When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocated across the pond to sunny Santa Barbara — there was little doubt the couple would find a lavish and luxurious home nestled within the coastal enclave of rows of red-tiled roofs and white stucco buildings. And in fact, Meghan and Harry ended up in a 9-bedroom, 14-bath Mediterranean manse complete with movie theatre, wine cellar and pool. Elle Decor Magazine even tagged the home in an article listing 10 Dream Homes Straight Out of a Fairy Tale in a post in February 2016 with notes about the property declaring, “This California stunner welcomes guests with an archway of trees leading to a lavish main house, a Japanese tea house and koi pond, Italian cypress and olive trees, and gardens blooming with roses and lavender.”
And while Harry and Meghan have likely made many renovations to the interior — a recent Christmas card by the couple shows they’ve retained some of the property’s lush landscaping and charming structures. It appears Archie’s playhouse was a part of the original yard. Thus, it’s likely they kept much of the exterior of the home the same as when they purchased it.
Still, Meghan and Harry have shown a home office in their Zoom videos with many upgrades and changes from the original listing. Harry even completed one call with paint swatches on the wall in the background. The duke was seen in front of a white cabinet with grated mesh doors — the home’s original listing (below) shows the same cabinet in a maple or oak finish.
It appears the couple have begun the process of refurbishment with a focus on painting wood beams and paneling. The Sussexes appear to be painting the home with shades of slate, white and taupe.
In addition, the couple have likely made upgrades and changes to the bedrooms and family rooms. Perhaps the most revealing look into the couple’s new decor style was Meghan’s appearance on America’s Got Talent. In the background of the room was decor aligned with Meghan’s aesthetic — simple, minimalist with cozy traditional accents. The space features shabby chic striped seaside-friendly pillows along with colorful coffee table books and rustic farmhouse candlestick holders. The chic and cozy space room is punctuated with earthy elements like green hydrangea flowers and birds nest artwork plus the scent of tuberose.
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