When you think of Elizabeth Taylor, you probably think of the diamonds first. The Krupp diamond, the La Peregrina pearl, the Taylor-Burton—jewelry so heavy it could probably sink a small boat. But for the woman who basically invented modern celebrity culture, her most intimate sanctuary wasn't some cold marble palace in Europe. It was 700 Nimes Road in Bel Air.
She lived there for thirty years. Think about that. In a town where stars swap mansions like they're trading outfits, Taylor stayed put. This Elizabeth Taylor home wasn't just a piece of real estate; it was the physical manifestation of her transition from a screen siren to a global humanitarian and business mogul. It’s where she raised her kids, hid from the paparazzi, and eventually ran a multi-billion-dollar perfume empire from her bedroom.
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Most people assume celebrity homes are staged by designers to look like furniture catalogs. This one wasn't. It was cluttered with memories, weird tchotchkes, and enough lavender-colored fabric to clothe a small army. It felt real.
The Bel Air Sanctuary at 700 Nimes Road
Taylor bought the property in 1981 from Nancy Sinatra. It’s a 1960s-era ranch-style house, which sounds almost modest until you realize it sits on an acre of prime Bel Air soil. Honestly, the layout is kind of sprawling and erratic. It has that classic California "indoor-outdoor" flow, but inside, it was pure Elizabeth.
Walking through the front door, you weren't met with minimalist grey walls. Instead, you saw a house filled with 18th-century English furniture and Impressionist masterpieces. We’re talking Pissarro, Degas, and Renoir just casually hanging on the walls. Her son, Christopher Wilding, once mentioned that the house was always full of dogs and people, which isn't exactly what you expect when there are millions of dollars of art within reach of a wagging tail.
The living room was dominated by a massive, plush sofa. It was white, which seems risky for a woman who loved red wine and had a house full of pets. But that was the vibe. It was high luxury mixed with a "lived-in" messiness that made guests feel like they could actually sit down without asking permission.
The Lavender Room and the Business of Being Liz
If you want to understand the late-era Elizabeth Taylor home experience, you have to look at her bedroom. It was her command center. It wasn't just a place to sleep; it was where she conducted business. By the late 80s and 90s, Taylor was a titan of the fragrance industry. White Diamonds isn't just a perfume; it’s one of the best-selling scents of all time.
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She did her meetings there. She’d be propped up against a mountain of pillows, surrounded by her legendary jewelry collection, making deals that would make a Wall Street broker sweat. The room was famously decorated in shades of lavender and periwinkle to match her eyes. It sounds cliché, but when you’re Elizabeth Taylor, you’re allowed to coordinate your house with your irises.
There was also a dedicated "trophy room." This is where the Oscars lived. She had two for Best Actress—one for Butterfield 8 and one for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?—plus the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. They weren't tucked away in a dusty cabinet. They were part of the daily landscape of the house.
A Garden Built for Privacy
The exterior of the Elizabeth Taylor home was just as important as the interior. She was obsessed with her garden. It featured a tiered waterfall and a pool that looked like something out of a mid-century Slim Aarons photograph.
She had a "secret" garden area where she’d go to escape the world. It was thick with tropical plants and flowers. Taylor was known to spend hours out there. It’s easy to forget that for decades, she was the most famous woman on earth. Privacy wasn't just a luxury for her; it was a survival tactic. The high gates and thick foliage of Nimes Road provided a barrier that the tabloids couldn't easily penetrate.
Photographer Catherine Opie was actually invited into the house after Taylor passed away but before the estate was cleared out. Her photos captured the strange, beautiful reality of the place. She found closets filled with Chanel suits and shelves lined with leather-bound books. There was a weirdly relatable amount of "stuff" everywhere. Remote controls, piles of magazines, and small trinkets that fans had sent her over the years.
The Misconceptions About Her Lifestyle
There’s this myth that Taylor lived like a hermit in her final years. People think she was trapped in a gilded cage. That’s just not true. While she did deal with significant health issues, the house was a hub of activity.
- She hosted legendary Easter egg hunts for her grandchildren.
- The kitchen was constantly churning out Southern-style comfort food (she loved fried chicken).
- It served as an unofficial headquarters for her HIV/AIDS activism work at a time when much of Hollywood was too scared to talk about the epidemic.
Her home was where she felt safe enough to be "Elizabeth" instead of "Liz Taylor." There’s a distinction there. "Liz" was the movie star in the Cleopatra eyeliner. "Elizabeth" was the woman who sat in her garden and watched the birds.
What Happened to the House?
After Taylor died in 2011, the house was put on the market. It sold pretty quickly for about $8.6 million. For a house of that pedigree in Bel Air, that was actually a bit of a steal, though the buyer likely had to invest millions more in renovations.
The interior was eventually gutted and modernized. That's the sad reality of celebrity real estate. The lavender carpets are gone. The Degas paintings are in museums or private collections. The Oscars are likely with her family. But the soul of the Elizabeth Taylor home remains in the stories told by those who visited. It was a place where the biggest star in the world could just be a mother, a grandmother, and a friend.
How to Channel the Taylor Aesthetic in Your Space
You don't need a Bel Air budget to capture the essence of Elizabeth Taylor’s style. It was less about the price tag and more about the "maximalism of the soul." She believed in surrounding yourself with things you love, regardless of whether they "matched" in a traditional sense.
- Prioritize Comfort Over Trends. Taylor’s house was full of deep, overstuffed sofas and chairs. If you can't fall asleep in your living room, it’s not comfortable enough.
- Use Color Intentionally. Pick a signature color that makes you feel confident and use it as an accent throughout your primary bedroom or office. For her, it was lavender; for you, it might be deep emerald or warm terracotta.
- Display Your History. Don't hide your "clutter" if that clutter consists of photos, travel souvenirs, and gifts from friends. Taylor’s home was a roadmap of her life.
- Invest in Lighting. She famously understood that good lighting is the secret to everything. Use warm lamps and avoid harsh overhead LEDs to create a sanctuary-like atmosphere.
- Bring the Outside In. Even if you only have a balcony, fill it with greenery. Taylor’s connection to her garden was a key part of her mental well-being.
To truly understand the legacy of the Elizabeth Taylor home, look for the book 700 Nimes Road by Catherine Opie. It offers a photographic journey through the house exactly as Taylor left it. It is perhaps the most honest look at a celebrity's private life ever published, showing the beauty in the mundane details of a legendary existence. Focus on creating a space that feels like a refuge rather than a showroom. Use textures like velvet and silk to add a sense of luxury to everyday items. Remember that a home should be a collection of your life's experiences, not just a collection of expensive things.