Home Is Where the Heart Is: 5 Romantic Residences

From firelit living spaces to secluded suites and balconies overlooking dramatic views, these five homes possess an ambiance just right for romance.

Timeless Style in Russian Hill

San Francisco, California | Leslie de Bretteville and Joseph Gartland Moore, Sotheby’s International Realty – San Francisco Brokerage

This two-bedroom condominium residence is located in the Leavenworth, a building on the eastern slope of Russian Hill whose provenance dates to the 1920s. A dedication to classical elegance is readily apparent in the open-plan living area, which benefits from the warmth of a fireplace and striking red Schumacher velvet walls. The welcoming space is adjoined by a chef’s kitchen with custom cabinetry and opens to a private balcony with a panoramic view of the city and the bay.

Sutton Place Farm

Sonoma, California | Gina Clyde and Daniel Casabonne, Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country First Street Brokerage

This 9.15-acre equestrian and vineyard estate, located on one of Sonoma’s premier thoroughfares, is a paradigm of wine country’s distinctive aesthetic. The heart of the main residence is a great room with a wood-burning fireplace and sets of French doors folding open to the park-like grounds, a gravel-paved patio with a fire pit, a saltwater pool and spa, and a cabana and outdoor kitchen. The light-flooded kitchen opens to yet another patio perfectly suited for alfresco feasts.

Park Avenue Luxury

New York, New York | Louise C. Beit, Sotheby’s International Realty – East Side Manhattan Brokerage

This versatile 12-room, 5,200-square-foot residence is ideal for relaxed and refined 21st-century living. Its unique configuration includes two elegant living rooms—each with its own warming fireplace—a formal dining room, a well-appointed chef’s kitchen, a breakfast room with a built-in banquette, a second kitchen near the entertaining areas, two luxurious owner’s suites, four guest suites, and both a library and a study. The home faces south over a tree-lined street, and three exposures fill nearly every space with lovely light.

Magnificent Montecito Mediterranean

Santa Barbara, California | Elias Benson, Sotheby’s International Realty – Montecito East Valley Road Brokerage

Atop a hill with a view of both mountains and the ocean, this five-bedroom home recalls the villas of Tuscany’s countryside. Vine-draped walls, barrel-tiled rooflines, decorative ironwork, four fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and archways, and an idyllic courtyard with a fountain contribute to the romantic Mediterranean ambience. The master suite opens through double doors to an arbor-covered rooftop verandah with breathtaking views. The acreage also includes a 60-foot pool, a one-bedroom pool house, an avocado orchard, fruit trees, and manicured gardens.

Palm Beach Palazzo

West Palm Beach, Florida | Shannon Reed, Sotheby’s International Realty – Palm Beach Brokerage

An Old World romanticism pervades nearly every space of this stunning 1925 villa. Replete with Mediterranean influences and impeccably maintained, it features spacious living and entertaining areas with pecky cypress woodwork, intricate wrought iron, French doors, hardwood and Mexican tile floors, and lovely stained-glass accents. One of four bedrooms, the peaceful owner’s suite has eye-catching details as well as a breezy balcony overlooking the gated grounds, which include a refreshing pool, tropical plantings, a loggia, a summer kitchen, and the poolside guesthouse.

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