Sugar Ray Leonard married his wife, Bernadette Robi, at their gorgeous Pacific Palisades estate. The couple finally put the property on sale in 2021 after living in it for more than 20 years.
In November 2021, Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife, Bernadette Robi, sat down for an interview with Architectural Digest. The couple showed off their Pacific Palisades home in Los Angeles, California.
During the interview, the property's listing agent shared that the home had a lot of antique items, with some of them coming from Italy and other European countries. The idea behind the house was to make it welcoming and not feel like a museum, said Robi.
Sugar Ray Leonard visits Hallmark's "Home & Family" at Universal Studios Hollywood on May 21, 2019, in Universal City, California | Source: Getty Images
The couple felt blessed and happy to have a home where they could raise their children. Describing his magnificent home, which renowned architect Richard Landry designed, the boxer said:
“This is like my sanctuary.”
DESCRIPTION OF THE HOME & WHY THE SALE
The listing agent of the estate, Tomer Fridman of Compass, described the property as one of the most sought-after ones in Los Angeles. He explained that the couple wanted to sell because they were looking for a change and a new chapter in their lives.
COST OF HOME
Robi and Leonard's home was put on the market for a whopping $46.5 million after being bought for $8 million! The couple got married in a lavish ceremony on the grounds, lived in it for more than two decades, and raised their children in the estate.
WHAT THE HOME BOASTS
The home has been used for entertaining friends and family members on the lawns and inside the property. Leonard's Upper Riviera house has nearly two acres of grounds and is 16,000 square feet.
It has 12 bathrooms, seven bedrooms, a wine cellar, a guest house, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a secret garden. The home boasts centuries-old Italian design, Juliet balconies, stone from Jerusalem, groin-vaulted ceilings, fireplaces, and actual plaster.
SELLING THE HOME'S BEST FEATURES
Robi said the Italian-villa-inspired estate would be perfect for a family with many children and extended members. She said people who valued their peace and privacy would thrive in the space.
The former world championship boxer's wife also got the neighborhood excited. She revealed a hiking canyon behind their estate for people who enjoyed walking as there were mountains around and neighborhood residents were friendly, and all knew each other.
THE HOME'S SPECIAL FEATURE
One of the exceptional features of the house is its solarium which stands at the main entryway and has antique Italian columns. It boasts large windows which bring in natural light and overlooks.
DINING, FAMILY & LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN, & GYM
The formal living room has an antique fireplace mantle that comes from Italy. Robi personally chose its full furnishings while visiting Europe and the formal dining room has two French doors that open onto the grounds.
According to Fridman, Landry's bespoke details set the estate apart from other Los Angeles homes. The listing agent said the groin-vaulted corridors took one back to a different time in Italy.
The formal living room continued the use of materials from the other spaces in the home. Antiques were imported and incorporated into Landry's design idea for the property.
One of the living room features is a substantial several hundred-year-old fireplace mantle brought from Italy. The house used warm materials and colors to give that welcoming feel.
The formal dining room has helped host dinners, parties - intimate and otherwise - and gatherings. It has two French doors that open up to the private gardens and let in lots of natural sunlight.
The home's listing agent described the kitchen as its "heart." He shared how its scale was incomparable and felt that the central location was one of the property's best features.
It had a granite island where families could congregate, and it also had access to the backyard. The kitchen also had all kinds of professional-style appliances, a walk-in pantry, and dual sinks.
Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife Bernadette Robi's Los Angeles, California home which they gave "Architectural Digest" a tour of on November 11, 2021 | Source: YouTube/Architectural Digest
The home also has a family room where everyone gathers to watch television. The design elements continue in this space with beamed ceilings, wood corbels, and a large Juliet balcony that overlooks the massive room.
As if that wasn't enough, the estate also has a home gym that was partly Leonard's office space. It shows off all the boxer's accolades over the years, including trophies and awards.
Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife Bernadette Robi's Los Angeles, California home which they gave "Architectural Digest" a tour of on November 11, 2021 | Source: YouTube/Architectural Digest
The gym has doors that open up to the terrace and rows of French doors that open onto the grounds. It features lots of gym equipment, including boxing gloves, weights, and is one of Leonard's favorite spaces in the house.
On the other hand, his wife enjoys the kitchen and family room. She recalled spending a lot of time in the kitchen, especially when her children were younger, and she would cook a lot for them.
Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife Bernadette Robi's Los Angeles, California home which they gave "Architectural Digest" a tour of on November 11, 2021 | Source: YouTube/Architectural Digest
PRIMARY SUITE & BATH, WIFE'S OFFICE
This space holds two primary baths, two closets, and sleeping quarters. It also has an antique fireplace and rows of French doors with Juliet balconies overlooking the expansive grounds.
[Bernadette] Robi wore a Richard Glassco dress with Dior floors and her Van Cleef and Arpels wedding ring cost $340,000.
Robi has her primary bathroom suite with an architecture similar to the home's exterior. It has a marble bathtub, stenciling on the walls, and a shower in the center of both baths, which the couple shares.
Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife Bernadette Robi's Los Angeles, California home which they gave "Architectural Digest" a tour of on November 11, 2021 | Source: YouTube/Architectural Digest
Robi uses her office to run the lifestyle company Born Indigo, which she created with her daughter. She confessed that she spent a lot of time in the space running her business while her husband did the same in his.
THE GROUNDS
Leonard admitted that one of the things he loved the most about the home was the tennis court on the grounds. They've used the settings for hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas events and weddings.
The grounds also have a massive guest house and an even bigger swimming pool, and a more miniature backyard garden. The settings are unique because it is where Robi and Leonard got married.
THE COUPLE'S WEDDING
Leonard and his wife got married in August 1993, with the gardens transformed by 10,000 different colored roses and other flowers flown in from Holland. They were joined by 250 guests, including Vanna White, O.J. Simpson, Maria Shriver, and more.
An airplane flew overhead after the couple said their vows, and it was written, "I love you, Bernadette." Music band, Take 6 serenaded the couple with "Bless this House."
Dinner was served in the secret garden, which boasted hedges, fountains, pillars decorated with greenery, and potted plants. Robi wore a Richard Glassco dress with Dior floors, and her Van Cleef and Arpels wedding ring cost $340,000.
ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb63MqKSapZFjsLC5jmtvbmtha3qqutKim55lo6q0or6Mq5iyZZyavK%2Bt0Z2qZmxmarpussCmoKWxXZ28b7TTpqM%3D