Source: Frank Frances Studio / Architectural Digest
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are known for keeping things low-key, but the two decided to break their privacy rule to give fans an intimate glimpse into their California mansion and fans can’t get enough.
For the latest cover of Architectural Digest, the power couple has given the world an intimate look at their stunning California mansion, which reportedly served as the inspiration for Tony Stark’s insane bachelor pad in the MCU’s Iron Man movies.
The 11,000 square-foot home in La Jolla, California is a gorgeous, modern home that the couple affectionately refers to it as “Dreamland.” Designed by interior designer Kelly Behun, the breathtaking home is filling it with artworks by various Black artists, a fleet of Ferraris, an infinity pool, and a recording studio tucked away in a space Swizz calls “the grown-up floor.”
“There are many designers who know how to put expensive things into your house, but the soul is missing,” Swizz said. “Kelly has soul.”
Boasting breathtaking views over the Pacific Ocean, Swizz Beatz revealed to the publication that he set his heart on the home long before purchasing it, noting that a photo of which served as his phone wallpaper for eight years before the couple moved in was “incredibly important” to him.
“Every wall in this house, every bit of it, is sculpture,” Swizz Beatz said. “These beautiful ‘S’ shapes, these chevrons going down the hillside, curvatures flying in space over your head. It’s more akin to sculpture than architecture and is incredibly important to me. It’s dearest to my heart.”
The massive and extensive art collection, accumulated over 20 years and totaling more than 1,000 pieces. The couple shared that they made the decision years ago to focus on acquiring pieces by African American and African artists, including works from Kehinde Wiley and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye to Barkley L. Hendricks and Henry Taylor. They also possess a treasure trove of Gordon Parks images—the largest in private hands.
“It really feels like he’s a grandfather to us,” Alicia Keys said. “To be able to keep his collection together and for it to live in the home of Black artists is really very emotional for me.”
Adding his thoughts on the featured art, Swizz Beatz said, “I love that 90 percent of the art in the house is by artists who are now our friends. We’ve broken bread with them, they’ve partied at our house, they’ve spent the night. It’s not transactional for us.”
Check out Architectural Digest’s special inside look below.
