Growing up, one of my favorite things to do was watch MTV Cribs to see how the "other half" lives and sneak a peek at celebrities' true personalities.
So, as I got older and the original MTV Cribs eventually went off the air, my love for home design grew. From the modern layouts and extravagant buys to the quirky collections and sentimental heirlooms, I couldn't get enough of interior design, landscaping, and various home styles.
Nowadays, to fill my curiosity quota, I watch house and apartment tours on YouTube. When it comes to celebrities, some of my favorite videos come from Architectural Digest. They're known for their celebrity home tours. So, here are a few from Black celebs that deserve your immediate attention:
1. Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys's beautiful cliffside mansion in La Jolla, California. It's filled with remarkable Black artwork.
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2. Carmelo Anthony's spacious home in Westchester, New York. His eclectic style is a perfect mix of his passions for fashion and basketball.
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3. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's sweet family home in Toluca Lake, California. Viola was working on The Woman King when renovations began, and you can really see the South African influences in their home, which is where the film was shot.
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4. Devin Booker truly surprised me with his Arizona digs in the Phoenix Mountains. The first words that came to mind after seeing his home were "clean" and "mature."
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5. Lenny Kravitz's Brazilian farmhouse compound was nothing short of fabulous. Honestly, would you expect anything less from him?
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6. Adwoa Aboah's essence shines in her unique Victorian-era home in London. What I enjoyed most about this is you can tell she's not trying to impress anyone. Although it doesn't mesh with my personal preferences, I still liked how her face lit up when she discussed the details of her home.
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7. John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's Beverly Hills space is so inviting. It just feels warm — ideal for entertaining guests and their little ones.
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8. Justina Blakeney's Southern California home is vibrant and full of life. God said, "Let there be light," but Justina — who also happens to be an interior designer — said, "Let there be color!"
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9. Daveed Diggs and Emmy Raver-Lampman's Los Angeles home screams creativity. They speak so passionately about the pieces in their house and the symbolism behind them.
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10. Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis's Manhattan triplex blend their individual tastes seamlessly. Please excuse the loud music, this is from AD's earlier videos, LOL.
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I've always been a fan of Hannah and Brendan's style. While the couple has since moved to a loft in Manhattan (NoHo), of course, their current home is also absolutely beautiful.
11. Chlöe Bailey's peaceful pad in Los Angeles feels so homey. You can tell how proud she was to design this apartment, and that makes the tour even better.
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12. Troian Bellisario and Patrick J. Adams’s Spanish colonial-style home in Los Angeles is a classic. The woodwork is amazing, and I can't get over the "lived-in" vibes their place gives off.
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And for those who didn't know, Troian (Pretty Little Liars) is the daughter of Quantum Leap producers Deborah M. Pratt and Donald P. Bellisario.
13. And last, but certainly not least, there's RuPaul's extravagant Beverly Hills mansion. All I can say is this is EXACTLY how I expected Ru's place to look, and yet, somehow my expectations were exceeded.
