grafted on it like Frankenstein's monster.
it should have a future of some castles in Europe, where peasants used the material to build their own homes... just leave a ruin with leftover marble
Nice! I agree.
SO WELL SAID! I love it!
What in the oligarch money laundering hell is this monstrosity? The conspicuous consumption dressed as “sustainability” his hilarious. When he said that this house could change the world, Elizabeth Holmes came to mind. Great video, Nick! I agree with you 100%.
Lol you're so right! Fyre festival came to my mind though with the fail in delivering what was promised, "a home".
She would fit right into this.
100% I’m pretty sure caring for, helping, teaching and understanding people changes the world…. 🤷🏼♀️
Omgosh you made me choke laughing.
I wondered if Elon Musk lived there. Seems up his alley.
I think this house is stunning. In the same way a shovel to the head is stunning. Every turn is a new assault, not just visually, but almost physically. BTW, the designer is also the developer, and I may be mistaken but I THINK he ended up purchasing the house himself. A la Narcissus falling in love with his own image reflected in the water.
If I could like this comment multiple times..... I would. 🤣
I agree!! But the founder of fashion nova actually bought it
@@laurenredd7255 Yeah, I saw that. But Niles the developer is trying to wrest control back from him. It's going to be an ugly fight for an ugly house!
@@laurenredd7255 Of course the owner of Fashion Nova bought it. Of course.
Those slippery floors and open stairs ARE a potential physical assault, to say nothing of the bathroom cams
Nick is so polite. “The best part of this house is the parts that are not the house”
😂
"This house is changing the world" = "This house is destroying the world" or better yet "this house is everything that is wrong with the world".
The entire structure is appalling; the man is a boor and is himself the epitome of the word "crass". I've disliked this building for a long time, and I want to thank you for this much-appreciated validation. You're the best, Nick, and truly tasteful.
Thank you for your well articulated and blatantly honest comment! I think alot of us agree with this sentiment! And yes, Mr. Nick Lewis is indeed very talented, educated and has a dossier of abundant experience on this particular area of commentary. He KNOWS his stuff....and by the way, alot of us agree with him.... 😳🙄🤭🙃
Yes 100%. There’s a big problem with “modern” styles that are actually just “how expensive looking can I make my house look” whilst turning it into a cold, sterile looking empty white/grey space, but this house is on another level.
Thank you! It’s ostentatious and completely ridiculous. It makes me think of those empty high rise money-parking penthouses in NYC.
I just moved to the other side of the country after living in LA for 10 years. Seeing this video right now is perfect timing. These people are the perfect summary of the culture of Los Angeles and the attitudes and behavior of the people who live there. I worked in carpentry/design/finishing and let me tell you, I could write a novel here, but I'll just say that these people do deserve harsh criticism. They should be called out and they should feel shame and authentically examine themselves and their values.
I love this video so much. Watching your reactions made me feel so validated and I'm so glad to not have to work with those types anymore.
I'm sure there are a few million Angelinos who don't fit that description.
“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Words to live by. I might print that out and stick it on my wall. Although I know Nick disapproves of word art!
Please put it up and send it to me and I may feature it in my next roast my subscriber video! haha
That would be a perfect visual paradox - you should do it!
It would be very funny!
Do it! ...in DIY foam...on a marble slab😂
This entire house screams that.
"one of the best parts about going to a night club is when you get to come home and you don't have to stay there any longer" ----100% truth, preach it
"that's a normal thing that a guy would do, now I'm thinking like the girls" the fact this guy thinks spying on people in the bathroom is a normal thing people do is so disturbing.
Also, is there any woman on this planet who wants to see a livestream of a men's bathroom??
@@WhitneyKippes my thought exactly! Ewwwwww, gross! He obviously has NO idea how women think!
@@WhitneyKippes NO! 😝
If he thought "like the girl" he'd strangle himself for all those white surfaces I bet are a bitch to clean. And for the creepy bathroom cameras too
It's definitely not ehat guys want either lol. 😕
I was legit confused when in the SAME BREATH talked about his SIX elevators and how sustainable his home design was ... because he used fake flowers. The cognitive dissonance on THAT one - whoo boy.
Agreed! And the most peculiar element is that *real* flowers, plants, shrubs, trees etc. are the ultimate sustainable items. Nick Lewis captured the ethos of this house when he described it as "creepy." A porn film creator would feel right at home, as the marble would reflect his gold necklaces to perfection.
I think he wanted to say "low maintenance" but said "sustainable" instead. He probably thinks they are synonyms.
Six elevators-compensating for something...
you guys obviously don't get it: every two artificial flowers compensate an elevator
Makes me wonder... How did us humans drift so far from evolution to allow for these clearly "unfitted" persons to be the ones that, not only survive, but thrive (and often rule!)??
