Go on, admit it. Like the rest of us, you love poking around in someone else's home. It is a guilty pleasure that is hard to resist: looking at where a person lives can be revealing as reading their diary.
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Of course, it depends on the home. We're not talking about sterile, sanitised historic homes, where tour groups dutifully queue behind red ropes. The homes we have chosen, residences of Russian aristocrats and American artists, gilded magnates and political poets, reveal life in all its messy glory. Some of the residents are well-known; others you may never have heard of. What they have in common is the fascinating insights they offer into the chaotic, comic, tragic lives lived inside their four walls.
GATSBY GLAMOUR: OLD WESTBURY GARDENS, LONG ISLAND
WHO LIVED HERE Jay Shaffer Phipps, heir to the US Steel fortune, built this lavish Long Island mansion for his British fiancee, Margarita. Along with its neighbours, this mansion – and the decadent lives of its owners – inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Most of the mansions have long since disappeared; Westbury presents a rare opportunity to get a feel for how the other half really lived.
WHAT'S INSIDE Set on 64 hectares, , this 23-room house has the original furnishings on display, including paintings by Gainsborough, Reynolds and John Singer Sargent. The really precious stuff – antique violins by Stradivarius and Guarnerios – was hidden behind a fake bookcase. Even more ingenious was the elegant al fresco West Terrace; during winter, full-length windows rose up from the basement and enclosed the space, thanks to a clever hydraulic system.
NEED TO KNOW The Phipps' also lived large when they travelled. Jay packed more than 100 trunks for a European holiday, and once hired a nine-car private train, with three cars for people, three for baggage and three for ponies.
See www.oldwestburygardens.org.
THE HOUSE OF PAIN LA CASA AZUL, COYOACHAN, MEXICO
WHO LIVED HERE One of Mexico's most famous artists, Frida Kahlo loved her childhood home so much she kept living here after her marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera. Kahlo's famously brutal self-portraits reflect the chronic pain caused by spinal injuries sustained in a traffic accident, as well as the emotional pain caused by her husband's many affairs.
WHAT'S INSIDE The cobalt-blue house is filled with Kahlo's mementos and personal belongings, along with her art. She favoured flamboyance in all things, from the colourful traditional clothes she wore to the pre-Colombian relics she collected. Who else but Kahlo would liven up a room by hanging papier-mache figures representing Judas from the ceiling?
NEED TO KNOW The portraits of Lenin and Mao in her bedroom give an idea of Kahlo's politics; she notoriously had an affair with the exiled Russian revolutionary, Leon Trotsky.
See www.visitmexico.com.
OF HUMAN BONDAGE: MONTICELLO, VIRGINIA
WHO LIVED HERE American President and writer of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "all men are created equal". Yet despite describing slavery as "execrable commerce ...this assemblage of horrors", he himself owned many slaves.
WHAT'S INSIDE It took 40 years to build this elegant neo-classical estate, which Jefferson designed himself. It is fascinating to see how integral slaves were to daily life. Jefferson was famous for his dinner parties, which could include 30 or more guests; he carefully built a tunnel beneath the house so slaves could respond to summons more quickly. The slave quarters can also be visited.
NEED TO KNOW Jefferson's clever innovations included round holes in the doors which served as cat flaps (the cats kept down the mouse population), as well as a secret dumb waiter he used to amaze his guests: putting in an empty bottle, shutting the door, then a few moments later opening it to reveal a full bottle.
See www.monticello.org.
SCENE OF THE CRIME: MOIKA PALACE, ST PETERSBURG
WHO LIVED HERE Prince Felix Yusupov was the richest man in Russia. Married to the Czar's niece, he was wealthy and powerful enough to indulge in eccentric habits such as wearing women's clothing. He was also the ringleader in the assassination of the Czarina's favourite, the charismatic monk Rasputin. Yusupov fled Russia during the revolution and spent the rest of his life in exile.
WHAT'S INSIDE The townhouse was just one of the Yusupov properties: they had three other palaces in St Petersburg, three in Moscow and 37 estates across Russia. When you see the staggeringly ornate interiors you can't help having some sympathy for the poverty-stricken Russians who rose up in revolution. From the spectacular Moorish drawing room and the elegant ballroom to the sphinxes in the hallway, it is one show-stopper after another.
NEED TO KNOW A number of famous musicians performed in the palace's rococo theatre, including Liszt and Chopin. Concerts are still occasionally held here.
THE KING OF KITSCH: GRACELAND, TENNESSEE
WHO LIVED HERE To many music fans, there is only one king and Graceland was his castle. Elvis Presley bought Graceland, in his hometown of Memphis, aged just 22, and spent $100,000 decking it out. He died in one of the mansion's many bathrooms in 1977.
