What is the first thing that comes to mind when you say "the best house in the world"? I would venture to suggest that the place where the parents live. However, the best does not always mean the most beautiful.
Whether you're a traditionalist who loves epic castles, or a modernist who appreciates the clean lines of minimalism, our selection of the world's most beautiful homes has options for your taste.
10. Updown Court, England
This private residence located just outside London is actually larger than Buckingham Palace. Yes, there is a man in good old England who owns a house larger than that of the Queen of England.
The 103-room mansion is surrounded by 58 acres (234,718 sqm) of landscaped gardens and woodland. It features five pools, a fully automated two-lane bowling alley and a 50-seat cinema with its own bar.
In 2005, Updown Court was the most expensive private house in the world, its price was 138 million dollars. Its current estimated cost is over $ 150 million.
9. Acqua Liana, USA
It seems strange to name a mansion with a total area of 1400 sq.m. "Green". However, if you consider the large number of solar panels installed in an area the size of a basketball court, you will probably agree that this Florida home earned its title for a reason. Their installation cost 120 thousand dollars, but what can't you do for the sake of nature?
In addition, Acqua Liana includes a water supply system that uses only waste water and energy-efficient lighting that reduces energy consumption by 70 percent compared to houses of the same size.
There is even an automated biofeedback system that allows the owner to monitor resource consumption in real time.
And so that no eco-maniac "digs in", we add that the house was built using reclaimed (recycled) timber to save 10 acres of Brazilian rainforest.
The most beautiful home in the world (eco-friendly, of course) includes every comfort you can imagine. This includes seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, a wine cellar, a relaxing spa and a pool bar.
8. Fleur De Lys, USA
The house, whose name translates as "Lily Flower", is so beautiful that singer Mariah Carey was once going to buy it (she eventually turned down the deal).
This huge mansion in Los Angeles of 3,716 sq.m. and 20 thousand sq. m. The land was built by order of billionaire David Seperstein. When creating it, the architects were inspired by the appearance and interiors of the Palace of Versailles Louis XIV.
It contains 12 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms for a large number of guests, as well as a wine cellar for 3 thousand bottles.
7. Villa Leopolda, France
In the photo of the most beautiful houses in the world, you can often see La Leopolda, or Villa Leopolda. It is a magnificent structure, built in 1902 for Caroline Lacroix, the favorite (and future wife) of King Leopold II.
The luxurious villa was featured in the films "Red Shoes" in 1948 and "To Catch a Thief" in 1955. It is considered a historical monument in France. Every day, 50 full-time gardeners tend to the vast gardens of olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees.
Curiously, La Leopolda was not always home to the exceptionally rich and famous. During World War II, the villa was used as a military hospital for wounded soldiers.
6. New Colonial, USA
This is one of those cozy houses that you fall in love with at first sight. It is located in Seattle, Washington and sits on top of a hill with breathtaking views of the lake and Seattle's famous Space Needle landmark.
Compared to the previous participants in the rating, New Colonial looks modest: it has only 4 bedrooms and the same number of bathrooms.
5. Villa del Balbianello, Italy
Usually, photos of the most beautiful houses are all that remains to admire, because we are unlikely to be allowed inside. But not in the case of the Italian beauty - Villa del Balbianello. This villa was privately owned in the 19th and 20th centuries and was eventually donated to the Italian Environment Foundation.
Nowadays, this building is mainly used for weddings, as well as filming films and photographs for various fashion magazines. You can also recognize Villa del Balbianello in the James Bond movie Casino Royale (2006).
4. Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The house, once owned by Yves Saint Laurent and his life partner Pierre Berger, is located in Majorelle Park. And he is as unusual as he is beautiful. This Moorish-style villa is painted in the colors used by the original owner, artist Jacques Majorelle.
The blue villa, surrounded by a huge botanical garden with more than 300 plant species, was a safe haven for the famous fashion designer from the outside world. Here he looked for inspiration when creating new models. And in 2008, Saint Laurent's ashes were scattered in the rose garden, in the presence of Majorelle park workers.
3. Garibaldi Castle, Russia
This original construction project, realized in Khryashchevka (Samara region), includes not only a castle created in the neo-Gothic style, but also a recreation park. People come here for photo shoots, hold contests and arrange wedding events.
The owner of the castle strives to achieve full compliance with the structure of the medieval "nomes". Therefore, every detail of the Garibaldi Castle is the fruit of the careful work not only of the designers and builders, but also of the team working with historical documents.
2. Hobbit Treehouse, USA
If the hobbits who entered our world left their underground dwellings behind and moved to the trees, the end result would probably be very similar to "The Hobbit's House in a Tree." One of the most unusual houses in the world was created on Orcas Island in Washington State by the efforts of Suzanne Deguet.
All three circular rooms are connected by corridors and suspension bridges, which looks very unusual and resembles the Ewok village in Return of the Jedi. Dege purchased the structure in 2002 and spent eight years bringing it into the desired look.
Reviews from those who have visited the Hobbit Treehouse range from "charm and comfort" to "breathtaking and secluded." In other words, this is the place that Bilbo Baggins could have called home.
1. Fallingwater, USA
The house above the waterfall or "Falling Water" is the most beautiful house in the world. At least for fans of organic architecture who strive to live in harmony with nature without sacrificing home comfort.
It was created by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most famous American architects of the early 20th century, for the Kaufman family. Wright made Bear Creek Falls on the site a structural part of the house. And he convinced the customers that such a dwelling would be completely safe for living.
For a long time, the House above the Falls was the country residence of the Kaufmans. Since 1964 it is a museum and is open to the public. Up to 150 thousand visitors pass through its rooms a year.