My favorite part of this is when the “designer” says that it had to be 105,000 sq ft, because they cut of 1/4 of the mountain and needed to put grass on the top of the house….seriously, what??? I absolutely abhor this house.
That grass roof will come down sooner rather than later, I'm sure.
This is not a "house." This is a monument to ego.
The house could indeed change the world....it could get the entirety of SoCal's homeless population off the streets.
Amen!
Yeah and monkeys could fly out of my ass, too.
SAME
Exactly. I found it offensive in its wasteful ostentation.
PREACH
Nick you said it, this guy is a creep. In addition to his “poor” design choices he had to clear cut a hill top to fit this bloated concrete monstrosity.
Well said! This guy is a total creep.
Right nicks nailed it.
It reads as urban office space to me. You nailed it with “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” It’s just a tragic waste of resources, soul less, creepy, and sad.
Saw the full version of this video awhile back when it first made its rounds on UA-cam.
What stuck out to me is how lonely the man who created it is. He goes off on depressing tangents about his ex, and he says lots of things that imply he doesn't have any friends but wishes he did.
He created this monstrosity of a home to bring people together in massive parties, but he doesn't personally have anyone to share that with.
I highly recommend watching the original vid if you are curious. Nick only touches the tip of the iceberg here.
maybe hes too busy building homes and no times for friends lol idk
That is sad. Maybe he should get some foster kids.
Yea, so many people are hungry, homeless, and children in foster care. He could had so much more good with his time and money..... very sad.
@@tkohearn1692 No foster kid should go to a guy that is severely narcissistic and would illegally videotape unsuspecting men peeing and force women to have to see that when they're just trying to go to the bathroom. I would be so terrified for any child who has a guardian or parent like this.
@@MelAtTheHelm Yep, I read the yuk factor into that and the porn room. This dude comes across as a predator.
And as someone who enjoys a glass of wine, they need to tint that damn glass to protect the wine from the sun. It's been traditionally kept in cellars for a reason.
++++++++++++!!!!!!!
I don't even know that much about wine and I had to stop the video and walk away at that part. Clearly the point is to show off their expensive ruined wine, not enjoy drinking it.
That didn't even occur to me, but now it has, and now I'm even more angry about that than the plastic flowers.
@@elysia5379 That made me laugh really hard. Perfectly said, Elysia…!
The glass may be layered with a UV shield in the middle. I had the same concern at a liquor store near me, where the wine is at the front and the windows are clear, facing full west. The owner said that the windows are layered with a UV shield to protect the wine. I haven't had a bad bottle from them, so it must work!
Sustainability with faux flowers after the six elevators had me In stitches 😂😂😂😂😂
"Just cause you can doesn't mean that you should" Amen to that. Loved Nick's commentaries and totally agree. Hated the house and the whole idea behind it. Kind of sickening.
My husband and I were talking about this mansion today. This is what happens when a builder designs a house and not an actual designer. Also, this guy was trying to sell it for $500M but no one bought it. So the bank had to take it back. That was 10 years down the drain for him…yikes.
This. And even if he did build a nice house, which he didn't, who would buy a house for half a billion dollars? It's insane.
It’s sold, to the guy who owns fashion nova
@@laurenredd7255 Yeah it sold, for a whole lot less than half billion.
yes !! I'm an Interior Designer , daughter of a realestate agent and I've been in multimillion dollar homes. This house is so cold and sterile it needs some color and texture and some great staging like real artwork on the walls with color ,some soft furnishings like drapes, rugs and pillows to get it to sell. Right now it reminds me of an high end operating room with a view .
@@laurenredd7255 makes sense cause fashion nova is tacky
OMIGOSH! I laughed SO hard. Nick showed amazing restraint. I loved "Nothing says class like pornography"!
😹😹
I can’t recall ever laughing this hard at a video!!
@@Artemis0802 I think Nick just has a way of saying things that makes everything sound funnier
“This is excess to the point of grotesque” thank you for saying this! I do not understand why homes are being built so big with such grandiose design in some communities. It’s really a waste of money and it’s sad to see. Imagine if more money was spent on public spaces instead.
Come the revolution....
They abbreviated the name of the house to The One.
The full name of the house is The One Where Everybody Finds Out I’m Tacky (And Have No Idea Of What Sustainability Means).
Isn't S Cal suffering from many years of drought? Why the builder would be approved for more than one pool is mind-blowing?!
Not my favorite friends episode tbh
For real. Who the heck displays their porn?! 😂🤣😂
@@pangkouxiong1244 Male degenerates.
@@tammyrussell-rice5508 he had to have paid off a lot of people
Wow. There was so much going on with that house and you were so polite in your commentary. I have three thoughts on the structure:
1) My first reaction looking at it was that it was a hospital. My second was a dropped jaw as I realized that he can literally fit a hospital in there.
