I just started watching the hit Fox series “Empire” and was curious about the filming locations for it. I learned that it’s mostly filmed in the Chicago area, and the estate they used is in Barrington Hills. The property sits on 8 acres overlooking a lake.
Not only that, but it’s currently on the market if anyone wants to live like he does!
It says: ‘“Empire” may scream hip-hop and bling, but, like “Dynasty,” the show is rooted in cold, hard cash. On “Dynasty,” the Carrington business was oil. On “Empire,” Howard’s Lucious Lyon is a music-industry mogul — a TV version of Jay Z who hopes his firm will become the first rap enterprise listed on the New York Stock Exchange.’
Lucious Lyon’s Mansion on “Empire”
The show revolves around the Lyon family, which runs a music company called Empire Entertainment.
Lucious (Terrence Howard) is the head of the family and founder of the company. He’s trying to determine which of his sons will be his successor — Hakeem, Jamal, or Andre.
Lucious Lyon’s life gets more complicated when his ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) gets out of prison early and demands her half of the company back.
As the season progressed, however, the rooms changed a bit.
My guess is that’s when they began filming on separate sets.
For instance, here’s how Lucious Lyon’s study looks by the end of the first season:
The listing says:
Architectural Digest has named this the most beautiful home for sale in Illinois.
This home has also been the backdrop for Fox’s Hit series Empire for the past 5 seasons.
Elegant Estate located in prestigious Barrington Hills, sits privately on over 8 acres of beautifully manicured lawns, mature trees and 2 gorgeous lakes.
Every detail was created from the finest materials to create the feel of luxury in each and every room. The main entry will have your jaw dropping as you step through the custom Walnut double doors into the massive formal entryway.
Features like the floor to ceiling windows, barreled and coffered ceilings, custom detailed mill work, glass-sided turrent and stunning porte cohere are just part of this lavish home’s old world charm.
The walk out lower level features a new home theater, a poker/billiards room, full bar kitchen.
Enjoy the views of the lake from the balcony.
The real house has 5 bedrooms and 9 full baths. The listing describes the house as a “lavish French Country-style estate.” The mansion took 5 years to build and was finished in 2008.
You can watch full episodes of “Empire” on Fox.com.
For photos and information about 45 Lakeview in Barrington, Illinois,
check the listing held by Michael LaFido and the article at Curbed.
I am familiar with Barrington and many of the houses are quite large — so to say. They are beautiful.
Barrington is stunning. From the chandelier’s to the area rugs. It’s simply gorgeous!
Beautiful home, but so not something i would want to live in and maintain. Millionaire or not. I could ace being a guest there though. LOL
I have heard nothing but good things about the show. So here is to hoping Netflix gets it for me to watch. 🙂
Never heard of the show, but then again, I haven’t watched TV in several years. Beautiful house for sure! I like the paneled library the best….the rest of the house is just too huge for my taste, I could easily live in that library (with a little bathroom and a kitchenette of course), but I am sure the new owners wouldn’t want to turn it into an apartment 😉
Man, what a beautiful house. I can only hope that some day I live in a house 1/10th as large and nice as that one.
great post, julia! i’ve been trying to write one about the apartments for a month. my favorite detail in this house is those moorish frames around the wall sconces in the hallway and living room.
Thanks, Belledame! I pretty much watched the entire season online again to get all these pics and it was kind of fun to see it again. I caught all kinds of things I missed the first time around. There are some other great sets on the show, too. Shoot me the link to your post if you get one written about the apartments!
Slight tangent, Chicago-related … I just finished “Recipe for Disaster” by Stacey Ballis. A wonderful, in-depth, truly-for-the-house-loving, awesome novel, about a woman who works in the building trade and re-does an old house in Chicago. Delicious! And clean. Have you ever done a post about peoples’ favorite house books?
I haven’t, but that’s a fun idea. I’m not familiar with that book, so I’ll have to look it up — thanks, Becky! 🙂
I was just about to write about this huge house from Empire! So awesome that you featured it here. Hello from the Philippines.
Another TV show, ‘Chasing Life’ – on ABC Family channel, has the neatest brick home in Boston. Also ‘Madam Secretary’ has a gorgeous place in Georgetown (I think). A brand new show to PBS, ‘A Place to Call Home’ has interesting set designs – as well as being filmed in New South Wales, Au. I will buy movies and TV shows just for the houses/settings . . . . a 1992 film, ‘Rich in Love’ – set in South Carolina has a gorgeous house on the water – loved the film!
Hi Karen! I just watched “Rich in Love” on Netflix and loved the sets in that one. Haven’t seen “Chasing Life” yet, so I need to check that out. Thanks!
It’s hard to imagine living in something as grand as this – a bit like living in an hotel I imagine. It is beautiful but I prefer something far cosier.