5 Best Celebrity Bathrooms

The most expensive bathroom may not be the best. An artful blend of form and function is the key. Here are five of the best celebrity bathrooms today

Bathrooms can be as elegant as any room in the house. A tub and toilet are just the beginning.

Fireplaces, saunas, vanity stations, fantastic views or cozy privacy are just a few of the luxury additions celebrities enjoy. The most expensive bathroom may not be the best. An artful blend of form and function is the key. Here are five of the best celebrity bathrooms today.

1. Jenny Craig


Renaissance opulence is the word that describes Jenny Craig’s bathroom in Rancho Santa Fe, California. A large soaking tub is directly opposite a fireplace that looks like it came out of 16th century Florence.

It is decorated with candelabras and other items from the past. The mural of Diana fleeing cupid sets the tone for ancient decadence. The one window has a heavy brocade swag and lace curtains that compliment the golden walls and creamy stone floor. The wooden arched door, cathedral-like skylight and textured walls complete the ambience.

2. Ralph and Ricky Lauren     

The sleek white and steel master bathroom in Manhattan, New York, of Ralph and Ricky Lauren has the opposite décor. Overlooking the Central Park reservoir the one large window looks straight on to the water and the city skyline beyond.

With an artful use of mirrors, the room seems twice its size and has twice the light. The floor and countertop are Thasos marble from the Greek island of Thasos, and the cabinetry is white lacquer. It is a beautiful but practical room, not for leisure.

3. Phil Mickelson



Phil Mickelson’s master bathroom in Rancho Santa Fe, California has all the best features of a bathroom in a luxury hotel suite, but it goes further. The shower is the focal point and it is encased in custom designed mosaics and a curved glass enclosure.

The mosaics were applied by Pietri Bersage who also crafted the mosaics in the Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas. The cream and gold color scheme is beautifully accented by the dark wood cupboards and window frames. There is white Italian marble on the floor and Baccarat crystal and sterling silver fixtures in the custom made vanities.

4. Molly Sims   

Molly Sims harmonizes a beautiful view of her garden with polished stone on most of the surfaces of her master bathroom in Los Angeles, California.

A large window in the rainfall shower and two large windows surrounding the step-up soaking tub bring the freshness of nature indoors. The tub shower and floor are constructed of pale grey stone. It is very elegant yet functional with clean straight lines.

5. Dennis Quaid   

 Dennis Quaid has a more intimate master bathroom in his Pacific Palisades, California home. In the style of a French country estate, the bathroom is elegant but not dramatic. Pale yellow walls with a French limestone floor to match and white trim give a warm, homey ambience.

The white soaking tub and console sink have a classic look from the 19th century. A small vanity is tucked in the corner with attractive lighting and small white upholstered chair. The décor and fixtures are simple and understated creating a relaxing yet elegant bathroom.

Bathrooms reflect personal lifestyle as well as have a practical purpose. These are the five best celebrity bathrooms that blend form and function.

Alicia is an interior decorator and lover of all things Hollywood. Adapting the styles and trends of some of the world's biggest stars is her specialty, bringing the glitz and glamour of celebrities to your own home on a budget. From gold-flaked bathroom paint to spectacular water features that don't cost an arm and a leg, she can turn your home into something special.

Three Gorgeous Celebrity Homes

Many of us can only dream of the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by the rich and famous; their designer wardrobes and luxury car collections inspire sighs of envy, while most celebrity homes seem like endless real-estate playgrounds in comparison to our own properties!

As envious as we might be, we can’t resist an inside look at the latest celebrity home on the market, and all the extravagant luxuries it has to offer…

In recent months, we’ve seen a number of London-born celebrities buying homes overseas as they work towards breaking into the American market; on the other hand, the UK has seen its fair share of big celebrity names leaving the bright lights of Tinseltown to settle in London. If you’ve been looking at high-end property for sale in Hammersmith, there’s a chance you’ll end up socialising with some rather famous neighbours!

Let’s take a look at some of the most elaborate and expensive celebrity homes currently making headlines:

 

UK pop star Cheryl Cole already owns a luxury apartment in Beverly Hills, but the British celebrity has been spotted house-hunting in Los Angeles recently, and rumour has it Cheryl now has her sights set on a luxurious 6000 sq ft home with a $5.5 million price tag!

