Former Penelope Cruz-Javier Bardem Residence Sees Dramatic Makeover

n late 2011, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem sold their Hollywood Hills villa for $2.88 million. At the time of the sale, the three-bedroom, four-bathroom home featured an interior that was simple, yet tasteful; French doors and bamboo flooring were found throughout, while the rest of the home and its décor registered blasé on the design Richter scale. It wasn’t that the house was boring; it’s a fantastic property overlooking Sunset Strip, and one with an oasis of a backyard. However, people like to put their own stamp on things, as new ownership is wont to do. But it does come as a bit of a shock to see what was once Cruz and Bardem’s Balinese-inspired abode transformed into an almost unrecognizable mash-up of neutral colors and randomly bold artwork.

That being said, there’s a lot to love with the new remodel, which was previously offered as a rental, but you can now buy for $3.7 million. Here are a few of my personal faves (see if you can spot them in the listing photos):

• Gold ‘Hand of Zeus’ Chair
• Black AK-47 machine gun lamps
• HOT HOT  HOT pink piano
• Creepy painting of the Queen sans the face of the Queen
• Neon bar light shaped like a butterfly
• Silver dragon end table in the living room
• Whatever ‘Voodoo Dolly’ is
• Giant white decorative skull
• Liberace’s bird cage
• Possible rotating bed in the master suite?
• Random disco ball
• Black & white bath tub

And the hits just keep on comin’. Perhaps the only thing that remains unchanged from when Cruz and Bardem occupied the space is the backyard, which, save for a pink chair or two, still sports a curvy pool, clean patio and pristine views of the City of Angels.

Sylvester Stallone La Quinta Manse (PHOTOS)

Is Sylvester Stallone selling his La Quinta, CA manse? A report from The Real Estalker indicates that Rocky Balboa and his wife, former model Jennifer Flavin, are indeed looking to part ways with their nearly 5,200-square-foot home, listing the property for $4.5 million.

Located within the confines of The Madison Club, one of the ritziest private golf courses in the country, the Stallone residence is a blend of Spanish and Mediterranean design set on a lot of nearly half-an-acre. The home offers four bedrooms and five baths, with luxe touches such as stone-carved elements, vaulted ceilings, designer doors and windows and a bevy of fireplaces found throughout. Telescoping doors found in the great room, chef’s kitchen and master suite open the interior to various open-air terraces and patios, including a fully equipped outdoor kitchen area. Rounding out Sly’s fine golf course estate is a pool and an adjacent fire pit that enjoys views of the surrounding mountain landscapes.

Regarded as one of the greatest action film stars of the 80’s and 90’s thanks to his roles in the Rambo and Rocky move franchises, Stallone is set to reprise his role as Barney Ross in the 2012 summer blockbuster The Expendables 2. He is also slated to star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Caviezel in the upcoming action-thriller The Tomb, filming of which is expected to begin today in New Orleans, LA.

The listing is presented by Nick Blodgett of The Hideaway Properties Corporation.