America's Ugly Mansions

Gas Station Home--Lake Success, New York

With an oversized portico and a four car garage facing the forecourt, this mansion might pass for a hotel—or a gas station. But set in a community audaciously named Lake Success, how could this six bedroom contemporary stucco palace on two acres be anything but over-the-top? It’s on the market for $5,880,000.






Turret Overload--Wadsworth, Illinois

Those with a predilection for turrets might revel in this garish 17,000 square-foot, five bedroom mansion. The residence is scalloped with rounded towers that poke out of the bland landscape like a series of windowed silos. These silos overlook a backyard pool, outdoor kitchen, tennis/basketball court and four car heated garage. Fit for a catering hall, the grand front door has a massive arched window and leads to an oversized foyer with double floating staircases.












Castle Home--Alpine, New Jersey

Fairytale flourishes go beyond—way beyond—on this fanciful 21-room stone castle. Located on 2-acres, 15 minutes from Manhattan, this manor with a make-believe aura has approximately 14,000 square feet of living space. That means enough ensuite bedrooms for each of the Seven Dwarfs. The home has a whimsical Rapunzel turret, grand reception rooms and expansive verandas with sunset views. Prince Charming can pull up to a grand arched portico on his white horse.












McMansion--Arcadia, California

The epitome of the overgrown “McMansion” this 8,600 square-foot plus stucco manse sits on about half-an-acre and was built as the housing bubble swelled in 2006. It meets the requisite over-the-top checklist: a three car garage (in front) and is in an exclusive guard gated community. According to its page on Trulia.com, it has six bedrooms, seven full and four partial baths and is outfitted with loads of marble, granite, stone, fancy railings, crown moldings, a “master retreat with a private balcony” and pre-cast fireplace. The home is listed for $6,380,000.












Modern Compound--Beverly Hills, California

With circular walls of glass and soaring steel beams, this over-the-top modern mansion dazzles enough to make your head spin. At 7,500 square-feet, with a seven car garage, an elevator and gated security it looms large on a half acre lot. According to Zillow.com, the six-bedroom, seven-bath home boasts custom curved stainless steel windows and doors, marble floors and an interior garden courtyard with “hypnotizing views of its infinity edge pool.” From there you can see Los Angeles and the Pacific beyond. After an initial list price of $11,895,000, the home sold in March 2011 for $9 million.












Concrete Blocks--Huntington, New York

From the front, this concrete and cedar sided manse looks about as appealing as a bomb shelter. The design is so cold it could pass for a storage unit...for ice. Designed by architect Charles Gwathmey (known for the 1992 renovation of New York’s Guggenheim Museum), the chunky modern residence is nestled into a suburban hillside, with most of the glass to the rear overlooking woods.









Spaceship House--Golden, Colorado

Featured in Woody Allen’s 1973 science fiction comedy “Sleeper,” this private mansion is perfect...for aliens. Officially called the “Sculptured House,” the residence is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Situate on a mountain west of Denver, the house is known locally as the “Flying Saucer House,” according to Zillow.com it was sold in a foreclosure auction for $1.5 million in 2010.








Really are these ugly?

Source: Forbes