This celebrity home has six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a games room, fireplaces, a swimming pool and a number of balconies overlooking the city. The beautiful celebrity singer was raised in a Newcastle council estate along with four siblings, so she’s had to work hard for that luxury celebrity home and it’s safe to say she’s earned it!

Naomi Campbell’s boyfriend, Russian billionaire Vladimir Doronin, has offered the iconic supermodel an eco-mansion designed to fulfil her every wish and whim. This luxury celebrity home will be built on Isla Playa de Cleopatra, an island off the coast of Turkey. Naomi’s glass-domed luxury home will boast 25 bedrooms and a sprawling landscaped terrace, and will be completely self-sufficient with eco-friendly energy, heating and water solutions.

That’s not all; architect Luis de Garrido will be designing the unique celebrity home to resemble the Eye of Horus, an ancient Egyptian symbol of royalty and protection.

While these UK celebrities are buying and building homes abroad, A-listers from across the pond are falling for luxury properties in London; most notably, Hollywood couple Angelina recently added a new celebrity home to their extensive collection when they bought a £10 million Richmond mansion.

The property, named Whornes Place, has already served as a holiday home to numerous celebrities, and the Richmond area is home to so many famous faces it’s earned the nickname “Hollywood-on-Thames”! Brangelina have fallen in love with the neighbourhood and their new celebrity home, which combines tasteful antique décor with modern luxuries, including an indoor swimming pool.

Whether they’re settling into a historic London mansion or snapping up ultra-modern property for sale in Saint Tropez, these stars will doubtless be enjoying the ultimate in comfort and luxury once they move into their new celebrity homes!    

Sally Roberts is an enthusiastic writer looking to share news and views with other bloggers.

Celebrities And Their Games Rooms

It is no great secret that the rich and famous like to pick up a pool cue and relax in order to get away from the grueling spectacle of celebrity.

Check out Celebrity Cribs and you’ll see a host of games rooms in mansions in Beverley Hills or the Hamptons. You’ll notice a pool table taking pride of place in them.

Naturally, with the mega millions rolling around the A List celebrities of this world, you are unlikely to find the dingy, beer stained, dead cushioned pool tables that you are going to see standing in the corner of your local bar.

Money will naturally lead to more expensive pool tables of quality and class. Dwight Eisenhower installed four tables in Camp David when he had the opportunity to do so, and you can’t picture anything but perfect nap and polished rails on the ones he put in there.

It is all about quality at the end of the day, and presidents such as Carter, Nixon and Bill Clinton apparently all enjoyed knocking around on the exclusive tables at Camp David as well. Whether or not quality of pool table makes for a better player or not, is totally up for debate, and you’re not going to meet Barack Obama in a bar, trying to hustle you out of $20 to find out.

Former British Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, along with former French Premier Charles de Galle apparently liked a game of pool as well. But unless you become the next Prime PM, President or Royalty of a country, you’re unlikely to know just how well the incumbent President plays on the highly crafted Camp David tables.

Iron Chef Bobby Flay likes nothing more than retiring to his game room to get in a few frames of pool. This is his big relaxation away from the pressures of the kitchen. Flay likes to play against himself in his game room sanctuary, as pool, for Presidents and Iron Chefs alike, offers a way to distress and to get some challenging fun into life.

Hollywood superstar Nicholas Cage is another of the glitterati who likes to close the doors and lock himself away in his games room. His illustrious house out in Beverley Hills boasts an expensive pool table, and it sort of carries on a tradition because Cage’s house used to be owned by crooner Dean Martin who also had a good eye for the game. Pool, it bridges generations and class alike. Actress Eva Longoria also had a big, luxurious game room in her California home as well, with the Desperate Housewife a little bit partial to handling a cue.

The list of famous celebrity pool players go on, from Julia Roberts, Gemma Atkinson, Neve Campbell, Christopher Walken, John Wayne and even Sean Connory liking to retire away and get some cueing action in. If a games room is cool enough for James Bond, then it’s definitely worth having. You can find pictures of these stars getting down at the table, which is something of a humbling sight.

