Artist Melanie Taylor Kent, known for her fine-art serigraphy and longstanding connection to Disney, recently revisited a distinctive California property that she originally helped design more than two decades ago. The home, located in the gated Island Forest community in Westlake Village, Ventura County, returned to the market this year with an updated listing price of $15.45 million, down from its initial $16.75 million earlier in the year.
Kent, whose work includes the notable piece "Mickey Mouse’s 60th Birthday" created for The Walt Disney Company, first acquired the roughly 1.5-acre lot in 1989 with her then-husband Robert Kent for approximately $350,000. Over the course of three years, they collaborated with friends—including some from Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s design and development division—to create the home’s unique aesthetic. Drawing on her fascination with Disney, Kent infused the property with whimsical elements such as stained-glass windows featuring Cinderella and Pinocchio, a stage in the living room, and upper windows scaled progressively smaller to enhance the perception of height.
The home’s architectural style blends curving roofs and English timber framing, evoking a “fantasyland” atmosphere that Kent described as “the second-happiest place on Earth.” Interior features include multiple balconies overlooking living spaces and a castle-inspired fireplace modeled after one Kent admired in a Michael Jackson residence. Outdoor amenities reflect a playful design as well, with a Disney World-inspired lazy river leading into a pool with a waterfall and slide.
The Kents sold the property in 2000. Nearly two decades later, Jerome and Jason Murray acquired the house in 2017 for around $3.8 million. The couple, with Jerome’s background as the founder and seller of a Los Angeles-based software company, invested approximately $10 million over two years to remodel and expand the residence. While Jerome Murray does not identify as a serious Disney fan, he appreciates the home’s charm and has added complementary features, including a pool house with a stone facade, a walk-in wine cellar, and an elevator.
Presently, the home stands as the sole listing in the Island Forest community, which comprises 12 residences. It is situated roughly 40 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Following a period of slow interest attributed in part to the impact of recent Los Angeles wildfires, the property was temporarily withdrawn from the market before being relisted at the adjusted asking price. If the home sells near this figure, it would establish a new record for sales in Westlake Village, surpassing the current high mark of $13.5 million.