Inside a $20 Million Oceanfront Estate in Laguna Beach

A rare piece of prime oceanfront property has just popped up for sale in Laguna Beach.

Sitting on one of the two points of Crescent Bay, Chateau du Soleil is coming to market for $20 million. The current residence was built in 1981, but the residential parcel dates back 125 years—and it’s only changed hands three times since then. Originally part of the Irvine Ranch land grant, it was sold to the McKnight family in 1905. The current owners, James and Martha Newkirk, snapped it up back in 1979. Annie Clougherty and Mike Johnson at Compass now hold the listing.

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the property’s most stunning feature is its oceanfront lawn and gardens. A circular sunken fire pit at the bluff’s edge offers a perfect space for watching the sun melt into the horizon. Views are maximized inside, too, with two-story windows that look out on the expanse from many of the rooms. The home is configured with four bedrooms and five bathrooms, but several flexible spaces allow for creating a layout that best suits your situation.

In the multi-level living and entertaining space facing the ocean, an elevated dining area hangs over a lower-level lounge with a decorative stone fireplace. Elsewhere, there’s a stately wood-paneled media room with a wet bar, while the all-white kitchen sports floral-tiled countertops, a theme that’s echoed in the primary suite’s bathroom. Along with a curving staircase, an elevator is available. And, rare for an oceanfront property in the area, there’s a three-car garage plus additional driveway parking.

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If you were to snap up Chateau du Soleil, you’d be in good company along Crescent Bay: Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, owns a nearby estate he picked up in 2016 for a whopping $45 million. 

Click here to see all the photos of the blufftop home in Laguna Beach.