RuPaul welcomed Architectural Digest into his stunning mansion in Beverly Hills – and we’re obsessed. It’s everything you’d expect from the Emmy-winning TV show host: fabulous, extravagant and with an abundance of style. For this, RuPaul teamed up with AD100 designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard to reimagine his home into a bold, mid-century ode to glam. Imagine coming home to this every night.
Home to his drag archives, the Hollywood mansion’s walk-in closet is dripping with opulence. Every room has its own theme: from the Elizabeth Taylor-inspired dining pavilion (obviously) to a Hollywood Regency-era living area, every single element has been considered with the utmost thought and style. It’s complete with 26 (yes, you heard that correctly) disco balls, which are in the jaw-dropping ballroom; across the room sit photographs of his favourite divas.
We wouldn't expect anything less.
On his unique style, RuPaul explains: 'We live in Hollywood, we live in show business, so we're not afraid of texture and colour and bold statements.' Too right, Mama Ru. Every wall tells a different story, from bold oranges to panoramic wallpaper.
Could this be the end of the dull greys we’ve been seeing consistently in our homes? Maybe. Ru's style certainly makes a difference from the tender, cottage warmth of Lily Allen’s country kitchen. RuPaul's sense of style clearly extends from the runway of Drag Race to where he resides. And his house is a reflection of his love for queer culture, art, music and his personal history.
He says: 'This house is the manifestation of my drag ideal, where it's colour and expansive and fun, disco, all the things that make life worth living. You have to find the joy. You have to create the joy.'
Amen to that, Ru.
While recreating RuPaul’s Hollywood mansion yourself might be a bit over-the-top if you don't live in a sprawling mansion, you can definitely take elements and make them your own. The upholstered seating, for example, or unusual-looking hanging lighting and orange soft furnishings – it's basically a maximalist approach to interiors that will make your home feel warm and joyful.
And who doesn't want to live among joy?
SHOP: How To Recreate RuPaul's Maximalist Home
www.gear4music.com
Disco isn't dead. With a collection of these (or just one) fixed to your ceiling, your life will never be the same. In his ballroom, RuPaul welcomes disco balls of various sizes and tones from Omega Mirror Products. Here, we've found a dupe, which ranges between 30cm to 1m in diameter. Strike a pose.
www.argos.co.uk
RuPaul's living room is teaming with style. It is decorated to the brim with upholstered seating, a cocktail table and étagère in the living room - all by the mastermind Martyn Larence Bullard. In the foreground, the green club chair is striking in a mystic emerald colour. It looks super comfy - and we've found a sage green dupe that looks just as smart.
www.ebay.co.uk
In RuPaul's kitchen, the pendants designed by Bullard for Corbett Lighting are incredible. This dupe from eBay is similar, made up of hexagonal glass panels and completed with an attractive antique brass finish. Perfect for hanging above a kitchen island or a dining table, it's utterly magnificent.
www.tjhughes.co.uk
We can just imagine RuPaul sipping mocktails, catching some of that gorge Los Angeles sun. Why not join him? We love this sun lounger from Silver & Stone – it's stripy and comfy and its height is adjustable. What more could you want? Though we're not typically blessed with the same amount of sun as California, you can't blame a Brit for hoping.
www.dunelm.com
You'll find a vintage Tommaso Barbi pendant in RuPaul's breakfast room. Isn't that the most fabulous thing you've ever heard? An entire room dedicated to Kellogg's Crunchy Nut? Yes, please. Though, we gather that RuPaul's breakfast will be something more refined. Why not grab this Farrah Palm Light instead? It's bold and dims, too.
www.benjaminmoore.com
Orange you glad you read this article? Cloaked in Benjamin Moore's Tropical Orange, RuPaul's office is a statement. Behind his antique French desk and Louis XVI-style fauteuils sit his growing collection of accolades. We've managed to find the exact same paint, so you can paint your study, bedroom or even kitchen in this bold tropical hue.
www.wayfair.co.uk
Isn't the master bedroom a dream? This masterpiece of grey and orange doesn't look out of place in the drag superstar's home. it's been furnished with a fabulous scallop-shell-shaped two-seater loveseat. We've managed to find a similar piece on Wayfair. It's charming and elegant. Maybe RuPaul would give it a thumbs-up on the Runway.
The guest bedroom features fabulous wallpaper by the House of Hackney and an antique Venetian mirror from Hollywood at Home. From Melody Maison, we suggest this frameless bevelled wall mirror. Like Mama Ru's mirror, it's quirky, original and ornate. How could you not love that Victorian-style scalloped edging?
www.pooky.com
Again, in the guest bedroom RuPaul places a floral and fringes bell lamp shade upon a quirky white bedside table. In true RuPaul fashion, we've picked a kitsch, camp dupe: this bohemian and riotous shade from Sanderson's Archive.
www.oliverbonas.com
'You're gonna see a lot of orange in this house,' promises RuPaul. After all, it is his favourite colour. In every single room, this bold and bright colour is adorned on walls, furniture and soft furnishings. In the living space, on the upholstered velvet sofas, there it is again. Oliver Bonas has the solution - and with fringe, too.
11.
Sienna Armchair
www.featherandblack.com
Alongside the French desk and bright orange walls sit a pair of French-style fauteuils in a Scalamandré fabric. Here, RuPaul writes his letters and deals with his correspondence. To complete the look, we have found this beautiful armchair from Feather & Black which will look fabulous anywhere you place it.
FAQs
Who designed RuPaul’s house?
Martyn Lawrence Bullard – an AD100 mainstay and lifelong friend of RuPaul and his husband George LeBar - was called up to design their Los Angeles mansion. On this, the Queen of Drag said: 'I said, ‘Go for it. I can go as far as your imagination will take us.’' And go for it, he did. We're very impressed.
Who is RuPaul?
If you have been living under a rock, then perhaps you’re wondering who RuPaul is. Born RuPaul Andre Charles in 1960, RuPaul is an American drag queen, television personality, actor, musician and model. (Pause for breath). Born and raised in San Diego, he set his sights on Atlanta and New York City and became a popular nightlife personality. With his debut single, Supermodel of the World, he received international acclaim. This life-changing song taught us how to sashay and shantay like nobody’s business. After a 100-episode run on The RuPaul Show, the drag queen created his reality show, RuPaul’s Drag Race, of which there have been several international variants. A pioneer, RuPaul has brought drag culture into popular culture and has changed the lives of countless queer people.
Where can I watch Drag Race in the UK?
Addictive and totally binge-worthy, RuPaul’s Emmy-winning competition reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race is where drag queens battle for the title of 'America's Next Drag Superstar' alongside a lifetime supply of cosmetics and an eye-watering cash prize. Everything is bigger in America. Not only that, but this show gives viewers countless joy, life advice and lessons on beauty. Since then, a UK version has reached immense popularity. It’s filled with British banter, fabulous catwalk outfits and plenty of sass. We can’t get enough of it, tbh. You can watch RuPaul’s Drag Race UK on BBC Three and iPlayer with judges Michelle Visage, Alan Carr and Graham Norton. We Brits can get the full _RuPaul's Drag Rac_e experience on the streaming platform WOW Presents Plus, with some US versions still available on Netflix UK currently.