Take A Peek Inside Kobe Bryant’s Former Mediterranean Style Mansion
Kobe Bryant's talent and drive brought him a life of luxury that many of us dream of. He and his wife Vanessa raised their four lovely daughters in Newport Beach, a wealthy town just south of Los Angeles. One of the final homes the family of six shared together was a gorgeous Mediterranean-style mansion with dazzling interior design and jaw-dropping panoramic views. Read on to see the massive hilltop home of one of the greatest players in NBA history.
The Home Of A Loving Family
Kobe Bryant was just 21-years-old when he met his then 17-year-old girlfriend, Vanessa. Bryant was already four years into his professional career, having gained recognition in high school and joining the Lakers before he was even a legal adult.
The two wed just six months after meeting and welcomed their first child in 2003. Though Bryant was raised in Philadelphia and Italy, his career kept the young family in Southern California, where they eventually made their way to Newport Beach.
Curb Appeal Fit For A Star Athlete
The moment you stet foot on Kobe Bryant's former property, you're struck by the sparkling driveway and courtyard feel of the home's entrance. Equipped with three garages, each with its own door, the home offers plenty of off-the-street parking.
Concrete balcony railings give the home a Roman feel while vibrant landscaping frames the cream-colored home. The stone driveway is a warm, orange-brown color that prevents the exterior from feeling at all bland. The L-shaped architecture of the building offers privacy to the home's entrance.
A Dazzling But Welcoming Foyer
Once you enter the home, you're greeted by a dazzling foyer complete with a chandelier and matching light sconces. The detailed woodwork of the staircase railings adds yet another level of luxury.
A window cutout upstairs allows for a peek at the striking architecture of the ceiling upstairs. Recessed lighting fills both levels and looks like indoor stars. Varying shades of light brown bring warmth to the Mediterannean space, which is complete with tile flooring.
A Golden Living Room Overlooks The Backyard
Once you've entered the home, if you head straight to the back of the first floor you'll discover this lovely family room. The built-in fireplace continues the Mediterranean style of the home.
Detailing around and above the fireplace offers a historic feel. You'll notice there isn't a television in this room since the fireplace is the focus, but there is plenty of seating, making this a space in which to comfortably engage with one another.
Ample Seating Surrounds The Fireplace
From this angle, you can see the outdoor lighting that pours into the space. Recessed lighting and a chandelier illuminate the room without being overbearing. Thick drapes over the windows provide ample privacy and a glimpse at the vegetation beyond.
You'll also notice a bonus space straight ahead surrounded by rich, cherry wood walls. The contrast between the two rooms makes them decisively separate spaces, while the large entryway brings openness and natural light into both areas.
A Warm And Spacious Kitchen With A View
This kitchen has more than enough space to accommodate holidays, family events, and giant parties. Complete with a double-wide stove and oven, a giant island, and cabinetry throughout, you could prepare a meal for the masses here.
Another unique feature is the huge window over the sink, which overlooks the yard and has tie-backs at the top that hold its massive curtain in place. As with the rest of the house, stunning detailing expands upon the Mediterranean theme.
A Glorious Spot To View Movies
This theater room feels less like a cinema and more like an opera house on account of the grandiose ceiling detail and the pillared walls. The tiered seating allows for multiple couches, each complete with its own coffee table.
Glowing arches and recessed lighting enables viewers to watch the film without sitting in utter darkness. The curtain design around the television gives the subtle illusion of being at a live theater show, adding an air of formality to the room.
Multiple Fire Pits Offer Cozy Outdoor Seating
From the living room, you can walk out to this lovely outdoor seating area. A curved, built-in couch made from stone offers ample seating around the fire pit. In case that isn't enough to keep everyone warm, there are two more fire pits on either side.
The patio is large enough to add more chairs or even an outdoor table set. It overlooks the city, hillsides, and the coast, as we'll see in the photos still to come.
A Green Yard With Sweeping Ocean Views
Next to the fire pit seating is this green yard with a stellar view of the palm tree-filled city and the ocean beyond. Glass windows provide a safety barrier without obstructing the view.
The neatly-trimmed yard provides outdoor space to play around, which we're sure was a vital feature for Kobe's girls. Being that Kobe started playing basketball at the age of three, we can safely assume most of his children are active by nature.
An Additional Outdoor Space With City Views
When you first think of a side yard, you may be thinking of a narrow space with gravel or, if you're lucky, manicured grass. As you can see, the side yard of this mansion is as stunning and spacious as the backyard!
Stone tiling offers a touch of color to the area with effortless upkeep. The glass windows of the backyard are replaced with subtle, blue-green gating that blends into the lush greenery and clear skies beyond.
The Curved Spa Sits Above The Neighborhood
This home's outdoor space truly offers the best of everything: patio space, a yard, and a large pool. The water reflects the glorious, California sunlight and offers a perfect place to cool off on those hot summer days.
