Of all the venerable private residences of the United States, none may match the intrigue and architectural elegance of Hillsborough's own Carolands Chateau, National Register of Historic Places #75000478. This week, with the near-viral news of a reported $100,000,000 sale of a private residence taking place in Los Altos Hills, it brings architecture front and center. What style of architecture befits the grandest and most expensive of private homes? Is there a historic parallel to this architectural preference? The circa-1914 Carolands atrium foyer is pictured at left; the central entry court of the recently built Los Altos Hills estate to the right.

While the circa-1914 Carolands at 65,000 sq. ft. dwarfs the recent Los Altos Hills sale of 25,000 sq. ft, the very similar orientation of the foyers warrants comparison as a gesture of elegance in fine homes throughout the decades: both homes found their inspiration in France, and both homes designed the main living areas on the second floor to afford the greatest impact of vistas. The towering foyer of each home also serves to heighten the impression upon entering, and to maximize the glamorous experience of the grand staircase. According to Wikipedia, the Carolands' 75 ft. high atrium foyer holds the record as the largest enclosed space in an American private residence.