Games rooms housing pool tables in the mansions of the rich and famous really are more common than you may think. Imagine the thousands of dollars being spent on some of the most high quality tables around, and naturally putting them in equally classy surroundings to adorn the room like a showcase centrepiece. It may be like saving up for a table and putting one in your Man Cave in the basement of your own house, but the attraction of the pool table really knows no bounds.

But while the celebrities can splash the cash and afford themselves high quality, you wonder how far they will go. Is nearly $200,000 dollars for a pool table a little too much? The Luxury Billiard table goes for around that, and comes with sights (triangles used for lining up shots) which are inlaid with a choice of gold or platinum. There is even an automatic drawer to house your cues and your balls for safe keeping, and the table features its own built in rack. Press a button and the rack pops up out of the table.

For nearly a couple of hundred grand, that is what money can buy you. Maybe the Obscura Cuelight goes even further, as it projects images on the surface of the table. So when you strike a ball, you can marvel at how it looks like water rippling underneath the moving balls. But it matters not the surface, the money spent on the table, the game, the passion for mastering the art is the same from your basement to the A List mansions and the White House.

This is a guest post written by Lee Jackson. Lee works for Liberty Games an online retailer, specializing in pool dining tables as well as other games room equipment.

Looks like celebrities were very busy towards the middle and end of last year, and the result is a horde of baby celebrities being born in 2011

Although the majority of births seemed to occur during May and June, there’s pretty much been a golden child born every month of the year so far...

January

Flynn Bloom

Son of Miranda Kerr and Lord of the Rings elf Orlando Bloom - his Victoria’s Secret mother gave birth to him without a stitch of medication, and said although the labour was long and difficult, Bloom was by her side the entire time.

February

Winter Morgan Williams

Born to  model turned actress Gretchen Mol and director Tod Williams, Winter also has a brother named Ptolemy – the whole family lives in New York, where Gretchen is filming Boardwalk Empire.

March

Henry Flowers

This is the third child of Killers front man Brandon Flowers and Tana Brooke Mundkowsky. The rocker has two other sons with Tana, named Ammon and Gunner, and the pair married in Hawaii in 2005.

April

Waylon Albert Blackjack Jennings 

Desperate Housewives actress Drea de Matteo gave birth to son Waylon this year. He’s her second child with singer Shooter Jennings, best known for his psychedelic and southern rock pursuits.

May

Agnes Lark Bettany

Born to actor parents Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany (they met while working on A beautiful Mind) – Agnes is Jennifer’s third child, and she’s stated in interviews that her and Paul plan to make many babies.


June

Willow Sage Hart

Born to punky pop star Pink and motocross racer Carey Hart, Willow is the subject of Pink’s Tweets often. The famous tot appeared in a photo shoot with her parents one week after being born, and pretty much slept through the whole thing.

July

Arthur Saint

This is Selma Blair and fashion designer Jason Bleicks’ first child and they’re said to be ecstatic. The name generated a lot of interest as Arthur is notably popular in Britain as opposed to America, and there’s not much explanation as to the Saint part.

August

Haven Garner

Jessica Alba gave birth to daughter Haven Garner this year. It’s her second child with producer husband Cash Warren, and they already have a daughter named Honor Marie. Jessica was eager to Tweet the news that Honor would be a big sister when she found out she was pregnant.

Jacky Letard is an online content writer and enjoys looking after her health. That's why she specialises in writing health articles and currently focuses on patrick holford products and the amazing qualities of manuka honey.

Top 5 Swimming Pools of the Rich and Famous

People started getting pools as a luxury for their home after the end of World War II, prior to this, the only swimming time people used to get was in public swimming baths, lidos, or of course, in the sea. Ever since, celebrities and the rich have created their ideal pools in their back gardens.

Here are what we think are the top 5 celebrity pools.

Playboy Mansion

Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion has one of the most iconic pools known in the celebrity world and has played host to some of the most famous celebrities of Hollywood. The image of the pool is never quite complete without a bow-tied playboy bunny splashing around.

Sylvester Stallone




As impressive as it is, what makes this pool special is the bronze "Rocky Balboa" statue at one end symbolizing one of the roles that got him to where he is now. His home in Miami is decorated in a self idolizing manner, but we'll forgive him, he's Rambo and he has styled the pool in a historical Olympian feel.