2) The fact that he lopped off the top 40 ft of the mountain to build this (if I understood him correctly) is horrifying. Also I hope he likes mountain lions because I am pretty sure that area was prime habitat for them before he developed it.
3) I am boggling at how unsuited this yard is to the area. This is a drought-stricken area with chronic water issues and an actual fire season. He installed acres of grass and what look like other very water-thirsty plants and 7 pools. Does he expect the pools to act as fire barriers when all of the plants in the yard become tinder during water restrictions? Will he even be able to keep the pools filled? I understand that he is excessively wealthy but I don’t think even excessive wealth can get the water he needs to sustain that.
What’s he gonna do if his plastic plants catch on fire
Yes, the area is subject to drought and fires; the pools and lawns are major users of water that is regulated in LA. Mountain lions may or may not be frequent visitors, they tend to avoid heavily populated areas. Flattening the mountain was such an abysmal use of the natural habitat, clearly this designer has no regard for natural spaces. Truly unfortunate because there is very little in this area that is undeveloped and supports such magnificent views. Pacific palisades is breath taking compared to this, but the rest of the LA area is not.
Entitled asshole hypocritical virtue-signal at its best. Just wow. And also ... thank God he's far, far away from me. What a toxic human being.
The house is a reflection of the designer’s soul and both are abominable.
Can I just appreciate how normal and rational and classy Nick is in this video especially? To see it as grotesque excess (which it is), but then turn around and appreciate it for teaches him and others, even if he doesn’t agree or like the decisions made…thank you for being a normal person on UA-cam! And championing sustainability and accessibility!
This is just such an adventure of facial expressions. 😂
And about the total lack of warmth you noticed - I think that's kind of the point of conspicuous consumption like this. Gazillionaires don't *want* welcoming and comfortable spaces, because they don't want us to see them as approachable. They want to seem aloof, unreachable, and superhumanly perfect. The coldness of the space helps to inspire the aura of awe and superiority that they work so hard to cultivate.
..and they managed to do exactly the opposite.
Oh my goodness, suuuuuch a good take! I'm just surprised some people really think they are immune to the eventual pitchforks and torches that may come when us commoners finally get tired of this crap.
@@rachelgilbert3164 When the revolution comes, they'll be the first to go.
THIS. Absolutely. Think of every supervillian mansion in every movie. But they definitely always just come off as a douche.
Well they may be trying to cultivate awe and superiority, but all I get from it is the chills. Seriously would never want to live in a place like that.
You went shockingly easy on the house and the slime bags that made that vid!
Restraining myself to commenting solely on the design aspects of the “house,” I would have to mention that it’s a space that’s CLEARLY designed For Men, By Men. The over glossed finished, lack of textural contrasts, the blatant “bigger is better” mentality behind the design, and total absence of space designed to be actually LIVED IN, speaks volumes about the designers and the clientele who would be interested in purchasing that tragedy of a bachelor pad on steroids.
Nick totally nails it when referencing the idiom “you cannot buy style or taste-“ The whole build screams: new money, no class, sophistication, or depth of personality. Truly Grotesque, indeed!
I wouldn’t say men….. I would say boys. Most mature adult men would agree this is a terrible house. Now an immature boy who thinks only with something other than his brain would design something this obnoxious 😂
This design has nothing to do with men, and everything to do with narcissistic personality disorder.
My first reaction at the aerial view was that it was a hospital complex for rich people. During the tour all I could think was it was created by a bunch of frat boys that had won the lottery. The biggest surprise was the wine cellars (plural). I was expecting kegs of beer. It would fit better with the Hugh Heffner wannabe vibe.
I think it is indeed a hospital complex. A hospital for sociopathic narcissists.
"Nothing says class like displaying your pornography." I'm still laughing about that comment. Great video BTW.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." Wiser words have never been spoken and I think that saying applies to this house in general. Love you Nick! Great reaction.
Agree with 100% of your takes here. The “sustainability” bit made me laugh out loud… probably more of a guffaw 😂
Speaking of that glam light… I’d love to see you do more videos like your fixing farmhouse one but with more trends you’re over (grannychic/cottagecore, glam, etc). I’m also over most of them but I feel like making them workable would be a fun challenge!
Great idea! Fixing glam! Step one: Try being a little more subtle! 😂
@@Nick_Lewis I wish he would turn horder...
@@j.m.5693 He IS a hoarder, a hoarder of space. This is how I feel about rich people and their huge, empty 'minimalist' rooms. They just want to show how much real estate they own, when so many other people in the world have so much less.
@@Nick_Lewis Don’t forget about the entryway video Nick!!
When he said he was putting cameras over the urinals, the look on your face was priceless. I started laughing so hard I cried.
Ewwwwwww.
You know when it has been a long day and you find yourself in a huge museum where you have to walk 15 or 20 minutes to get to the exit? That would be life in this house. 😪
Totally agree that this has got to be one of the douchiest houses I've ever seen. Love all of Nick's reactions & commentary - totally spot on.