WHAT'S INSIDE Many words have been used to describe Graceland, but "tasteful" is not one of them. Fake waterfalls, green shagpile on the ceiling and yellow vinyl walls are just some of the dubious decor choices. This is more than just a shrine to 1970s excess, however. The estate is filled with memorabilia, with onsite museums displaying Elvis' clothes, cars and even his private plane.
NEED TO KNOW After an attempt to steal his body from its original resting place at Arlington Cemetery, Elvis and his beloved mother were reburied in Graceland's Meditation Garden.
See www.graceland.com.
BAVARIAN BAROQUE: NEUES SCHLOSS, BAYREUTH, GERMANY
WHO LIVED HERE She was the sister of Prussian king Frederick the Great and corresponded with Voltaire, but Margravine Wilhelmine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (now part of the German state of Bavaria) won her own place in history for her architectural addiction. In addition to the ornate palace known as the Neues Schloss (new palace), her projects included landscaped gardens bigger than the Vatican and a magnificent baroque opera house.
WHAT'S INSIDE There is nothing understated about the Neues Schloss. Its flamboyant rococo interiors include The Palm Room, decorated with elegantly carved and gilded palm trees; Wilhelmine's private drawing room, the ceiling festooned with shells, coral and algae; and an exquisite Japanese room.
NEED TO KNOW Wilhelmine's happy marriage crashed and burned when her husband took up with her best friend. Wilhelmine was not the type to hide her distress: witness the self-portraits on the wall (as Cleopatra, clutching her asp, and as Lucretia, knife to her breast) and the mirror room, where she had the eye-wateringly expensive glass panes cracked before being mounted, to reflect her shattered life.
SOHO LIFE: 101 SPRING STREET, NEW YORK
WHO LIVED HERE Donald Judd is considered one of the great artists of 20th-century America, known particularly for his use of geometric forms and industrial materials. He lived in this Soho loft in the late 1960s and 1970s, and the open-plan layout – then a brand-new idea – changed his art, encouraging him to create more monumental sculptures.
WHAT'S INSIDE Judd was a great collector, and the building houses 200 art works. Besides Judd's own pieces, there are works by Frank Stella, Claes Oldenburg and Dan Flavin, as well as African masks. What is most fascinating, however, is seeing Judd's domestic handiwork, from a puppet theatre he built for his children to a clever dining table with a secret compartment where glassware and crockery are stored.
NEED TO KNOW The industrial kitchen was chosen because Judd liked the look of it. He rarely cooked: dinner was often take-out from Dean & DeLuca.
FLIGHTS OF FANTASY: LA SEBASTIANA, VALPARAISO, CHILE
WHO LIVED HERE Apart from his day job as Chile's most famous poet, Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda's political career included stints as a senator and presidential advisor. When he died, dictator Augusto Pinochet refused permission for a public funeral, but thousands broke the curfew to mourn the man whom Gabriel Garcia Marquez described as "the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language".
WHAT'S INSIDE Even if you have never read a single Neruda poem, chances are you will be so charmed by his eccentric house that you become a fan. The five-storey house high on a hill has narrow stairs, stained-glass features and huge picture windows that look out over the entire city. The walls are painted pink and blue, and every surface is crowded with strange odds and ends, from stuffed birds and coloured glass bottles to seashells, figureheads from a ship's prow, feathers, and even a carousel horse.
NEED TO KNOW Yes, Neruda really did use that green ink you see on his desk: he said it represented desire and hope.
OLD SCHOOL STYLE: LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE, QUEENS, NEW YORK
WHO LIVED HERE Louis Armstrong is one of the great jazz legends, known for classics such as It's a Wonderful World. Unlike today's superstars, however, Armstrong was known for his simple tastes. When it came to food, he loved red beans and rice. And when it came to homes, he chose a simple house in an ordinary Queens neighbourhood.
WHAT'S INSIDE Stepping into the Armstrongs' house is like a visit to the Mad Men set. From the glossy blue kitchen cabinets to the yellow and gold dining room, this is one of the best preserved vintage fit-outs you will ever see. You half expect to see Don Draper walk through the door any minute.
NEED TO KNOW Armstrong didn't have any children of his own, but would frequently treat the neighbourhood kids to ice-cream, as long as they had finished their homework.
See www.louisarmstronghouse.org.
ANNE FRANK HOUSE, AMSTERDAM
WHO LIVED HERE There was nothing out of the ordinary about the Gies family, who lived in this canal-side house until they bravely decided to try to save eight Jews from the Nazis by hiding them in an annexe in their home, its entrance disguised by a moveable bookcase. The hideaways included the Frank family, whose teenage daughter, Anne, kept a diary during the two years she was hidden away. The diary was published and became a bestseller many years after Anne died, age 15, in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
WHAT'S INSIDE Rather than making an attempt to recreate what life was like for Anne and the others in hiding with her, this is a museum-style exhibit using text, photos and footage to explain the lives and fates of all the occupants.
