Elton's Los Angeles home
Karen M
Sir Elton John's Hollywood Pad
It's no surprise that Sir Elton John -- who's sold more than 200
million records over his 40-year career -- owns several homes,
including residences in Atlanta, France, Italy, and England. Most
recently, the British pop star and his partner, filmmaker David
Furnish, decided they needed a place in sunny Los Angeles as well. The
couple invited Architectural Digest into their 3,000 square foot
"chrome-and-glass palace," which Furnish dreamed up with the help of
his designer friend Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Since John rose to fame
in the 1970s with hits such as "Rocket Man" and "Crocodile Rock,"
isn't it appropriate that their abode is '70s inspired?
"We love it," says Furnish. "Our goal for this apartment was neither
entertaining nor having houseguests -- it's about function, about us.
As a filmmaker, I needed a base here, as did Elton, who tours a lot on
the West Coast. Though Elton's definitely a maximalist, I, a more
clean-line minimalist, we both wanted something very LA, very '70s, a
la the building's architecture. Immediately, I thought: 'Boogie
Nights.'"
Although John's beau took the lead on the vision for their California
residence, the "Tiny Dancer" singer, obviously, had a couple of small
requests. According to Lawrence Bullard, "Elton just said, 'Color, I
want color.'" (As you can see from the bright green wall in their
sitting room, that's exactly what he got!) He also desired a "period
vibe as backdrop for his [extensive collection of] art and color
photographs."
Photographs are just one of the many celebrated items that John
collects. "Objects have emotion for him," shares Furnish. "As an only
child with working parents, [Elton] spent lots of time alone with his
records and books, all of which are now lined up, pristine, his name
written on the first page, in our Windsor library. The same for the
record collection that he protected with plastic over the album
sleeves, and that inspired him to become the artist he is. These
things gave him love. And our homes, including this beautiful new one,
are our way of curating those things that we love. When you're as
famous as Elton, your homes have to be your sanctuaries," Furnish
continues. "You can't go out in the real world. Consequently, the
mantra behind all our homes is bringing the outside in -- through
things we love."