Water from the spa cascades into the pool for a calming water feature. The home's position slightly above the rest of the neighborhood offers effortless privacy. Sitting above the neighborhood in the spa and overlooking the ocean, you'd feel like you have arrived.
The Glimmering Pool Overlooks The Distant Ocean
The side yard has an outdoor staircase that leads to the home's second floor. At the top of the stairs is a lookout that offers this view of the pool, neighborhood, and ocean beyond. Kobe was born in Philadelphia, a city very aesthetically different than Southern California.
It was when his family moved to Reggio Calabria that he honed his basketball skills and made some of his dearest childhood memories, which may explain his affinity for European-style homes.
Mountainous Balcony Views
If you're looking in the opposite direction of the pool while standing at the top of the exterior staircase, this is what you'll see. Large homes are separated by lush treetops and in the distance is a long mountain range.
One of the perks of Southern California is its close proximity to both the ocean and mountains, which is showcased in this home's views. Though Kobe had a life of success, he understood not everyone has the same fortune and was the official ambassador for the nonprofit After-School All-Stars.
Panoramic Views Of Southern California
This incredible image offers a more detailed look at the view from Kobe's former mansion. You can see the cities along the coast and the island of Catalina in the distance. Kobe put his large worth to good use, not just by purchasing an incredible home.
Bryant founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation in 2007 to assist the homeless with a special interest in young people. He sought to encourage physical and social skills and to bring attention to the homeless.
Sweeping Views Of The California Sunset
One of the most amazing features of this home is the view, particularly at sunset. We can only imagine sitting at the fire pit and watching the sun set over Newport Beach.
Kobe Bryant was far more than a stellar basketball player. In addition to his charity work, he also had a music and film career. He wrote and narrated the short film Dear Basketball, for which he became the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
Lamborghini Murcielago
Being that Kobe grew up partially in Italy and knew how to speak fluent Italian, it should come as no surprise that he loved Italian sports cars. He owned a Lamborghini Murcielago in yellow and customized it to have an automatic transmission.
His version of the car had a yellow and black interior which gave it a touch more flair than the one photographed here. The color also points to his team, the Lakers, which he stayed with during the entire duration of his 20-year professional basketball career.
Bentley Continental GT
Kobe Bryant's Bentley Continental GT couple looks like this one, only with the added perk of being in his other Laker color: purple. In the light, the color has a gold tone, making it a true homage to his team.
The car is worth about $200,000 and, though not an Italian sports car, has the notable Bentley name brand to back up its high value. Bryant also formerly owned a Bentley Azure Mulliner convertible, but we think this one takes the cake.
Ferrari F430
Ferrari, another notable Italian sports car brand, came up with some of Kobe's favorites to collect. One of them was the F430 in bright red paint with a beige interior and a dual-clutch automatic manual transmission.
As though the basketball giant didn't attract enough attention as is, just imagine him driving around in this eye-catching collectible. Kobe was always a standout, having landed a spot on the varsity basketball team as a freshman in high school and earning the Pennsylvania Player of the Year award his junior year.
Lamborghini Aventador
As impressive as Kobe's Lamborghini Murcielago was, he ultimately replaced it with this bad boy: the Lamborghini Aventador. Rather than the 572 horsepower of the Murcielago, this ride has 691 horsepower powered by a V12 engine.
If that weren't enough, he also had the option to up the horsepower to a whopping 710 for a pretty price. Considering this car looks like it came straight out of a Batman movie, we wouldn't be surprised if Kobe dropped the extra $105,000 for the added horsepower.
Ferrari 458 Italia
Perhaps one of the cars that was most indicative of Kobe's love for Italy was his Ferrari 458 Italia. The car cost the NBA star $230,000 and he was spotted in it multiple times, including at an Anaheim Angels baseball game.
The sleek design and fiery-red color are similar to his Ferrari F430, and his version also features a convertible roof. Equipped with a 4.5-liter V8 engine and 570 horsepower, this sports car could whip around the streets of LA will almost as much skill as Kobe had on the court.
Chevy Impala
Kobe's 1963 Chevrolet Impala convertible, complete with hydraulics, looks like something straight out of a rap video. As it turns out, Kobe was part of a rap group in high school that went on to score a record deal with Sony Entertainment.
While he was a member of the rap group, called CHEIZAW, Bryant was hot off his 1996 NBA draft, which caused the label to push Kobe to do solo work. His first single, "K.O.B.E." featured supermodel Tyra Banks.
Pontiac Parisienne
Kobe completed his 20-year basketball career in 2016, having won numerous accolades, such as being a two-time NBA Finals MVP winner and an 18-time All-Star. As a retirement gift, Kobe was presented with this 1967 Pontiac Parisienne Convertible.
The gifter was none other than the famous rapper Snoop Dogg, who is both a Kobe Bryant and a Lakers fan. The car features Lakers colors on the exterior and the team name on the seats, as well as a mural of the team's greatest players alongside Snoop, who's holding the NBA championship trophy.
