Celebrity

Take A Peek Inside Joan Rivers's "Ugliest Home" In Connecticut

Molly Riley - Reuters / Klemm Real Estate

When Joan Rivers was alive, she was known as a fashionista who didn't hold back from critiquing celebrities' outfits on Fashion Police.

However, maybe the late comedian should have asked for some decorating advice when styling her 5,000-square-foot country home, which is worth a staggering $6.5 million.

Dubbed the "ugliest home in Connecticut" by friend and designer, Joseph Cicio, you have to take a look this unbelievable estate.

The Exterior

When Rivers bought the house in 2000, she had it completely remodeled, as she likened its original style to a fast-food restaurant.

"This was the ugliest house I'd ever seen. It looked like a Denny's, by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright's who didn't study hard enough," she said.

Even though it wasn't the most glamorous home, it had plenty of redeeming qualities.

For example, it had four bedrooms, four-and-a-hald Carrara marble bathrooms, 22-foot ceilings, 100 year old chestnut wood beams, four fireplaces and more than a dozen French doors.

The kitchen

While Rivers had a beautiful New York penthouse, Cicio said her country house was the exact opposite.

"This look was not my preference and the complete opposite of the aesthetic she wanted for her home in Connecticut," he explained.

"Quality, beauty, detailing, warm earth tones, cozy and curled-up were words describing what Joan wanted. We both shared a love of dogs, which she allowed to jump on everything in the country, so furnishing had to be both attractive and durable," he added.

The dining room

The dining room was where Rivers primarily entertained her guests, and was arguably the most formal room of the house.

It featured a 19th-century French landscape painting over the mantel, and had doors that opened to her terrace and 80 acres of land.

The hallway

Rivers didn't skimp on decorating her hallways either. She had antique mirrors and trompe l'oeil windows, which lined the renovated space, which led to the library and entrance gallery. It showed the residences of family and friends, including Prince Charles' Highgrove.

"It's my homage to Versailles," Rivers had said.  

The living rooms

When Rivers hired Cicio as her interior decorator, he made her promise she wouldn't purchase anything without his approval, but of course, Rivers wouldn't stick to her word.

"Behind my back Joan purchased a massive crystal chandelier in the shape of a ship to hang over her bathtub," Cicio explained.

"At this point the house was virtually done and I suggested she find another designer to finish and take my name off. I guess she respected my conviction; the chandelier ended up in California with her daughter," he added.

Unsurprisingly, one of Rivers' most used rooms in her country estate is exactly what you'd expect.

"Joan spent most times in the area between the kitchen and living room, which served as an entry hall, library and makeshift dining room," Cicio shared.

"It was perfect for large parties with its welcoming fireplace, ample seating and spectacular view of the pool house."

According to Cicio, Rivers had been collecting pieces for her home for years, and was rarely cheap when it came to her decorating expenses.

"Joan worked incredibly hard and if she wanted something, she bought it. I honestly cannot remember her ever saying 'no' to anything I wanted for her new house," Cicio said.

The Bedrooms

According to Rivers, her favorite color was pink, which was prominently showcased in her bedroom.

"The master bedroom was her favorite. She wanted it to be very feminine and decorated in pink and white," the designer shared.

"An intimate portrait of Joan and her dear daughter Melissa hung above the mantel," he continued. "During the renovation, we broke through the ceiling into the large attic space to create a 20"² x 50"² climate-controlled storage area for her vast wardrobe which included many glamorous costumes from her stand-up act."

Rivers also took pride in not only the aesthetics of her bedrooms, but also its comfort.

"Every last detail in the guest suites, down to the sumptuous bed linens, was designed to be gracious and comfortable, but never overtly grand," Cicio said.

"Throughout the house interior walls were insulated to dampen sound. In fact, most rooms were fully upholstered, even the ceilings, with exclusive fabrics from Scalamandré," he added.

Although the home's renovations weren't done overnight, the finished product was something Rivers was proud of.

"Everything outside and inside the house was perfect: lighting, window treatments, music, scented candles, fires glowing in all five fireplaces, the smell of apple pie in the oven, her favorite Cool Whip in the freezer," Cicio said.

To see where other celebrities live, check out the inside of these posh homes:

[H/T: PEOPLE, Architectural Digest]

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