You’ve seen the diamonds. You know the violet eyes, the eight weddings, and the white-hot scandals that fueled the 20th-century paparazzi machine. But when you look at rare elizabeth taylor home life photos, a weirdly different woman emerges. It’s not the Cleopatra goddess dripping in Bulgari. Honestly, it’s a woman who was kind-of obsessed with lavender upholstery, messy desk piles, and dogs that basically ran the house.
The public Elizabeth was a spectacle. The private Elizabeth? She was a nester.
If you scour the archives of 700 Nimes Road—her final Bel Air sanctuary—you won't find a sterile museum. You'll find a home that felt lived-in. There were photos of her children everywhere. Not just professional portraits, but grainy, candid snapshots tucked into the frames of priceless Pissarro and Modigliani paintings. That’s the thing about Elizabeth Taylor; she treated a million-dollar masterpiece with the same casual affection as a child’s drawing.
The Bel Air Sanctuary: Lavender, Dogs, and "Quiet Luxury"
Most people assume her home looked like a movie set. It didn't.
Her last residence at 700 Nimes Road was a 1960s ranch-style house she bought in 1981. It was previously owned by Nancy Sinatra, but Elizabeth made it a temple of comfort. If you look at the elizabeth taylor home life photos taken by photographer Catherine Opie shortly before the star's death in 2011, the vibe is surprisingly "grandma-chic."
We’re talking plush, thick-pile white carpets. Walls covered in a soft periwinkle blue (her favorite color). She worked with designer Waldo Fernandez to create a space that felt soft. She lived there for thirty years, and while the world outside changed, her interiors stayed rooted in a specific brand of 80s California warmth.
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- The "Trophy Room": This is where she kept the Oscars. They weren't behind glass. They sat on a table near her Golden Globes and various humanitarian awards, mingled with "tchotchkes"—tiny animal figurines she collected.
- The Floral Obsession: She demanded color. Her gardener, Nicholas Walker, had to maintain an English herbaceous border that looked like a riot of petals. Inside, there were always fresh flowers, mostly lilies and roses, adding to that heavy, floral scent she loved (and eventually bottled as White Diamonds).
- The "Nerve Center": Her bedroom was the heart of the house. She often conducted business, took phone calls, and even did interviews from her bed. It wasn't laziness; it was her "command center."
Why the 1950s Beverly Hills Photos Feel Different
Earlier elizabeth taylor home life photos from her marriage to Michael Wilding show a different energy. In 1953, they bought a brand-new mid-century house on Beverly Estates Drive. Legend says they actually jumped the fence to look at it before buying.
This house was wild.
It had a wall that literally moved on wheels. Elizabeth used to stay in her bedroom while guests arrived for a party, then—when the timing was perfect—she’d have the wall rolled back for a "grand entrance" into the living room. It was peak Hollywood.
In these photos, you see her as a young mother. There’s a famous shot of her in the kitchen prepping burgers and hot dogs. She’s wearing a velvet dress, looking way too glamorous for a grill, but she’s smiling. You can see the Spanish-style tiles and the red roof of the house in the background. It feels like the "American Dream" on a movie star's budget.
The Legend of the "Bark Wall"
In her 1965 memoir, An Informal Memoir, Elizabeth talked about a house she loved where "one whole wall was built of bark with fern and orchids growing up it." She wanted to blur the line between inside and out.
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She hated stuffy, dark rooms. She wanted light. She wanted stone floors and beigy marble. If you look at candid shots from her time with Mike Todd or her early years with Richard Burton, she’s often lounging on patios or near pools. She was a California girl at heart, even if she was born in London.
The Clutter of a Legend
One thing the elizabeth taylor home life photos reveal—which might surprise the "minimalist" crowd—is that she was a bit of a hoarder of memories.
Her bedside table was a mess.
There were remote control manuals, bottles of perfume, and stacks of books. It makes her feel human. In the 2011 photo series by Catherine Opie, there’s a shot of her shoe closet. It’s not just a row of shoes; it’s a history of fashion. Dozens of pairs of Chanel slingbacks and satin pumps, many in shades of lilac and rose, lined up like soldiers.
But next to the couture? A pair of fluffy slippers.
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Actionable Insights for the Modern Collector
If you’re looking to find or curate your own collection of vintage Hollywood lifestyle imagery, or even just want to bring some "Liz Style" into your home, here’s what to look for:
- Seek the "Candid Archive": Look for photos by Gianni Bozzacchi or Roddy McDowall. McDowall was a lifelong friend, and his photos of Elizabeth at home are some of the most intimate ever taken. They show her without the "armor" of the studio system.
- Color Palette: If you want to replicate her home vibe, go for "Elizabeth Taylor Lavender." It’s a specific, cool-toned purple that she used to highlight her eyes. Pair it with white shag rugs and dark wood accents for that "Old Money" 1980s look.
- The Art of the "Mix": Elizabeth’s home taught us that high art (Pissarros) can live next to sentimental clutter (Maltese terrier figurines). Don't be afraid to display your awards next to your favorite kitsch.
- Invest in "Living" Decor: Her homes always had life. Orchids, ferns, and dogs. If you want a house that feels like hers, it shouldn't be perfect. It should be a little bit chaotic and very colorful.
Elizabeth Taylor didn't live her life for the "aesthetic." She lived for the experience. Her home photos show a woman who was deeply attached to her family and her animals, using her immense wealth to build a fortress of comfort against a world that wouldn't stop staring at her.
Next time you see a photo of her at a gala, remember the "Bark Wall" and the messy bedside table. That’s where the real Elizabeth lived.
Next Steps for Researching Liz's Private Style
- Look for the book "700 Nimes Road" by Catherine Opie. It is the definitive visual record of her home exactly as she left it.
- Search for Milton Greene’s 1950s "Look Magazine" series. These shots of her with her young sons are the gold standard for "Old Hollywood" domestic photography.
- Check the Elizabeth Taylor Archive. Launched in 2015, it contains over 20,000 digitized items, including many personal snapshots that have never been widely published in tabloids.