Maria Sharapova tackled building her L.A. dream house like a true champion.
“I kept telling everyone that I want this to be the best house they’ve ever done,” the tennis great tellsArchitectural Digestof her design team in theJuly/August cover story. “I tried to push their vision because I believe in all of them and want to see them shine.”
But the meticulous 32-year-old athlete and entrepreneur, who isdating Prince William’s friendAlexander Gilkes, wasn’t about to give her pros free reign. “This was my project, and I wasn’t going to delegate any part of it. I was obsessed with the process of making this home,” she says. “I’d jump off a plane from a tournament and go straight to the work site or to the architect’s office or to a kitchen manufacturer.”
“She’s competitive as hell in the best possible way,” admits one of her architects, Grant Kirkpatrick of KAA Design. “To say that she simply collaborated with us does not adequately describe her dedication and influence on the design.”
Douglas Friedman
The modernist, glass-and-concrete home is located near the ocean, but the style is far from beachy or laid-back. Instead, the three-story abode, which features views that stretch “from Palos Verdes to Malibu,” according toAD, has a spare style.
“I’ve traveled all over the world and enjoyed lots of incredible spaces,” she says. “But my home is my absolute favorite. I think that’s the way it should be.”
To read the full story and see more photos, pick up the July/August issue ofArchitectural Digestor visitarchdigest.com.
source: people.com