Ryan Seacrest

The "hardest working man in Hollywood" needs a place to relax after the hard work presenting American Idol and X-Factor USA, and relax he can in one of the most spectacularly simplistic pools of the celebrity world. A sleek professional look within a flourishing garden and overlooks some spectacular scenery. The perfect place to come and relax after a hard days being a celebrity.

Ralph Lauren

The legendary clothes designer's home in Jamaica is a tropical paradise topped with a beautiful pool in the middle. Reminiscent of a luxury oasis, the pool is as eloquently designed as you'd expect from one of the worlds most famous designers.

John Travolta

 

The man that has played some of the biggest roles in Hollywood, and some of the fastest straight to DVD movies has no doubt been a huge success over his career spanning 35 years, which is fairly representative when you look at his home. The only problem is the pool is slightly overshadowed by having his own runway fit for his own Boeing 707 in his back garden.

There are many swimming pool companies that can make you a top quality swimming pool, but the designers of these will be a mix of interior designers, architects and xen professionals to create the perfect pool. As money is not a problem for some of these celebrities the perfect pool really is achievable.

Andy is currently working at a swimming pool pump and filters company, specialising in energy saving pool equipment, as swimming pools use a lot of energy and we don't use them too often.

Five Minutes of Fame and Where Are They Now?

Reality TV is all the rage these days with shows such as X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent attracting millions of viewers. Granted there have been many success stories with stars such as Leona Lewis and JLS achieving world-wide fame, but whatever happened to the bulk of other contestants?
Individuals, duos and groups who were once adored on TV have vanished off the face of the earth. So, the question remains – where are they now?
1. Hear’Say

Hear'Say Image Source
Think back to a time before The X Factor, when Popstars was the show to watch. Winners Danny Foster, Myleene Klass, Suzanne Shaw, Noel Sullivan and Kym Marsh were thrown into a band together and Hear’Say was born – what a disaster that was. Despite a few chart-topping hits – notably their debut single Pure and Simple – Hear’Say broke up after just 18 months citing pressure and public abuse.
2. One True Voice

One True Voice Image Source
Surely everyone knows Girls Aloud, but who can remember One True Voice? Both bands were formed on Popstars: The Rivals and went head to head for the Christmas 2002 number 1 spot. Unfortunately for the boys, the girls topped the singles chart with Sound of the Underground and the guys were left to fizzle out.
3. Steve Brookstein (series one)

Steve Brookstein Image Source
Despite a few scuffles with Sharon Osbourne, Steve Brookstein sang his way to the top and won the first series of The X Factor. Crowned King of the show, Brookstein was elated, however, was dropped from his Sony BMG label eight months later. By 2007 he was performing on the Portsmouth to Bilbao P&O cruise ferry and apparently was seen gigging in a pub – what a fall from grace.
4. Andy Abraham (series 2)

Andy Abraham Image Source
Andy Abraham may not have won the second series of The X Factor, but he certainly won the heart of the nation. A former bin man, Andy took plenty of rubbish from the judges but soon won them over with his voice and charisma. Andy has since represented the United Kingdom on the Eurovision Song Contest, but unfortunately came joint last.
5. Leon Jackson

Leon Jackson Image Credit
You really would be forgiven for thinking X Factor winner Leon Jackson had fallen down a hole. After winning the fourth series of the reality show, Leon achieved an obligatory number 1 single, before disappearing into the background. He may randomly appear somewhere in the future with a brand new, generic pop song, but for now? Who knows!
6. Rhydian Roberts

Rhydian Roberts Image Source
Who could forget Rhydian Roberts, The X Factor’s welsh rock-opera star with bleached blonde hair and an intense stare? Quite the character, Rhydian was one of the most popular contestants on series 4 and belted out his own rendition of songs like The Phantom of the Opera. Since the show he has become a patron of The Prince’s Trust and even posed nude for Cosmopolitan to bring about awareness of testicular cancer.
7. Joe McElderry

Joe McElderry Image Source
Like so many others before him, The X Factor winner Joe McElderry has managed to disappear into the distance. Unfortunately for him, McElderry’s debut single was beaten to the Christmas number 1 slot by Rage Against The Machine’s Killing in the Name. He has since come out as gay (to very little surprise) and seems to have vanished forever.
8. Stevie Starr

