Most Expensive Wallpaper

What kind of artist works with a hunting knife? Ask Mark Evans, the pioneer whose work has been called “leather sculpting.” That work will soon adorn the walls of one Russian billionaire’s mansion as the most expensive wallpaper in the world.

Evans works by etching the leather down to the suede with a number of bladed tools of different sizes, from a large hunting knife to several sculpting knives. The results are photorealistic depictions of animals, the crucifixion and even the celebrated “Fight of the Year” between Doug Jones and Muhammed Ali.

Evans’ leather etchings will cover the walls of two rooms in a mansion in Moscow. The unnamed billionaire’s wallpaper will cost $2.71 million, or around $23,675 per square meter.

[Source: Most-Expensive Journal]

Most Expensive Apartment

London has long been one of the exclusive real estate capitals of the world. In fact, the world’s most expensive house was just recently sold there. Houses aren’t the only expensive properties in London, though. The city also boasts the world’s most expensive apartment—and construction on it hasn’t even been finished!

The four penthouse apartments atop One Hyde Park, London’s newest and most luxurious address, sold well before the arrival of the new year. The building, developed by Candy & Candy and funded by Qatar’s foreign minister, will include eighty apartments designed by architect Richard Rogers. It will also feature communal spas, squash courts and even a private wine-tasting facility. The building will cost £1.5 billion (around $3 billion USD) to develop and Candy & Candy plan to have it finished sometime in 2010.

One of the four penthouse apartments was sold for over £100 million (over $200 million at the time), making it the most expensive apartment in the world. Each of the four penthouses will have a number of security features, including bulletproof glass, panic rooms and access to an underground passage leading to a nearby hotel.

Other apartments in the building are going for an average of over £20 million (around $40,000,000).

[Source: Most Expensive Journal]