Inside the Silicon Valley Mansion Where Convicted Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Lived

Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani purchased this $15.8 million mansion in 2013. They sold it in 2022 after she was convicted of defrauding Theranos investors.

Tour the $16M House Disgraced Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani Once Owned

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani sold their Atherton, California, home — 227 Park Lane — for an incredible $15.8 million in April 2022. But for someone who was once "America’s youngest female billionaire," the opulence of the property is no surprise.

Holmes and Balwani sold the home after she was convicted in January 2022 of defrauding investors while running her failed blood-testing startup Theranos and before she was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison.

Take a look inside this gorgeous house, its grounds and the places where Theranos business deals were made.

More Than Just a 'Dropout'

Even if you didn’t watch the Theranos scandal unfurl in real-time, you've likely heard about "The Dropout," which aired its last show on April 7, 2022. Starring Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, Hulu’s original series covers the infamous scandal from inception to arrest.

Holmes founded Theranos in 2003, but it wouldn’t reach widespread notoriety until 2015 — when the company was valued at $9 billion based on fraudulent technology. Theranos was going to be a radical new technology that would revolutionize blood testing because of the little amount of blood it required.

Because of the startup's initial success, Holmes and her business partner boyfriend, Sunny Balwani, were able to purchase 227 Park Lane in 2013 for $9 million.

A French Provincial Dream

The property is a French Provincial home situated in an uber-swanky Silicon Valley neighborhood. Its location is critically important, as it's just one block away from the Menlo Circus Club.

If you have to ask what the Menlo Circus Club is, you’ll never be rich enough to need to know.

Exterior Landscaping

Compositionally, the property is well-landscaped with extensive outbuildings. Behind the main building is an inlaid stone motor court, designed in the style of European mansions.

The entirety of the property is French-influenced, and the grounds are decorated with formal gardens.

Complete With Outdoor Living Space

For entertaining, the property is perfectly appointed. Multiple outdoor living spaces make it a breeze to entertain outside in the fantastic Atherton weather.

One outdoor living space opens up to a pool.

Two Floors of Luxury Living

The property itself is two floors that include five bedrooms — with a “staff quarters,” naturally — and five full bathrooms. The detached garage has space for four cars.

Other accommodations include a guest house and a second office.

Privacy on a 1-Acre Lot

The 6,866-square-foot home sits on a 1-acre lot. Originally built in 1936, it was designed not only for flash but for privacy.

The property is surrounded by large, mature trees and well-manicured hedges.

Purchased by an LLC in 2013

In 2013, Holmes and Balwani created an LLC to buy the property, splitting ownership 50/50. The LLC was named HMFR, representing "This, Too, Is My God's Glory."

They frequently hosted Theranos employees and associates within the home.

The Interior

As a French-influenced home, the interior of 227 Park Lane includes artistic wall finishes, crystal chandeliers and parquet flooring. In the foyer, there are three full sets of French doors, one of which opens out to the grounds.

They all open into the living room, with a masonry fireplace of carved stone and a chimneypiece brought in special from a French chateau.

The Living Room

Exposed beams, the parquet floor, the chimney and the open view to the grounds all conspire to give the Theranos founders’ home the feel of a country chateau.

In fact, the property’s living room is surprisingly intimate.

The Library

The library features hand-finished walls, brilliant green paint and a full bar.

Notably, when listed, it did not contain any real books.

The Dining Room

White walls, furnishings, paintings and wainscotting all give the dining room a “clean” feel.

The dining room is lit by a dramatic chandelier and, like many of the other rooms in the house, opens out onto the gardens.

The Kitchen

A swift departure from the dining room, the kitchen features antique, distressed cabinets and terra cotta tile countertops.

There are two tile islands with sinks and brunch-style seating, which lend a casual flair to an otherwise beautifully formal home.

The Wine Cellar

The wine cellar is perfect for entertaining all your billionaire friends. It even comes with a built-in tasting counter and a porthole view of the grounds.

And, of course, it's fully temperature-controlled.

The Bedroom Suite

There are five bedrooms total within 227 Park Lane, many of which are dramatically white-washed.

The upstairs, primary suite has a high ceiling, chandelier, fireplace, large windows and two walk-in closets.

The Bathroom Suite

The master bathroom is almost larger than the bedroom itself, with a jetted tub, two-person steam shower, multiple vanities and a private commode.

And, of course, just like everything else, the bathrooms overlook the gardens.