Not only is it excessive to the max & more than a little disturbing (cameras in the bathroom?! wtf?!), but I think the most off-putting thing about the tour is what it says about the designer. He is so obviously virtue-signaling (sustainability my foot - how much energy does it take to maintain that monstrosity?) & self-aggrandizing (me, me, me) & probably a bit of a misogynist. I mean he "says" he was thinking of women in terms of putting cameras above the urinals but how many women really want to see that? It's not as if women get sent enough d!ck pics when dating online. It's like he would have wanted to put cameras in the women's bathroom but knew that'd go over like a lead balloon so decided to switch it up instead & call himself progressive. Just all over ugh.
Exactly my thoughts - why in God's name would he think women would want to watch men peeing?
Do you really think he didn't? He's just not going to advertise that part.
Just because he didn’t say there were cameras in the women’s bathroom doesn’t mean there aren’t.
Exactly that. I don't want to be confronted with some guy's dick or said guy peeing while using the bathroom. That's just icky.
Trust me, most women I know, even if they're fan of meat wands, tend to want to see them when they're ready for action. When they're in the middle of bathroom duties? LAST thing we want to see.
Thanks for the laughs. Also being in the LA area, where drought is a frequent issue (and some rationing is required), can't begin to fathom how much water is being used in the 'seven pools and water features.' Insane. On the other end of the spectrum, I'm all about tiny house structures. Lve in a smallish one-bedroom apt and would welcome the opportunity to go downsize. This was just a grotesque monstrosity with no warmth or appeal. Hopefully you'll do more reaction videos along this line. Thoroughly enjoyed your take, Nick.
This just made my entire day 😂😂😂 I commend the self-control, but the facial expressions as he watched were high comedy
The sad part is this happens to me with most high-end real estate shows, as well as all the unboxing videos and closet tours. And I’m not a minimalist or struggling financially. It’s just bad taste, excess for the sake of excess.
It's interesting that the architect said that he picked out every single item in the home. It looks that way - completely impersonal and devoid of any personality of the owners. And everything is so shiny! And absolutely no shade outside! Lazy, unimaginative design.
Not to mention that all that gorgeous California sunshine reflecting off every external surface is going to turn all those seven pool and whatever other outdoor relaxation areas there are into perfect sun-traps where people will get burnt to a crisp within five minutes!
I think you may underestimate the "designer" For me this building is not a house and definitely not a home. It's a nightclub. The shiness is not a bug it's a feature. In the morning it helps to get rid of guests. People with hangover don't like plenty of light and reflections on marble and metal. Wine room is a display for bar not a long time storage, even 7 pools are reasonable if you invite 1 or 2 hundred guest for party.
The architect is Paul McClean.
The guy in the video is the owner, Nile Niami.
@@acerrubrum5749 Nile Niami is the developer and worked with Paul McLean on the design of the home. They both have a lot to answer for! :-)
@@andrzejfigaj2229 Very true, definitely not a home. I guess it's intended to be a party house.
Nick, that was amazing. You said everything that needed to be said, yet somehow said it with a kindness and understanding that it didn’t deserve, but that does you credit. I choose to surround myself with content like yours and I’m very happy with that decision. ☺️
I love the Chihuly glass wings (I check the original video and it's Simone Cenedese, a murano glass artist based in Italy) but it felt like a cross between an office building, hotel, and an airport. 🤷♀️ Should be an office for a start up tech company who’s owner is a trust fund baby.
The foyer’s definitely airport chic.
Plus a garage…looks like you could drive through the entire place. Maybe a get setting for the next Fast and Furious movie.
This is probably going to turn into that or a straight up hotel. But i don't know if they zoned it for commercial use or not... So this might just be a nightmare for the next owner to convert. Poor development work all around!
@@Topaz_Estrella Looks to me as if it's going to be one of those places that ends up derelict within a decade because it can't be put to any sensible use whatsoever, then bulldozed in order to have something a lot more useful and/or liveable put up in its place.
Airport...mall...a whole missmanagement of styles and lack of clear direction... I do like the outdoors... Not love mind you... Like... It will end up abandoned down the road like so many of those opulent homes built with a lack of vision. They could use it in a movie maybe? I do like a Furious 10? Or maybe a zombie apocalypse movie? 😆😂🤑
"Now I'm thinking like the girl." Hmm, speaking for "girls" everywhere, we don't want to see men use the urinals.
😂😂😂
All I want to see is if they washed their hands.
His desire to contain his ANGER and non-stop disdain in his tone and look that Nick displays during this video is fantastically amusing!
This looks like an influencer agency house, where a bunch of influencers can vlog excessive lifestyles, and the two-floor office and 50-car garage can house their editors and PR staff. Quite many of those are being flaunted on youtube, all more or less the same.
