A natatorium nestles in the center of this $17.9 million home, once owned by Italian-born Cullen oil-heir Baron di Portanova. The 1968 house was expanded to more than double its size in the 1970s to enclose the backyard after the baron was unable to buy a famous Manhattan club for his wife as a birthday present. The 21,500 sq. ft. mansion has also reportedly hosted an extensive cast of characters, including a helicopter drop-in by James Bond (as played by Sir Roger Moore). The home contains 8 bedrooms, 9 full baths, and 3 half baths, and was listed on HAR in 2014 for 4 days; it was relisted in May of 2015 with a $1 million price drop.
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Circular driveway offers plenty of parking space, or room for landing:
Neoclassical elements include the structure’s many columns:
Marble floors start in the entryway and carry throughout the rest of the house:
Chandeliers are the lighting of choice:
The formal dining room provides space for lots of seating:
A wine cabinet and bar hang out together just off the dining room:
Here’s the first of several sitting rooms opening into the pool area:
The study features wood paneling and floors, and offers a bit of seclusion from the open floorplan rooms:
The open kitchen leads into a small dining area:
The second floor landing is topped by a painted dome ceiling, hosting another crystal chandelier:
One of many bedrooms has a painted tray ceiling and French doors leading out onto the interior terrace overlooking the pool:
A soaking tub in one of the bathrooms is flanked by windows and a pair of vanities:
The upstairs terrace overlooks the pool area:
The pool is lit by an additional 3 chandeliers; peaked skylights sit above a series of 2nd-story murals depicting sky:
Numerous planters hold greenery around the saltwater pool:
Additional landscaping surrounds the house:
- 2115 River Oaks Blvd [HAR]
Photos: HAR
How do you change the lights on those chandeliers? Enormous ladder with the bottom half in the pool?
Reminds me of when Pee Wee Herman battled Francis in his bath tub.
That place saw some great parties back in the ’70’s and ’80’s.
Kind of tacky inside. Great exterior architecture.
Man, the Di Portanovas really knew how to party! The Houston social scene was never quite the same after the Baroness Sandra’s death in 2000. They also owned Arabesque, a fabulous villa in Acapulco, which is featured in the James Bond movie License to Kill.
It really is spectacular. Just think how dazzled a young man hustling on Westheimer would have been to see that back in the day. That’s the rumor anyway for all you new to Houston folks.
@Spoonman- the chandeliers raise up& down- the staff uses a small inflatable to change the bulbs. I have a friend (an electrical engineer) who configures/designs security systems for Federal,State,City,County government agencies all over the USA / commercial clients : banks, the Federal Reserve, corporations, hotels, shopping centers /retail locations and private residential clients, etc. We went to dinner one night , w hen he asked if I wanted to swing by one of his private residential client’s homes. Of course I said ” Yes “. We pull up to the DiPortanovas manse -the above pile. Big German dogs run up to the gate , my friend starts talking to the dogs , they run back to where they came from; he enters the gate code. We roll up to the front door; the security personnel greet us at the door. Sandra & Enrico (Rick) DiPortanova were out of the country . My friend did some checking of the system-which is VERY extensive..VERY James Bondish.. Enrico DiPortanova was the intended target of a kidap plot in the 1960’s. After that he was VERY concerned with his security ( rightfully so ). He got my friend to configure and over see the installation of the super high tech security/monitoring system. Needless to say , Sandra and Enrico were VERY well guarded/protected. The house is immense and . And though not my style / taste of decor, it was VERY well done. The best of the best. The current owners kept some of the original finishes /materials /floor plan -layout. @roadchick : Yes their home in Acapulco- Villa Arabesque, was in the movie, ‘ License to Kill ‘ . Spectacular and jaw dropping are two words that describe Villa Arabesque – the Acapulco Bay views are amazing. It encompasses over 40,000 square feet. -Money goes a LOT further in Mexico.
The rugs are absolutely beautiful and very impressive. Scrolled through several times to admire them.
My Fathers company did the remodel that doubled the size of the mansion by encoding the pool area with the glass roof and added the guest quarters behind the pool. We also did a facelift and some remodeling of the main house. I remember dragging a ladder out in the pool to change the bulbs myself as a kid before they were made to be lowered. I was quite young the. But my lips turned blue from the water being so cold.
My father was hired to oversee the construction of the place in Alcapulco as well. Lots of stories and a lot of memories.