The Guest House

Guest house for balwani and holmes guests

Close to the pool, the guest house provides some additional living space as well as a place to entertain people (and perhaps conduct deals).

Its location overlooking the pool makes it particularly charming.

The Pool

As you can see, guests can go right from the guest house into the pool for a hedge-side dip.

Guest House Interior

The fully appointed guest house is again done in the classical French style, with distressed cabinets, a small kitchen and an open floor plan.

Yes, the guests would have their own kitchen.

Outdoor Sitting Area

The outdoor sitting area, with its own fireplace and bar, overlooks the pool.

Other Bedrooms

Interestingly, some of the bedrooms actually do have personality.

Witness this medieval-styled bedroom that looks to have been part of a child's room.

Draperies

A great deal of attention was put into the detailing of 227 Park Lane, including the flowing draperies which highlight the outdoor gardens.

Chandeliers

True crystal chandeliers are also featured in most rooms.

Tropical Gardens

And the lush gardens are decked out in sculptures and water features.

But After Holmes Had a Mansion...

That said, Holmes didn't always live in a mansion even after purchasing 227 Park Lane.

In 2017, she was rumored to be living in Lombard Place Apartments, a $5,000 San Francisco apartment complex with the tagline, "Iconic Charm. Modern Living."

Lombard Placec Apartments

As with many San Francisco properties, a beautiful exterior belies a somewhat humble interior. The unit currently goes for $5,195.

To its credit, it has immaculate hardwood floors and beautiful views.

The Entryway of Lombard Place Apartments

The entryway of the apartment building may be what drew Holmes to the place, as it's very similar to the look and feel of her mansion.

But while it's billed as a luxury apartment, the interior is lackluster.

The Living Room

In total, the $5,000 property is a mere two bedrooms and two baths.

The Kitchen

And imagine cooking a meal in that tiny kitchen.

It's a far cry from the well-appointed kitchen of 227 Park Lane.

The Bathroom

Holmes was said to be living in this modest apartment in 2017 when she met her now-husband Billy Evans.

The Laundry Room

One can imagine that doing laundry in a cramped San Francisco apartment could eventually lead to someone committing fraud.

But while Holmes lived in this apartment in 2017, she was rumored to be back in a mansion during the bulk of her trial.

Green Gables ... Is the Place to Be

According to reports, Holmes and her husband were staying at Green Gables, a $135 million Woodside estate, during the trial.

A 74-Acre Estate

Green Gables is a 74-acre property. Built in 1911, it includes multiple houses. The main house is a 10,000-square-foot, nine-bedroom mansion. There are an additional six homes within the property, in which Holmes is said to be staying.

And note that this property is for sale, that is if you have a spare $135 million lying around.

One of the Green Gables Houses

Each house is unique.

This house is a 1930s design by architect William Wurster, which expertly and naturally blends into the grounds.

Holmes' Washington, D.C., Area Digs

If you've watched "The Dropout," you know that Holmes' family was forced to move back to Washington, D.C., area after her father lost her job at Enron.

But in the show, family-friend Richard Fuisz (and the house) are depicted a little differently. On Twitter, he claims that he provided the family with a property entirely rent-free, with no time limit.

A Childhood of Wealth

While the Holmes family didn't move into the Washington, D.C., home at 1287 Ballantrae Farm until her' senior year, the truth is that she lived a life of luxury from the start.

Her father's job at Enron paid well, and after Enron, they were reportedly given substantial help.

A $2.75 Million Property

This house the Holmes family stayed at sold in 2021 for $2.75 million, and (as of 2022) Redfin estimates it as over $3.5 million.

A Far Cry from a Modest Estate

It's hard to argue "poor" when you're staying for free in a house with a hunting lodge.

And There's Always French Doors

The Ballantrae property features a total of seven bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms spread out across 8,952 square feet.

Like Holmes' eventual mansion, it was filled with French doors leading to the exterior.

Sentencing for Theranos Founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes

Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes, center, her partner Billy Evans, right, and her parents

The sentencing of Elizabeth Holmes happened at the end of 2022. On Nov. 18, the founder and CEO of Theranos was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison for defrauding investors of her failed Silicon Valley health technology company, which claimed it developed a medical device that could detect diseases and other health conditions from a few drops of blood.

Those claims, it turned out, were all lies. Now, Holmes, pregnant with her second child, must report to prison on April 27, 2023, for duping investors and endangering patients while peddling the bogus blood-testing technology. She gave birth to a son in 2021 before her trial started.

Her days of living in the lap of luxury are over.