Nick! The restraint you showed. You’re a better man than me.
„That’s gotta be a crime, right?!“ Everything fell out of my face
Thank you for bringing up sustainability!!! Celebrities want to talk about “being green” and “making a difference” but they own these kinds of homes and take private jets. I’m sorry that’s unacceptable. WE NEED TO HOLD THESE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE! #CARBONTAX….🥳
A carbon tax would be applied to us pions, the rich would just plant a few trees to "offset their carbon footprint" and go on with their lives. The whole climate change scam is just a massive wealth transfer from the poor to the rich.
Look at who supports it, who is pushing it. The poor who can't afford a new car, let alone a massively expensive electric one, get brutalized at the pump. The rich pass the laws while flying around in private jets. The poor get told their wood stoves must go, too bad if they freeze. The rich build homes like this.
We can't hold them responsible, but we can call them out and treat them with the contempt they deserve.
It is so refreshing to see wealthy folks in LA being so humble and sustainable….🤣😂
I remember watching another tour of this house, when it was closer to completion. The one thing I took away from it was how ridiculously excessive everything is. I am usually of the school of thought that says, "If you worked hard for that money you should be able to spend it however you like", but I actually found myself getting quite cross that someone would want all this, when there are so many people in the world who do not have a roof of any kind over their heads.
As design goes, most of it is highly impractical from a basic maintenance stand point. Who dusts those two story high book cases/wine racks? It also feels more like a museum or fancy hotel than a home, and is devoid of any kind of human scale that would make it feel like one. How it ever got planning permission on such a prominent sight defies belief.
"How if ever he got planning permission?" Because he is Richard Saghian!
@@stuartharrison9944 I don't know whether to be ashamed or proud to say that I've never heard of the guy.
I’m with you, normally I’m not at all judge-y about how people spend their money, it’s not my business, but the choices here just feel so wrong. If there was a playground instead of a nightclub, a great library instead of a giant smoking room, or a beautiful native garden instead of a plain lawn, or fountains for birds and frogs instead of some of the swimming pools…I don’t know. It’s really not about the amount of money, it’s the way that it’s spent that’s a turn-off for me.
The missed point is that people who don’t have a roof over their heads are not lazy…I’m sure many of them actually work harder than the people with excessive money. To me, if you made that much money, you were probably complicit in cheating someone of fair pay, cheating suppliers, cheating your customers, or got lucky off the legalized gambling of the stock market that supports all the cheating.
Sociopathy shouldn’t be a better way to earn wealth than working hard.
@@Mulberrysmile I am glad I am not the only one that feels that way. I thought I was overly cynical that excessive money earned means you scammed people to get it, but that is often what I see to be true in life. Cheers my kindred spirit!
OMG, I keep waking everyone up cackling at "hmmm... sustainable..." just... PLEASE do more of these because it it freaking PERFECT.
And then when you're just done at the end... "he's just creepy and I don't like this house"... LMAO. I felt that in my DNA.
Well, you called every aspect of that place perfectly - and you were remarkably polite! From the exterior one would expect a hotel or a luxury apartment complex. The interior is almost 100% in bad taste: the fact that the speakers both wore sunglasses indoors is a testament to the excess glare from glass walls + polished floors; every space is oversized and unpleasant. It's no surprise that the place sold for 25% of the builder's boasted value. It would be interesting to follow up and see what the buyer does with it.
I'd definitely watch part two of how the buyer fixed this house. This is a before picture if ever I saw one!!
The look on your face when he said "sustainable" in the same breath as 6 elevators and fake plants...priceless!
I missed the moment I was supposed to be impressed. I laughed out loud nearly every time the builder thought he was making an awesome point. You said exactly what I was thinking…he’s a creep. Change the world? What an empty comment….it makes me love my simple creative life all the more…
2:34 someone needs to tell this guy about the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville, NC. It's 175,000 square feet -- and the last time I checked, 105,000 is smaller than 175,000 😂
EDIT: This may be one of the best videos you've made, Nick. It's hilarious, thoughtful, constructive and informative!
In LA the world is LA.
I think he implied anywhere outside of LA wasn't urban!
I love visiting stately homes - I live in England - and last year I got to visit Wentworth Woodhouse, which has the largest frontage of any stately home in England. It had pretty much its entire contents sold off in the twentieth century for Reasons... and *still* felt more welcoming and home-y than this echoing empty trashy heap of marble. I had the impression that the reason the camera didn't show the whole of the foyer was so that the reception desk/check-in desks remained firmly Out Of View. It felt way more like an office complex or airport than anything that could be described accurately as a home.
It feels like a reality-TV-gone-wrong horror movie set. Dozens of bachelors and bachelorettes arrive to achieve TV fame, party wildly for a couple of days, and then spend about a week getting slaughtered one after the other, and noone can escape. That's the vibe this place is giving.
