A peek inside the Gates house

Everyone most likely knows about that little shack in the woods in the Seattle suburb of Medina on the shores of Lake Washington that Bill Gates created in 1997, but have you ever been inside?

The $53 Million dollar, 66,000 square foot estate has all the technological goodies that you might not even be able dream up. With tons of centrally controlled music, lighting and video you can bet that this is the one of the most technologically advanced homes in the world. US News has put together a tour of the estate, from the pool building, to the library, to the underground garage so that you can drool over where the Forbes number one billionaire lives.

Some interesting tidbits:

• 104 electricians used
• All timber used in the house are perfectly finished and nearly perfect with almost no knots.
• All woodwork is flawless
• Acoustics were a big concern. Woods and fabrics were used to ensure perfect acoustics throughout the house.
• Flooring is heated, even in the driveway and walkways throughout the estate.
• Security system is monitored from the Microsoft campus.
• There is a salmon hatchery on the estate.
• 52 miles of communication cable
• Hidden cameras are everywhere, including some hidden inside stone walls.
• Floor sensors can track a person within 6 inches.
• The bathtub can be filled and temperature can be controlled by Gates as he drives home from work.

Was the Bill Gates estate designed on a PC? Well, not exactly, we can thank rival Apple for having a hand in it. (Not to worry, doesn't Microsoft own a small % of Apple anyway.) Check out some additional pictures of the estate here.

Also, check out the money face off, Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates on Blogging Stocks.

Tags: bill-gates, billionaire, forbes, homes, houses, microsoft, technology