PHOTO: Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi are prolific house flippers in Hollywood.
The couple reportedly have a property portfolio worth a staggering $US450 million ($699.7 million), and have shared renovating and interior design advice in interviews over the years.
Nine’s property team looks back at some of Ellen’s top tips, including the “lucrative” way to add value to your home.
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1. Sell with furniture
“I never buy a house thinking that I’m going to sell it. But, anyway, yes, I learned as I went along that selling them furnished is lucrative,” Ellen told the Los Angeles Times in November 2015.
2. Picture where to put things
Ellen also revealed to the Los Angeles Times a simple, yet often overlooked design detail.
“First of all, start before you move in — envision where, say, your sofa is going to go, where certain pieces will go…. adding that “paint makes all the difference in the world.”
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3. Create a good mood
Ellen shared with People magazine in December 2020 when promoting her book Home that the living spaces she designs have to spark joy.
“When I’m in a room, I want everything I’m looking at to make me happy,” she said. “I’ve gotten better over the years. This didn’t happen to me right away.
“I shop a lot and I study a lot and I look at a lot of books and magazines. I just learned what I like.”
4. Renovate with passion
Ellen’s interest in interior design isn’t new. In fact, she told Architectural Digest in November 2011 that it began as a child.
“We never had a house when I was growing up. We always rented. But my father would dream, and we used to look at houses all the time. I’d pick out which bedroom would be mine and get all excited.”
Ellen’s house flipping success stories
Montecito Tudor-style abode
In October, Ariana Grande said “thank you, next” to her historic two-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Montecito, Santa Barbara, for $US9.1 million ($14.2 million), according to Siteline Santa Barbara and Dirt.
Ariana only lived in the property for two years, buying it off Ellen for $US6.8 million ($10.6 million).
Ellen and Portia bought the home for $US3.6 million ($5.6 million) in 2020 and completed an extensive renovation.
The couple kept the property’s unique beamed ceilings but added in their own design flair with a sleek black, white and timber palette and retro-style furnishings.
Montecito Moorish mansion
In September, Ellen and Portia sold their sprawling Montecito mansion for a whopping $US36 million ($52.8 million), according to SitelineSB and Dirt.
It’s understood Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun bought the property in an off-market deal.
Records show Ellen purchased the estate for $US21 million ($30.8 million), earning herself a tidy profit of $21.9 million with the transaction.
Ellen and Portia completed a stunning renovation of the property, which was built in 2014.
The four-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion is honest to Moorish design.
Moorish architecture is textural ad eye-catching, with colourful tiles, plasterwork and geometric shapes.
It’s understood the design of Ellen’s former home, named Villa Tragara, took inspiration from the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.
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