@@lsamoa I would watch the hell out of that omg
I've been to airports that look more welcoming in the middle of the night, nearly empty. This house is just an overgrown manchild trying to show off how big his pee-pee is.
I’d love to see last call at the nightclub and guests falling in the pool trying to get out of the conversation pit 😂
IKR? the parties there would be off the hook, but there would definitely be a casualty list
Medivac outta there!
@Nick, you’re a class act.
This “designer/architect” & his comments just showed the world he is an absolute joke, epitomizing how “nouveau riche” doesn’t just mean wealth recently acquired.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the eventual buyer plans to use it as a luxury destination wedding/event space and/or rent it out for movie/tv/etc production companies. Although all those hard surfaces are a hellscape for the sound engineer.
I might be wrong, but I get the feeling he built the home on spec and just made it as outrageous as possible.
Did they ever mention how many bedrooms?
Because of work & volunteer efforts, my life has intersected with that of some people of significant financial means. Sure, some of them had extra-extra-large homes, but none of them would have agreed with the outrageous waste of resources through poor design and over-indulgence exemplified by this “home”. Like, what homeowner actually needs 7 pools & water features? (See my “buyer’s plan” theory above.) And, as someone already mentioned, who puts a wine cellar right next to floor-to-ceiling windows?!?!? (Certainly not somebody who knows even the basics about wine storage.)
Felt like I was watching a movie parodying the lifestyle of the stereotypical 1990s coke-snorting tech bros.
Ick, need to go wash off the slime.
Definitely built on spec.
21 bed, 42 full baths. This designer and architect have been working on the house for a decade and finally went bankrupt. It sold at auction for $126mil to the owner of Fashion Nova.
@@AnnaReed42 , thanks for the update!
@@movingforwardLDTH No problem! Oh, also... 7 or 8 of those bedrooms are for staff. They're like... reasonably sized bedrooms, but Niami says they could fit 4 staff members comfortably 😂 Can you imagine coming to work in this massive house with its sprawling footprint, and they have you bunk up with 3 other people?
🤣🤣🤣
I love your "This guy's a creep" moment. Couldn't agree more.
The place is gross on multiple levels... You were so wonderfully gracious Nick. This was definitely about more than the design, and appreciate your very well considered response ☺️
Was laughing by five minutes in, thank you Nick, even your facial expressions watching it were so much fun. Seriously loved this.
I know right. NICK is awesome. I laughed so hard. Marble can be beautiful but ....Lol.
When the guy would describe the fabulousness of some tacky, over-the-top feature, my shock was met by looking into Nick's eyes as he was equally alarmed by what we had just heard. I've NEVER felt so intimately connected to another person whom I wasn't physically next to.
I know Nick’s expressions cracked me up. I loved lt.
So... on the topic of sustainability, he has a glass enclosed, temperature controlled wine room with floor to ceiling windows? The amount of energy that's going to go into keeping that room at temperature, especially in LA, is absurd.
it also has no wine , and a kitchen that will never be used, a smoking room not to smoke in and a running track not to run on
That wine cellar went up to the ceiling and could hold more wine than anyone could drink in their lifetime. And there's TWO of them. Speaking of cooling/heating, imagine how much gas/electricity etc is used just to heat/cool the ENTIRE HOUSE.
Not only that, but light is bad for wine. That's not just a cavernous, expensive to climate control wine cellar, it's a *shitty* wine cellar that's going to destroy the wine stored in it.
@@WriterOfMany Wikipedia says heating/cooling the whole mansion $50,000 per month, using 50 HVAC systems, quoting a Fortune Magazine estimate. Article "The One (Los Angeles)".
This guys favorite part of this house is ONLY HIMSELF!!!
AUGGH!
I really appreciate that even when you are (understandably) critical, you are still basically kind. You are clearly a very nice person and I thank you for that.
So warm and cosy and so smart of him to put in plastic plants. And it was all him but hundreds helped him but it was all him after all. It really does change the world.
I came across the tour of this "house" on UA-cam awhile back and couldn't figure out where the "home" part came in. Wide expanses of stone and glass and empty space made it feel like living in an airport terminal after hours, a large commercial entertainment venue but not a home. Not even a luxury resort feel to it. Just cold and empty. A corporate headquarters high rise Executive Boardroom had a friendlier vibe.
There's no way I could have gushed ,"Oh,I thought they were real!" Because not for even a split second did I think those flowers were real. And I agree that that's a strange hill to display your "Sustainability " on. However if he paid for real flowers or better yet, paid a gardener to grow the flowers and plants needed, requiring worm farms, mushroom boxes** composting, planting for multiple seasons...then at least that might, by just a teeny tiny little bit, lessen the carbon foot print for all those temperature controlled rooms.
