Lionel Richie enjoys being a "big southern boy in Beverly Hills."

The 62-year-old legendary soul singer lives in a 28-room 17,000sq ft mansion in the affluent Los Angeles neighbourhood.

Hailing from the American South, Lionel feels blessed to be living in such a beautiful home in California.

"[I'm a] big southern boy in Beverly Hills," he told People magazine. "I'm more in awe of where I am than probably anybody who's come to visit. If I was on vacation, this is the house I would want to stay in. It just happens to be in America. And I get to be here more than anywhere else."

Lionel finds peace everywhere on his property and is especially fond of his fertile gardens.

"If I'm really relaxing, I'm cutting hedges," he explained. "It's a form of meditation. [It's' my sanctuary. [I] make it Zen. We had to make it so you don't want to leave."

The house, which was built for a member of American entrepreneurial titan family the Guggenheims in 1929, is splendorous.

Lionel keeps his home quaint despite its outward opulence.

The iconic musician pays homage to his roots, especially the memories of his ancestors, who were victims of American slavery before the Civil War.

"It looks massive, but it's simple in the way I run it," he shared. "It's not a showpiece, but a place you live every day. In every room on the first floor, I have slave shackles or a branding iron as a reminder that I stand on the shoulders of some amazing people."