Joan Fontaine’s Former Carmel Home Hits the Market for $6 Million

Wendy Bowman

28 February 2025 at 2:00 pm·2-min read

Throughout her lengthy five-decade career, Golden-Age Hollywood star Joan Fontaine racked up plenty of accomplishments. The younger sister of fellow thespian Olivia de Havilland appeared in more than 45 movies, garnering three Oscar nods for “Best Actress” in the process and winning a golden statue in 1941 for her role as the timid wife in Alfred Hitchcock’s psychological thriller Suspicion.

Fontaine passed away in late 2013 at age 96. The following year, her longtime Central California home perched atop the Carmel Highlands and its contents—including that Oscar—were put up for auction, with the animal lover designating that the proceeds from the sale go to the Monterey chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Now the property has once again popped up for sale, asking a speck under $6 million. The listing is held by Tim Allen of the Tim Allen Properties Team at Coldwell Banker Realty.

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Joan Fontaine House Carmel — Multiple decks overlook breathtaking views of the rugged and dramatic Carmel coastline.

Built in the mid-1960s and known as Villa Fontana, the shingle-roof structure is tucked away on a cypress-laced acre of land sited near beaches and the charming downtown village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Inside, a total of four bedrooms and five baths can be found in a little more than 4,700 square feet of meandering living space on two levels displaying a mix of red brick and rustic wood floors, plaster walls, and custom wood molding throughout. Walls of glass and multiple decks also overlook picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean and Point Lobos from almost every vantage point.

Tall double doors open into an entry foyer, which flows to a spacious living room warmed by a wood-burning fireplace. A hallway leads to the formal dining room, as well as a galley-style kitchen outfitted with a vintage double oven, a stainless refrigerator, and an accompanying breakfast nook. A walk-in pantry can be found across the hall, while a staircase descends to a lower level containing laundry facilities, a fireside family/game room, and a bedroom that’s currently being used as an office.

Other highlights include a sky-lit breezeway that connects to an annex holding a cozy wood-paneled library with a fireplace and built-in bookshelves, plus a primary suite flaunting a fourth fireplace, a dual-vanity bath with a sunken tub/shower combo, and access to a private patio. A separate wing on the opposite end of the house has a bedroom and a bath, and a guest suite with its own entrance can be found on the lower level. There’s also a gated motor court and a detached two-car garage out front.

Click here for more photos of the Carmel residence.

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