I kept expecting that foyer to echo.
ETA **Because you know, you just know that monstrosity has a basement in which to grow mushrooms....and there's plenty of BS for them to feed on.
I agree with all your comments Nick. Based on this place, the designer doesn't have much talent he's just bamboozled people by spending a lot of money - the house version of the emperor's new clothes.
Great comparison
Nailed it!
Unfortunately too many people are of the opinion that the more money you throw at something the better it looks. This is a prime example
I appreciated your reaction to this troubling and frightful home!
As a professor of history of architecture told to our class once: “It’s not coincidence that things that best houses in history are the ones that you fill a home, and you will never find home in a house kind of mall or hotel”. Now I would add kind of a nightclub.
Greetings from Caracas, Ven
“The most beautiful part of this home is the views” …. Well said, Nick. (Also, how can this monstrosity be called a “home”?! )
Museum meets airport hanger.
Loved your review. This house could only be improved by tearing down 2/3 of it and then heavily remodeling what's left.
The designer is a braggart If you’re that talented and sought after you do not need to keep telling us Sustainable????? He’s deluded. Nick I sooo enjoy your channel. You’re just so easy to listen to plus we learn and laugh. Stay well ❤️
Really enjoyed your excellent "thanks, I hate it" faces and your insightful & smart commentary, both on the home itself and on the hypocritical, unselfaware discussion in the original video. It's great to hear more about your ethics and values - I'd love to hear more from you about sustainability and accessibility in design in future videos.
It has been said before money does not equal class! It looks like commercial space has no feeling, no warmth, no homey vibes. You certainly made my morning Nick I got quite a few chuckles out of this video.
I used to live in Monaco and spent some time in the Candy's brothers $350m apartment which I couldn't bear because it was SO excessive. All the design features were there to make the owner feel rich, nothing was there for art. The library there was huge and filled with cookie cutter art books that would never be read. I feel I know the sort of idiot who would 'design' something like this, I assume he just comes up with ideas and other people who have skill and talent actually build the thing. Particularly since he didn't even know all the details on his own build. It was just two twats trying to out-twat each other.
" two twats trying to out-twat each other" is the title to their next show! :D Jokes aside, how heartbreaking to have such wealth and still not be able to bring art to their home. :/ Did you at least get a Belle-moment in that library (from Beauty and the Beast's grand library scene if you've ever seen it)?
Hi Nick! I live in LA. I’ve seen numerous video on The One. The more videos I watch about this property, the more it comes across as a Venue and not a house and definitely not a home 🤦🏼♀️
The developer ended up pitching it as a venue when realizing that no one wanted to use it as a private residence. However it just sold as month at a $154 loss.
@@MU5A5HI It just sold as what??
@@mangos2888 sold last month at a $154M loss.
I love your facial expressions and quick wit. More funny than a stand up routine. Made my night.
I love looking at things that make me grateful for the life I have. Thanks, Nick.
Nothing says sustainability like taking off half of a mountain in order to build a house in the side
Yes, Seattle flattened hills and filled in valleys in the early 1900s, but that was for an entire city, not a single house.
I can't stop laughing!! You're so diplomatic. I don't know how you kept your cool for the length of a full video. The One = hideous, beyond wasteful, embarassing in its sheer stupidity. Nick Lewis=delightful, to the Nth degree.
In the late 1800s, when industrialist millionaires built their excessive homes, at least some of them strove for a cohesive style. This marble monument is really boring. The millionaires of the past may have created more rooms than one could reasonably use, but some of those rooms were beautifully crafted, and you could spend hours appreciating the detail. This house has practically no detail, just open space. I saw no areas where anyone could comfortably live.
This is a total waste of money. Meanwhile, thousands are sleeping under bridges.
Those millionaires at least hired the architects, furniture makers and painters that the old money crowd used. They knew who to copy from, and so, as you say, the excess was a bit over the top but also cohesive. The result would have been theatrical rather than jarring, I suppose.
The Hearst Castle comes to mind. That home has a lot of style and warmth in it that I still remember fondly years after having toured it.
So true! Biltmore house is about 70k sq ft bigger than this place (so much for the claim to be the biggest house) and actually feels like people could comfortably live there in a homey way with beautifully crafted rooms as you say, even with the grand scale.
@@jkoerner23 I toured Biltmore years ago, and although there was too much to see in one afternoon, I could appreciate the splendor of each room and could see how they contributed to lavish living.
Nobody is going to look at this mansion in 200 years and be like "Wow, they don't build them like this anymore!" 😂
“From a sustainability angle, I’m angry”
I’m right there with you Nick! 🤣
This was hilarious. All I could think was The Shining in this place and Jack Nicholson running around with an ax. I so hope someone makes a movie using this place. Horror of course.
