Thanks to his dedication and savvy mind, Bill Gates turned his vision into reality and made personal technology an integral part of society. Today, he serves as a board member and technology advisor at Microsoft, a successful author, and arguably the greatest philanthropist.
Bill Gates’ net worth of $88.9 billion enables him and his family to live in a home that goes beyond any imagination. The 66,000 square foot estate is located on Lake Washington’s shore in Medina, Washington. Nicknamed Xanadu 2.0, after the estate of the main character of Citizen Kane, the mansion is designed by James Cutler and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in a Pacific Lodge style. The house’s lakeside provides magnificent views of the lake and Seattle. Gates purchased the extravagant property for $2 million in 1988 and today, it’s estimated at $124 million. The lavish house has 24 bathrooms, seven bedrooms, and six kitchens situated in different parts of the mansion.
Cutting-edge technology is the key element in the estate. Everyone who enters the house gets a special sensor chip with a pin that adjusts the lighting and temperature based on their preferences. There are also speakers hidden in the wallpaper which enable the music flow from room to room.
The artwork on the walls can be changed with a touch of a button, thanks to the $88,000 worth computer screens which store paintings and photographs on storage devices worth $150,000.
There is a separate pool building with a 17-by-60 foot swimming pool. The pool building is spread on 3,700 square-feet and features a locker room with four showers and two baths.
The most notable part of the estate is the paneled 2,100 square-foot library with two secret bookcases; one of which reveals a hidden bar. The ceiling of the library contains a line from Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ – ‘He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close he could hardly fail to grasp it.’ The library houses the Codex Leicester, a 16 century manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci, which the billionaire bought for $30.8 million at an auction in 1994.
As if all of the abovementioned amenities are not extravagant enough, there’s also a trampoline room with a 20-foot ceiling. It’s part of the exercise area, spread on a 2,500 square-foot area. The workout zone includes a gym, a steam room, a sauna, and separate men’s and women’s locker rooms. The grandiose home features a home theater designed in Art Deco style with 20 seats and a popcorn machine.
Right next to the mansion, there’s a guest house. The 1,900 square-foot building features one bedroom and one bathroom.
The home is earth-sheltered – it uses its natural surroundings as walls for temperature in order to reduce heat loss. Outside the house, there’s an artificial stream stocked with salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout. The estate also has a private beach, and its sand is imported from the Caribbean.
We’d expect nothing less from one of the richest men in America. For the latest celebrity net worth and lifestyle news, make sure to check out CelebJury daily.
