The New Castle is Malibu’s most expensive residence, listed at $85 millionCourtesy of Unvarnished
You could call Scott Gillen a magician. Not in the traditional pull a rabbit out of a hat sense—more like turning “s**t” into something spectacular (the grandest illusion of all).
The New Castle estate sits on a precious parcel above an iconic bluff where a Scottish castle once stood.Courtesy of Unvarnished
He waves his wonder wand of imagination all over Malibu, California’s spellbinding hillsides, his grand stages. Malibu is where Gillen, celebrity developer, designer and CEO of firm Unvarnished, conjures up extraordinary dream estates from his architectural bag of tricks. More than virtually anyone else, Gillen (who’s developed homes for actors Matthew Perry, David Duchovny and Kip Pardue) has jacked up Malibu’s real estate market, which averages around $3.7 million per sale.
Great Rooms are designer Scott Gillen’s signature feature. The New Castle Great Room is his largest yet.Courtesy of Unvarnished
Unvarnished has built 23 locally-sourced, handcrafted properties in Malibu in the last 13 years. In 2017, the firm purchased 24 acres above Malibu Colony for a record $50 million, which by 2020, will become “Case,” a future residential enclave of five mid-century modern homes (ranging from 10,500 to 13,500 square feet), starting at $40 million.
The New Castle’s massive Great Room is 120 feet long with glass walls.Courtesy of Unvarnished
Gillen’s latest exploit turned an eyesore faux Scottish castle atop another iconic bluff into a one-of-a-kind, contemporary architectural magnum opus called “The New Castle,” Malibu’s priciest listing at $85 million. How does Gillen do it? Like magic, it was slight of hand and ingenuity. Observe closely, for there’s always more than meets the eye.
A custom 31-foot Minotti couch (among the luxurious furnishings in The New Castle) offers stunning ocean vistas.Courtesy of Unvarnished
The New Castle’s moniker is inspired by a garish former Scottish-style castle which rested upon this perch for 40 years—as the lavish playground of socialite-philanthropist Lilly Lawrence (daughter of an exiled Iranian oil minister), who hosted wild parties here. Nicknamed “the paper mache castle,” that infamous estate was incinerated in a fire—a casualty neighbors won’t miss. Now you see it, now you don’t.
Living room with south-facing ocean view amid infinity edge pool that cascades into a two-story waterfall.Courtesy of Unvarnished
Rising from those ashes, The New Castle is a 15,500-square-foot, last-of-its-kind spec mansion and guesthouse atop this picturesque roost, constructed just before Malibu’s anti-mega mansion codes kicked in. The listing is held by Branden Williams of Hilton & Hyland as well as Sandro Dazzan and Brittany Monforte of Coldwell Banker.
Wide open layout of Bulthaup kitchen with gorgeous hand-sanded and hand-painted beamsCourtesy of Unvarnished
“All of Malibu looks up to this iconic piece of land,” says Gillen, a 30-year Malibu resident. “The castle that was here before was an eyesore and built like s**t. It would be one thing if it was built with real stone, but when the fire came this ‘Scottish castle’ went down instantly. My sole purpose here as a resident and a designer is to change the landscape in which we live. [One day], when I’m gone, someone’s going to say ‘Scott Gillen built that house.’ ”
Dining area amid dry-aged oak floors.Courtesy of Unvarnished
On a cul-de-sac at the end of a 400-foot-long double-gated driveway, the five-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom, fully-furnished estate offers wide open living areas, a massive 120-foot-long Great Room (with floor-to-ceiling ceiling glass walls), and a 75-foot infinity edge pool that cascades into a two-story waterfall down the side of the house to a lower deck (where there’s a screening room and a game room).
The New Castle boasts five bedrooms (and five-and-a-half bathrooms), including this panoramic master.Courtesy of Unvarnished
An additional two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom guest house covers 4,000 square feet with a gym, cold plunge spa, another Great Room, and a Bulthaup kitchen. In fact, there are two luxury kitchens on The New Castle estate.
The main residence is highlighted by a $1.5 million art collection as well as a $1 million, handcrafted teak wine room that showcases 440 Napa Valley-curated wine bottles and connects to a ventilated cigar lounge. Gillen calls this centrally-located room “a glass Rubix Cube,” as it presents views of the ocean through the entire residence. The master bath, with its black walnut matte-finish tub, is a soaking sanctuary with jetliner views.
Master bathroom with black walnut matte-finish tub.Courtesy of Unvarnished
The estate’s green design includes organic paint, a Tesla charging station, and even a butterfly sanctuary. Locally-sourced custom materials include a hand-hewn teak dining table, 80-year-old dry-aged oak floors, and a one-of-a-kind, 31-foot Minotti couch atop a custom plush rug.
The New Castle’s centralized teak wine room (a.k.a. “Rubix Cube”) can store up to 440 bottles of fine wine.Courtesy of Unvarnished
Gillen’s signatures (Great Rooms and “Made in the USA” materials) also feature artful detailing like teak woods, and hand-sanded and hand-painted beams—crafting a natural industrial overhead vibe that dances seamlessly with sleek furnishings and appliances below. The former TV commercial director knows the unvarnished truth—fancy tricks make a big splash but subtle, harmonious details are the key to exceptional visual aesthetics.
Large open officeCourtesy of Unvarnished
“I only use materials that will stand the test of time,” says Gillen. “Materials [must] play together and be seamless. If not, there’s no softness to it. It’s tough to merge the different materials [so they don’t] fight each other, but that is the trick. It has to be very seamless all over. I hope and feel my designs are more timeless—whether that be the home, space, or furniture. I want to come back 10 years from now and be proud of what I built.”
An entrance showcases unique teak woods and handcrafted beams.Courtesy of Unvarnished
Gillen’s estates boast south-facing panoramas for sunrises, sunsets—and in The New Castle’s case, vistas of a bridge, lagoon, Surf Rider Beach, and Queen’s Necklace (the illuminated Santa Monica Bay crescent that sparkles like a jeweled necklace at night). “The view belongs to The New Castle, as it has no neighbors and nothing interfering with your line of site. Gillen markets his estates with monikers like “The What,” “The Who” (no, not the rock band), “The Cliffside Dume House,” and now “The New Castle.” There’s no doubt about who or what this estate represents.
“My goal is for whoever buys this house to understand it, get it, and love it for what it is,” says Gillen. “I can say without a doubt this is best built home in Malibu. You will never be able to build a home of this magnitude in Malibu ever again.”
Maybe Gillen did pull a rabbit out of a hat after all.