Stevie Star Image Source
Britain’s Got Talent is another reality TV show which reveals some completely jaw-dropping acts. Human Regurgitator Stevie Starr shocked audiences when he swallowed and brought back up a whole number of objects including Amanda Holden’s ring and a pool ball – Needless to say he didn’t win!
9. Happiness

Most Amazing Dancer vs Britain's Got Talent Judges Video Credit
Irish contestant Happiness became a YouTube sensation after her crazy dance to the song Scatman on Britain’s Got Talent. Prancing, spinning, jumping and twirling around the stage without a care in the world, Happiness certainly enjoyed her short but sweet moment of fame.
10. Stavros Flatley


Stavros Flatley Image Source
Britain’s Got Talent finalists Stavros and Flatley achieve great success on the show with their Greek Irish dancing. A father and son act with the ability to have fun, the pair didn’t win the show, but they have now released a book entitled “How to be a Little Bit Greek”- Genius.
So there you have it, ten acts which certainly enjoyed their five minutes of fame.

This guest article was produced and provided on behalf of Show and Stay; where you can enjoy a London theatre break that last longer than 5 minutes.

Bruce Lee, The Greatest Martial Arts Movie Star

Bruce Lee is still to this day in my opinion the great martial arts movie star. Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Tony Jaa may be good, but they still do not look as stylish a Bruce Lee.

Bruce Lee was much more than just a martial arts actor, and this gave him a big advantage. He had a great sense of space and made an excellent film director, he was a choreographer and a writer. He was also a great thinker, having studied philosophy. But most of all Bruce Lee was an amazing martial artist - not an actor who learn to look flamboyant on stage, but a real fighter who could act. There is a big difference. Bruce dedicated his time and his physical training to making himself a better fighter. He did this by challenging the traditional ways that kung-fu had been taught for centuries in China and started applying new ideas that he had learned from fitness and strength training.

Bruce Lee was not a Bodybuilder

Many people think that Bruce Lee became a bodybuilder because of his amazing physique. But this was not the case at all. He developed a body that was better for fighting. Bruce Lee was the first practitioner of kung-fu to learn the importance of strong and powerful muscles in improving striking power and endurance.

While many martial arts would train to hit hard, Bruce Lee felt that they were never reaching their true potential as they only ever trained in the traditional ways which involved a lot of static stance work and calisthenics. Standing in horse stance or balancing on your finger tips may be effective at making you a better fighter but Bruce determined that they were not going to make him the best fighter. For that he needed to develop his muscles.

Weight Training for Power and Speed

So Bruce Lee adopted weight training principals to develop himself physically. There was a common held myth that larger and bulkier muscles slowed a fighter down, which was the excuse many used for not adding weight training to their training regime. However, Bruce Lee’s research led him to believe that developing stronger muscles did not have to mean that he would be slowed down.

Bruce Lee was a very practical man, so he trained hard in the gym, experimenting with different weight training methods, and constantly trained his fighting skills to ensure that he was not being negatively affected by increased muscle mass. Anyone who sparred with Bruce Lee can testify that he certainly did not get slower. In fact, if anything he got faster.

In the fight scenes in Enter The Dragon we see Bruce Lee at his best. He is strong, his muscles ripped and he is lightning quick. Bruce Lee mastered the art of martial arts cinema as well as developing radical new approaches to martial arts training. A true legend of our times.

Jon Wade has written at length about Bruce Lee training on MotleyHealth.com where you can find information about his weight training, kickboxing, stretching routines and also his diet. You can also study muscle diagrams to learn which exercises to focus on the build specific muscles. If you have any questions feel free to ask away, there is always someone to answer your questions.

Condom Company Donates 365 Days Worth of Condoms to American Pop Star

Condom powerhouse NuVo is known for taking a strong stand against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases for young adults. The company has already donated over 200,000 condoms to young adults this year alone.

NuVo condoms have not even hit store shelves yet, slated for national release in the autumn, but are available online now. However, the brand has poised itself as a front-runner in the fight against unwanted STD’s or pregnancies in the nation’s youth and this recent course of action will raise a few eyebrows, but also get teens and young adults excited about the idea of safer sex.