NEED TO KNOW The house is one of Amsterdam's most popular tourist attractions. Queues are notoriously long, so book your tickets in advance.
See www.annefrank.org.
OUT OF THE GARRET
If you are looking to write a masterpiece you might hole up in a chilly garret. Or you may opt for something more comfortable, as these writers did.
EDITH WHARTON In novels such as The Age of Innocence, Wharton demonstrates an insider's view of New York's Gilded Age, so it is no surprise to find that her favourite home, The Mount in Massachusetts, is a grand mansion. See www.edithwharton.org.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY The property at Key West, Florida, where Hemingway wrote To Have and To Have Not, is now as famous for its troupe of six-toed cats (descendants of Hemingway's puss) as its collection of the author's furniture. See www.hemingwayhome.com.
COUNT LEO TOLSTOY You can visit Tolstoy's apartments in Moscow and St Petersburg, but his favourite retreat was his estate at Yasnaya Polyana. Only true fans make the trek to this rural hideaway, 320 kilometres from Moscow. See www.ypmuseum.ru.
VICTOR HUGO The famous French novelist wrote part of his masterpiece, Les Miserables, in this apartment on Paris' most elegant square, the Place de Vosges. See www.maisonsvictorhugo.paris.fr.
BEATRIX POTTER Set in the lovely English Lake District, Potter's pretty farmhouse, Hill Top, clearly helped inspired some of her whimsical children's tales. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk.
SLEEPING WITH THE STARS
These homey hotels let you snooze in the rooms where celebrities have laid their heads.
IL PALAGIO, TUSCANY
Sting and Trudie Styler like to spend their summers at their Italian estate. The rest of the time, you can rent one of the estate's many villas. Facilities include a tennis court, a lake, a yoga centre and a recording studio. Price on application. See www.palagioproducts.com.
MISSION RANCH, CALIFORNIA
Even in real life, Clint Eastwood has a touch of the cowboy. He scooped up this working sheep station for himself, before deciding it would make a good boutique hotel. Feel like checking in? Go ahead, make his day. Rates from $360. See www.missionranchcarmel.com.
VILLA LA VIGIE, MONACO
There's no such thing as an unfashionable part of Monaco, but arguably the chicest address in town is this six-bedroom coastal villa, where fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld lived for more than 10 years. It can now be rented by the week. Price on application. See www.montecarlosbm.com.
NECKER ISLAND, THE CARIBBEAN
His other properties include safari lodges and a French ski chalet, but Richard Branson says this private island is his favourite retreat. Most of the year, the island is available on an exclusive basis, but individual rooms are available during selected weeks. Rates from $38,000 for seven nights. See www.virginlimitededition.com.
HOLLYWOOD ROOSEVELT HOTEL
Few hotels are as star-studded as this LA legend. Among other things, it's where Clark Gable and Carole Lombarde carried on their affair. However, its most famous inhabitant was Marilyn Monroe, who lived for two years in the room now known as the Marilyn Monroe Suite. Rates start at $2365. See www.thehollywoodroosevelt.com.
FRESH FROM THE DRAWING BOARD
What does a world-famous architect's dream home look like? Something like this.
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
The open-plan design of Taliesin, the house Lloyd Wright designed for himself in Spring Green Wisconsin, is typical of his work - except, that is, for the materials. His clients got the best; when it came to his own home, Lloyd Wright was a bit of a cheapskate. See www.taliesinpreservation.org.
LE CORBUSIER
He is known for his concrete cubes, so who would have guessed that Le Corbusier's holiday home in the south of France would be a simple wooden cabin? Among the unnecessary frills he discarded is a kitchen: instead, Le Corbusier ate every meal at the restaurant next door. See www.fondationlecorbusier.fr.
ELIEL SAARINEN
Just outside Helsinki, Hvitträsk was the home of two great architects: Eliel and his son, Eero. Saarinen and his business partner, Herman Gesellius, designed all the furniture and furnishings in this delightful house, where the influences range from Aztec to Middle Eastern. See www.nba.fi/en.
GEOFFREY BAWA
Sri Lanka's most famous architect designed many of the country's most memorable hotels, but there's one experience Bawa aficionados won't want to miss out on: the chance to sleep in his own home in Colombo, converted from four separate bungalows. See www.geoffreybawa.com.
OSCAR NIEMEYER
Brazil's most famous architect was known for favouring organic forms and sinuous curves, which are evident in his Rio home, Casa das Canoas. Niemeyer sited the building amid lush gardens, deliberately letting the interior float out into the exterior. See www.casadascanoas.com.br.
