How does one of the world’s most successful tech executives live? If you’re Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and partner Isabelle Boemeke, you do it in a warmly minimalist environment in Austin, Texas, surrounded by some of the best Mid-Century Modern furniture – think pieces by Charles and Ray Eames and Dutch designer Gerrit Rietveld, for starters – and lush landscaping fervently by Furrow Studio.
Gebbia’s surprisingly modern house was designed and built by a renowned architectural firm Wood Studio in collaboration with the designer Elizabeth Stanley, for Stanley’s own family. Completed circa 2015, the angular structure spans over 6,000 square feet, with five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and expansive light-flooded living areas.
The 1.5 acre estate was acquired by Gebbia in late 2020, although the property was never officially offered for sale. It’s also unclear how much the Georgia native, 41, paid for the place, as the state of Texas does not disclose real estate transfer prices. But it’s worth noting that the 2021 tax assessment valued the mansion at $10.6 million, so it’s likely Gebbia paid eight figures for the place.
Outside, the low house is shrouded in a featureless and particularly thick concrete wall, built with the aim of shrouding the interiors in “mystery and intimacy”, according to Stanley. The ethos of these simple geometric volumes extends to the landscaping, which is simple yet elegant – soft grasses and native plantings frame long views of the surrounding countryside. A dark-bottomed pool and expansive terraces are great for entertaining.
Inside, the understated decor is embraced by concrete walls, oatmeal-colored hardwood floors, and walls of glass. Branded artwork adds delicate pops of color throughout, though the aforementioned views of greenery and blue skies are the main focus here.
Last year Gebbia invited the Financial Times at the Austin multi-plot complex — he also owns the much smaller house across the street — and showed off some of the personal touches he’s added to the property, including a meditation cushion from a visit to Japan, his sketches and a newly installed gym with a leg press and an elliptical trainer.
Along with her college roommate and longtime friend Brian Chesky, Gebbia co-founded Airbnb, the short-stay market and a publicly traded company with a current valuation of $66 billion. Gebbia’s personal net worth now exceeds $7 billionaccording to Forbes.
Predictably, Chesky and Gebbia’s success with short-term rentals has allowed them to invest in long-term real estate. Public records link one or both to several luxury San Francisco-area homes, as well as a $15 million, 285-acre winery in California’s Napa Valley, which was once featured in Architectural digest.
There’s also plenty of evidence in the records to suggest that Gebbia quietly owns a home in Los Angeles — a contemporary gated estate on one of Hollywood Hills’ best-known and celebrity-loved streets, but that doesn’t has not yet been publicly confirmed.
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