Two of Hollywood’s biggest teenage stars, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, are currently at the top of the “It” list for teen couples. With such a following of the young couple and two hot careers to protect, the couple is aware of the need for condom protection in their relationship. NuVo decided to take the guesswork out of the couple’s relationship by sending Justin Beiber 365 free condoms, one for every day of the year.

The company sees the need for safe sex in this particular couple as well as the chance to have Selena and Justin as positive role models to young adults and teens, which may be thinking about or have already become sexually active. If teens see these “idols” promoting safe sex, they are more likely to view the practice as cool and join the movement for sexual health in today’s youth.

NuVo not only wants to use the couple as proof that undertaking safe sex is ‘cool’, though. The company produces high-quality condoms packaged in a cool, urban edgy packaging. Promising to be a competitively priced product of great quality and an attractive look, NuVo intends to take the market by storm.

The products on offer from this company include; lubricated condoms (Lube), ultra-thin condoms for maximum closeness (Nude), and XXL- the condom for males who need a larger fit. NuVo also sells a combination packet, called LIQuid, which contains lubricated condoms and an extra packet of lubricant for the ultimate sensation.

Summary

Focusing on a younger genre of consumers, NuVo condoms has set its sights on safe sex. The company hopes to capture the attention of sexually active youths who may not be already using condoms. By sending Justin Beiber 365 condoms, enough for a year of safe sex, NuVo has placed itself in the limelight.

The company expects that many fans will look on this relationship between Selena Gomez and Beiber as something to strive for in their own lives. If Gomez and Beiber go on record as to being safe-sex partners, there is a huge chance that many other young couples will follow suit, and this means that the potential to stop the spread of STD’s is huge. It is the desire of the NuVo brand to make using condoms cool because they know there is nothing cool about STD’s or unplanned pregnancies.

This article was written by Robert Kirk from Johnnys In A Jiffy. A UK online company who sell a full range of durex condoms and lubrications.

The Celebrities’ Designer Choice This Year

Celebrities have been known to be responsible for surges of demand of particular brands and products and it has been no different with sunglasses this summer.

Celebrities have been shopping in their forces to get hold of the must have sunglasses for this summer. True to form, they are designer and come with the associated price tag, but if you’re into looking your best and having a piece of the celebrity lifestyle, then sunglasses are a great place to start.

Tell me! What sunglasses?

The celebs have been chasing one brand more than others this year. Miu Miu glasses have been flying off the store shelves in record numbers. Miu Miu, famed for their bags carried by celebrities such as Fearne Cotton, Kate Bosworth and Natalie Portman. Miu Miu also have a full range of ready to wear womenswear, but don’t be fooled, the brand have a strong focus on their eyewear department. The Miu Miu frames embody classic chic and have propelled the oversized sunglasses trend to a new level.

Who’s been wearing them?

Photos of Kate Moss, Rachel McAdams, Ashley Olsen, Paris Hilton and Jessica Alba have all come in this year of these high fashion celebrities hiding behind their oversized Miu Miu frames. With countless celebrities endorsing the brand, it’s easy to see how Miu Miu are now competing against brands such as Chanel, which had such a large share of this market previously.

Tell me more about the actual glasses!

Well, there a variety of models available, all in the premium price category. The Miu Miu must haves are competing with Prada, Chanel and Gucci to be the top selling sunglasses on the market. Luckily for Prada though, who own Miu Miu, are starting to see significant revenue being brought in for the group. If you want to be specific, Paris Hilton chooses the MU021S frames which are the peak of oversized trend. They come in a variety of different hues to suit any colour palette you plan to be wearing this season.

Should I make the investment?

Although pricey, Miu Miu eyewear is timeless and supports the overall oversized trend, rather than a specific niche of it. This means a pair of designer sunglasses are likely to stay ‘hot’ for seasons to come, and the outstanding quality is sure to keep them protecting your eyes and making you look good for years after purchase. Like ‘dogtooth’ and quality luggage items, good sunglasses will stand the test of time. Due to their popularity, you can luckily find Miu Miu frames in a variety of outlets across the country, and online for the best prices. It could be time to treat yourself and in what better way?

About the Author: Francesca is an amateur model and fashion writer specialising in designer glasses.