Can’t you just see him, scraggly facial hair, baggy bathrobe, wandering around the aloe tree forest? Yes, Jeff Bridges and Susan Bridges, his wife of 38 years, have just listed the family homestead, a 19.5 acre Montecito estate, for a goodly sum: $29.5 million. Surely they’ll miss the place, but with their three daughters grown, a recently purchased smaller home in the area and a ranch in Montana, why do they need all that land…even if it was their primary residence while Bridges filmed hits like The Big Leowski, Sea Biscuit, True Grit and Crazy Heart, for which he won an Academy Award.

The Bridges’ property is known as Villa Santa Lucia, and it includes a 9,535 square foot Tuscan style residence designed by noted Santa Barbara architect Barry Berkus, who built it for Kenny Loggins in 1988. The Bridges purchased it from Loggins and his wife Eva in 1994, and it should come as no surprise to you that there’s great studio on the premises — where Bridges worked on his music for Crazy Heart.

Wanna take a tour? From the street, tall gates open to a long drive that crosses a quiet stream before climbing up a gentle hillside past roses and mature olive trees, to the circular, stone-paved motor court. Enter the massive hand carved front door to a double-story entry hall anchored by monumental stone columns. Lined with wrought iron sconces, the main central hallway blends into the living and dining rooms and serves as a unifying element to the expansive public rooms. Murano glass pendant chandeliers adorned with bronze acanthus leaves shed light on the antique paver flooring.

The sunken living room has oak floors and arched French doors that open onto a terrace with ocean views. An antique stone fireplace serves as the focal point of the room and the massive, century old bridge beam ceiling creates an atmosphere of rusticity.

Also on the main floor is the family-sized kitchen, which features a large center island and a separate breakfast area that opens to a shaded dining terrace. Adjacent to the kitchen is the well-proportioned family room with a herringbone pattern brick wall and fireplace. The kitchen wing also features pantry storage, a service bathroom, and an oversized laundry room. A mud room leads to the four car garage, courtyard parking and service areas.

A spacious library/study is located at the far end of the first floor and has rough-sawn beams reclaimed from centuries old East Coast bridges, parquet floors and handsome built-in bookcases. Also on that end of the house is an office, an Assistant’s Office and a large storage area.

On the basement level there’s a large wine cellar and electrical, mechanical and storage rooms.

A gracious staircase with an oak banister and balustrade takes you to the second floor, where double doors painted in the Italian trompe l’oeil style open to the Master Suite vestibule. The walls of the suite are sponged a soft cream pastel. The parquet floors are laid in a herringbone pattern and Murano glass chandeliers illuminate it. The intimate sitting area has an antique limestone fireplace. A Romeo and Juliet balcony looks out over the oak studded hillside also planted with tall Italian cypress trees. The master bath features veined rose colored marble around pedestal sinks, a large tub and a shower with a view of the foothills. There’s also a spacious, well designed walk-in closet.

Upstairs there are also three private guest bedrooms, some with sitting areas and all with elaborately tiled baths.

A stairwell located adjacent to the master bedroom rises to the Tower room on the third level. This unique study/meditation room features a fireplace and offers views in every direction. It opens onto a roof deck with views of the mountains and out to the ocean as far as the Channel Islands.

Outside, the natural feeling landscaping is spectacular, with roses and lavender blooming in the shade of a giant fig tree, in a garden with a fountain between the living room and library.

Grass covered steps with stone headers descend to the lower garden and pool area, where there are banks of bougainvillea, azaleas, cyanosis and rosemary. Giant swaths of lawn extend to the swimming pool which has a natural pond shape and is edged with flowering plants and large boulders. It’s fed by a stream, and there’s a wisteria covered trellis/loggia with an outdoor fireplace nearby. There’s also a well-equipped kitchen, as well as changing rooms and bath.

An approximate 770 square foot attached guest cottage has its own entrance and has access from the main house under a rose covered arbor. It features a living room with a skylight, a galley kitchen and a fireplace. There is also a bedroom with ample closet space, full bath and a washer/dryer combo.

Beyond the garage motor court is a 710 square foot home theater and the music recording studio. Doors to the side of the screen provide storage areas for DVDs and film and musical components.

Below the studio is a rustic playhouse built by the Bridges for their children when they were young. Access is by a narrow footbridge over a gentle stream.

But wait — there’s more. A very private and secluded guest house of approximately 1823 square feet and two bedrooms is located down a quiet lane between the entrance gates and the main residence. Railroad tie stairs descend to a tiled patio where the entry door opens into a semi-circular shape living and dining room with fireplace and galley kitchen. Three French doors open to a deck that looks out to an oak studded woodland.

Really, what more could a Southern California performing artist with a family ask? Sounds like a little slice of heaven to me. If you’re interested in finding out more, contact Suzanne Perkins of Sotheby’s International Realty.

The Dude Downsizes — Jeff Bridges Lists His Montecito Estate