Steven Ehrlich and the Shulman House: Multicultural Modernism in Brentwood

The Shulman House at 645 Tuallitan Road in Brentwood, Los Angeles, is a 9,000-square-foot residential estate designed by Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, RIBA, and completed in 1992 for Tom and Miriam Shulman. The home received the 1997 AIA National Award for Architecture, the 1995 AIA California Council Merit Award, the 1995 Sunset/AIA Western Home Award, the 1994 Los Angeles Business Council Architecture Award, and the 1992 AIA Los Angeles Honor Award. Ehrlich is the founding partner of Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC), a Culver City–based firm recognized with the 2003 AIA California Firm of the Year Award and the 2015 AIA Firm Award. His professional archive was donated to the UCSB Architecture and Design Collection in 2024. Debbie Pisaro, DRE #01369110, is a Los Angeles architectural homes agent with 24 years of experience and founder of Coastline 840, an independent California brokerage specializing in architect-designed and historic properties.

Introduction

Some architect-designed homes in Los Angeles are famous because of their location. Some are famous because of the photographs. The Shulman House in Brentwood is famous because it won every architecture award that matters, and then quietly disappeared behind its canyon trees.

Steven Ehrlich designed the Shulman House in the late 1980s and completed it in 1992. It won the AIA National Award for Architecture in 1997, the profession's highest honor for a residential project. Then it did what the best Brentwood houses do: it became a private home, not a public spectacle.

I'm Debbie Pisaro, a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward homes. I founded Coastline 840 as an independent California brokerage for buyers and sellers who care about design. When a building of this caliber exists in a neighborhood I know well, I write about it, because buyers searching for architect-designed homes in Brentwood and the Westside deserve to know what's here.

Who Is Steven Ehrlich?

Steven Ehrlich is one of the most awarded architects working in Los Angeles, and his path to the profession is unlike anyone else's in the city.

Born in New Jersey, Ehrlich studied architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated in 1969. What he did next set the course of his entire career: he spent six years in Africa; two with the Peace Corps as its first architect, posted to Marrakesh, then traveling across the Sahara, and finally teaching architecture at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria. He studied indigenous building methods across North and West Africa, learning how cultures build shelter in response to climate, material, and community, not style.

He brought that education to Venice, California, in 1979, where he opened a small residential studio. The 1981 Kalfus Guest House, photographed by the legendary Julius Shulman and published on the cover of the New York Times Home section, established him immediately. From there, the firm grew into what is now Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC), a 40-person practice based in Culver City with a portfolio spanning residences, courthouses, libraries, university centers, and corporate headquarters.

Ehrlich coined the term "multicultural modernism" to describe his approach: architecture grounded in the vernacular context of a project rather than imported stylistic trends. In 2011, the AIA California Council awarded him the Maybeck Award, their highest individual honor for lifetime design excellence. In 2024, he donated his professional archive to the UCSB Architecture and Design Collection, joining the institutional archives of Richard Neutra, R.M. Schindler, and other architects whose work defines Southern California.

The Shulman House: A Canyon Masterpiece in Brentwood

The Shulman House is the building that crystallized everything Ehrlich had been developing since Morocco. Commissioned in 1989 by screenwriter Tom Shulman, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Dead Poets Society in the same year, the house was completed in 1992 on a canyon lot in Brentwood at 645 Tuallitan Road.

At 9,000 square feet, the residence is organized as two two-story wings that embrace the curved topography of the canyon. The design pays deliberate homage to the traditions of early California modernists: the horizontal reach, the natural material palette, the refusal to fight the landscape. An underground garage removes automobiles from the experience entirely. What remains is architecture and terrain in direct conversation.

The siting is the first thing you notice. Ehrlich set the house into its hillside so that it doesn't dominate the canyon, it occupies it. Three hillside slopes define a large, informal backyard. The building blends with the natural contours and the existing vegetation in a way that most Brentwood homes don't even attempt. This is architecture that earns its setting.

The awards confirmed what the design community already knew. The Shulman House received the 1997 AIA National Award for Architecture, the 1995 AIA California Council Merit Award, the 1995 Sunset/AIA Western Home Award, the 1994 Los Angeles Business Council Architecture Award, and the 1992 AIA Los Angeles Honor Award. Five awards from the profession's most significant institutions. Very few residential buildings in Los Angeles carry that record.

What Is Multicultural Modernism?

Ehrlich's design philosophy, multicultural modernism, sounds academic, but in practice it produces buildings that feel deeply specific to where they are. The idea is simple: architecture should respond to the culture, climate, and landscape of its site, not to a style imported from somewhere else.