I love how quickly your face changed when he mentioned sustainability. It was great. Great video and commentary. I hope you react to more of these mega mansion because sometimes rich people have the worst taste.
Best comment was "the best about nightclubs is coming home". Totally relate, Nick. 🤣 Your facial expressions made me laugh out loud. Love from Germany.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. These are my ol’ stomping grounds.😊 Well, mostly the beach cities; Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beaches. My aunt had a home in Brentwood and later in Bel Air. Her homes were featured in Architectural Digest several times. She always had the best designers, gorgeous mahogany furniture and couches and chairs stuffed to the brim with down. Although her homes were considered large, at that time 3k to 4k square feet was large, they felt inviting and cozy. The lands were beautifully landscaped. The Brentwood home had a large pool off the living room surrounded by eucalyptus trees and other indigenous trees. It had a hidden tennis court terraced below the home and pool in the canyon. The Bel Air home was built on a hill with a large pool and terraced gardens that looked all the way to the Pacific ocean. Several years after she passed each one of those homes were demolished to put up homes that used all the land. In my opinion, I thought they looked ordinarily pretentious. There was history in her homes too. The Brentwood home was a cottage style built in the late 1920’s. When walking up to the front door the house seemed small. But upon entering it had wide bead board wainscoting down a wide long carpeted hall that led to the living room. We spent a lot of time there while growing up. The Bel Air home was built in the 40’s but with an emphasis on modern architecture not quite art deco. It was all about the view. The kitchen, living room, adjacent family room and the primary bedroom faced the view. In the primary bathroom there was book matched Italian pink marble with a vein of gold running through the sinks.
I love architecture and interior design. I appreciate architecture and design that lasts throughout the ages. I do think great architecture and design can be from any genre. But this property is not to my taste either. It’s just another builder outdoing the others. And, W😂W, this builder fancies himself a Hugh Hefner. Only Hef would be appalled at the use of cameras in the bathrooms.
On the other hand, I would be willing to use the “foyer” as an art studio. The views are incredible. As far as I know foyer is always pronounced the way you say it Nick.
I definitely agree, this is a cool palette. Not sure why the builder thinks its warm. Most of these properties never feel warm to me. They’re just too big for my sensibilities. Not sure I understand the attraction to building so large either. Which begs the question, what will happen to all these mega mansions?
They are not nor ever will be sustainable.
My thoughts about unusable mega mansions are; maybe they could be used as mega shelters for the hundreds of thousands of homeless. At least turn some of them into affordable flats? But most likely they’ll be ripped down in the near future just as the mega mansions were demolished
a hundred years ago.
On a lighter note, this home is easy to spot on Google maps, that is, if anyone’s looking for a party to crash.
Just kidding, don’t be doing that. 😊
7 pools! The water consumption! But yet he has the gall to use the word sustainable regarding this awfully obnoxious house. Love this video Nick.
And perched high on a hill with not a plant in sight. The evaporation rate from those seven pools will be sky-high, and the cost of re-filling them astronomical. In a dry place like LA, that's an eco-crime.
So i looked up THE ONE online and it’s had loads of troubles financially and was eventually sold at auction for less than half of what it originally was listed at !!
What fool bought it?
I love the kind of input that you provide and I especially love the wholesomeness of your comments. It makes me laugh when I could tell you. Don't like something but you always find a positive way to say it. Plus, you have a fantastic sense of style and I'm taking notes on everything!
Let's face Nick...this was truly a waste of resources with little or no design payback. You are correct about the views. I also am a designer and my reaction to much of this waste was "eww"! Lots of eye rolling here🤗
So much waste!
Nick’s facial expressions and giggles - this is the most fun home reaction video I’ve ever seen. That house - both obscene and absurd. It deserves to be thoroughly mocked. As does that pretentious (and repulsive) designer.
You are spot on. This house is only a temple to the excess of the one percenters… also raises the question on how they even manage to get that rich. Hint, it’s not from “pulling themselves up by their bootstraps”.
Thanks Nick, this was a fantastic lesson in the difference between being rich and being wealthy. I feel rich in my small 1960s bungalow because it means something to me, I love it and value it. I fill it with things I love and that have significance to me.
That house probably means very little to its owner, except as a way to display wealth. It has no evidence of personalisation (other than the pornography and toilet cams)
🤣 I wouldn’t have wanted to watch this house tour with anyone else but you Nick! Your reactions were hysterical! I almost peed myself when he mentioned sustainability! I actually dropped my IPad when he was so proud of the porn on the walls. I can’t imagine in exactly what ways this house is going to change the world.
The toque/beanie in warm LA pissed me off at the get-go. In south Louisiana, with our French connection, I would say most of the people I know prounounce it "foi-yay"; when I lived in the Northeast for a while, most said "foy-yer".
I'm freezing. One of the coldest homes I've ever seen. Your analysis is right on. This place isn't a house it's a mausoleum.