![The $20 million mansion of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz A luxurious haven where art is the real star](https://data2.nssmag.com/images/galleries/29655/thumbs/nssgclub-alicia-keys-mansion-20.jpg)
The $20 million mansion of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz
A luxurious haven where art is the real star
November 12th, 2021
Frank Frances/AD
Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz opened the doors of their $20 million California mega-mansion to Architectural Digest, in an exclusive tour of sought-after furnishings, artwork, Ferraris and grand pianos. For her and her family, the singer didn't opt for just any house, but one that inspired the futuristic residence of Tony Stark aka Iron Man in the Marvel movie franchise. Designed by architect Wallace E. Cunningham and built in 2007 in La Jolla, it looks like a true modernist sculpture made of white concrete and glass that rises from the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Every wall in this house, every bit of it, is sculpture. -Batz pointed out to AD - These beautiful "S" shapes, these chevrons going down the hillside, curvatures flying in space over your head. It’s more akin to sculpture than architecture.
For the location and unique design, Razor House has been dubbed "the coolest house in America," although since purchasing it in 2019 the star prefers to call it "Dreamland". She and Beatz had been dreaming for years of moving in with their children, Egypt and Genesis, to this 11,000-square-foot paradise, "a place to create dreams and to be bold enough to dream your wildest dream."
The couple turned to Kelly Behun for interior design. The New York-based creative incorporated different elements and styles: wood, Moroccan wool rugs, velvet fabrics, and furnishings that echo the curves of the building, such as the rounded sofas and circular coffee tables found scattered throughout the house. Even the color palette, based on warm, earthy colors, is inspired by both the architecture and the amazing ocean views that can be enjoyed from almost every corner of this Dreamland.
Like any other star's home there are a big infinity pool, a private recording studio and a garage full of Ferraris (ENZO, LaFerrari and SF90). The key feature of the Keys' home, however, is art, with a special focus on Black artists. A few examples? In their dining room, in addition to the vintage Afra & Tobia Scarpa chairs that surround the dining table, there's a painting by Derrick Adams. Although Alicia's favorites are Gordon Parks' photographs, equally impressive are works by KAWS, Jean Michel-Basquiat, Kehinde Wiley, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Barkley L. Hendricks, Henry Taylor and photographer Sanlé Sory.