No joke: Melissa Rivers sells Santa Monica manse for $16M

Television host Melissa Rivers sold her Santa Monica mansion for $15.5 million, a property she spent two years designing.

Rivers bought the 7,050-square-foot home in early 2016 for $11 million and undertook a comprehensive renovation, according to Dirt, which reported the off-market sale.

The buyers are Michael Patterson, who founded battery maker Romeo Power; and his wife Elizabeth, a senior attorney with Starz network, according to the report.

The Mediterranean-style villa at 501 East Channel Road was built in 1991 on about an acre in Santa Monica Canyon. Rivers brought in some of her late mother Joan’s more ornate furniture and keepsakes for the home. The dining room has intricate wallpaper and cabinetry, as well an ornate chandelier.

The backyard is unusually large for Santa Monica; the property includes a sports court and swimming pool.

Santa Monica is among the priciest markets in L.A. Vice Media co-founder Shane Smith recently listed his 3.4-acre estate for $50 million.

In October, Amazon Web Services CEO — and soon-to-be company chief — Andy Jassy paid $6.7 million for a 5,500-square-foot Santa Monica home on less than a quarter of an acre.

[Dirt] — Dennis Lynch