The original ranch house on the property

The original ranch house on the property Down a few steps, the backside of the fountain bookends one side of a 75-foot room that encompasses a reading area, living room, dining area and kitchen. Above dangles a cantilevered loft with metal wire railings, reached by a narrow metal and wood stairway that gives the illusion of a high-tech rope ladder into the sky.

On one end of the house is the custom-made hot tub, backed by a large fireplace with sliding walls that open to the courtyard. On the other are bedrooms for the couple's 23-year-old son, who lives in Los Angeles, and 17-year-old daughter, who attends boarding school in New England.

The original ranch house on the property, purchased in 1989 for $800,000, is used for Sydney guests, some of whom stay months at a time; a ranch down the street, on five acres, is currently for sale for $1.8 million.