Back in 2018, controversial and currently demonetized YouTuber Shane Dawson paid about $3 million for his current residence, a gated estate in the outskirts of Calabasas. The Long Beach, Calif. native — who was one of the very first people to strike it rich as a bonafide YouTube celebrity and, until his epic fall from grace last summer, reigned as one of the platform’s biggest stars — subsequently turned his attention to offloading his L.A. starter house, a vaguely Mediterranean-style villa nestled into the steep hills above Studio City. The property sold in May ’19 for exactly $2 million to fashion exec Maria Tomei Borromeo, records reveal.
Following less than two years of ownership and a home renovation, Borromeo has flipped the former Dawson estate for $2.6 million. And this time, the buyer is another famous name — Leona Lewis, the English singer-songwriter and occasional actress best known for the 2007 smash hit “Bleeding Love,” and its accompanying album “Spirt,” which ranks as one of the biggest musical success stories of the 2000s. Since then, the “X Factor” alum has appeared on Broadway in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” musical, scored a recurring role on short-lived TV series “The Oath,” and bagged three Grammy nominations, among various other accolades.
Lewis has owned several Los Angeles homes over the years, including an equestrian ranch in Glendale that was dispatched in 2019 for $2.3 million, and a Hidden Hills property that she sold last year for $3.9 million to her former mentor and longtime friend, fellow expat and ever-sassy reality TV show judge Simon Cowell.
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Image Credit: VistaSir.com The former Dawson estate lies off a twisty mountain lane, set privately down a long sloped driveway and behind security gates. At the base of the drive lies a detached two-car garage plus an adjoining pedestrian gate that provides access to a central courtyard area with a swimming pool and inset spa.
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Image Credit: VistaSir.com In an unusual setup, guests must traipse down the driveway and directly past the pool to reach the home’s front door. But inside, their journey is richly rewarded with a trendy designer showcase of soothing neutral colors, including creamy white walls, white oak hardwood floors, and whitewashed beamed ceilings. All the interiors are sunkissed with natural light via foldaway glass doors.
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Image Credit: VistaSir.com Listing details are tight-lipped about many of the home’s amenities, but some of the more notable features include a skylit kitchen with top-of-the-line stainless appliances and quartzite countertops, a beautifully tiled outdoor patio with views over the San Fernando Valley, and a seemingly “floating” staircase that winds up to a treehouse-style master suite with a corner fireplace and bird’s-eye views over the Valley’s city lights.
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Image Credit: VistaSir.com -
Image Credit: VistaSir.com -
Image Credit: VistaSir.com -
Image Credit: VistaSir.com Stefani Stolper Schmacker of Compass and Jon Grauman of The Agency jointly held the listing; Benjamin Stewart-Kruger of Hilton & Hyland repped Lewis.
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Image Credit: VistaSir.com -
Image Credit: VistaSir.com