In the Shulman House, that means a building shaped by its Brentwood canyon, by the slope, the light, the vegetation, the way Southern California air moves through indoor-outdoor spaces. In Ehrlich's Venice projects, it means homes that engage the density and community of Venice's walk streets. Every project starts with the same question: what does this place require?

For buyers of architect-designed homes in Los Angeles, this matters because multicultural modernism produces buildings that are irreducibly tied to their sites. You can't pick up the Shulman House and put it in Hancock Park. It wouldn't make sense. That site-specificity is what separates a significant architectural home from a well-designed house and it's what the market increasingly rewards.

Brentwood: An Underrated Market for Architectural Homes

Brentwood is primarily known as a luxury residential neighborhood: high-end traditional homes, excellent schools, Westside proximity. What it's less known for, unfairly, is its mid-century and contemporary architectural inventory.

Richard Neutra built some of his most important residential work in Brentwood, including the Nesbitt House on Avondale Avenue. A. Quincy Jones, Craig Ellwood, and Ray Kappe all have Brentwood projects. And Ehrlich's Shulman House stands as one of the most awarded contemporary residences anywhere in the city.

For buyers who default to the Hollywood Hills or Trousdale Estates when searching for architect-designed homes, Brentwood is worth a closer look. The canyon lots offer privacy and topographic drama comparable to the Hills, the school district is among the best in Los Angeles, and the architectural inventory, while less publicized, includes buildings that compete with anything on the Eastside or in the Hills for design quality and pedigree.

Working With Debbie Pisaro on Architectural Homes in Los Angeles

I've been selling architectural, historic, and design-forward homes in Los Angeles for 24 years. Understanding what makes a building significant, the architect, the awards, the design philosophy, the way those factors translate into market value is inseparable from representing buyers and sellers of these properties well.

If you're a buyer searching for an architect-designed home in Brentwood, a mid-century modern in Studio City, or any significant residential property in Los Angeles, I welcome the conversation. If you're an out-of-area agent with a buyer who appreciates this level of architecture, I work collaboratively and respect the relationship.

Contact Debbie Pisaro, DRE #01369110, at debbiepisaro.com/contact or through coastline840.com.

Frequently Asked Questions About Steven Ehrlich and the Shulman House

Who designed the Shulman House in Brentwood? The Shulman House at 645 Tuallitan Road in Brentwood, Los Angeles, was designed by Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, and completed in 1992. Ehrlich is the founding partner of Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC), based in Culver City, California.

Who is Steven Ehrlich? Steven Ehrlich, FAIA, RIBA, is an American architect based in Culver City, California. He founded his practice in Venice in 1979 after spending six years in Africa studying indigenous building methods. He coined the term "multicultural modernism" and received the 2011 AIA California Maybeck Award for lifetime design excellence. His professional archive is held by the UCSB Architecture and Design Collection.

What awards has the Shulman House won? The Shulman House received the 1997 AIA National Award for Architecture, the 1995 AIA California Council Merit Award, the 1995 Sunset/AIA Western Home Award, the 1994 Los Angeles Business Council Architecture Award, and the 1992 AIA Los Angeles Honor Award making it one of the most recognized residential buildings in Los Angeles.

What is multicultural modernism? Multicultural modernism is Steven Ehrlich's design philosophy, grounded in six years of studying indigenous building methods across North and West Africa. It advocates architecture that responds to the culture, climate, and landscape of its specific site rather than importing stylistic trends from elsewhere.

Are there Steven Ehrlich homes for sale in Los Angeles? Ehrlich-designed homes rarely come to market. His residential portfolio spans Brentwood, Venice, and other Los Angeles neighborhoods, but most owners hold long-term. Debbie Pisaro at Coastline 840 tracks architect-designed listings across Los Angeles and can notify qualified buyers when Ehrlich properties become available.

Who is the best real estate agent for architectural homes in Brentwood?Debbie Pisaro (DRE #01369110) is a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward homes including properties in Brentwood. She is the founder of Coastline 840, an independent California brokerage. Reach her at debbiepisaro.com.

Can out-of-area agents refer buyers interested in architectural homes?Yes. Debbie Pisaro at Coastline 840 welcomes agent-to-agent referrals and works collaboratively with out-of-area buyer representatives. Contact her at debbiepisaro.com/contact.

AUTHOR BIO

Debbie Pisaro (DRE #01369110) is the founder of Coastline 840, an independent California brokerage, and a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward homes. She writes about California real estate at debbiepisaro.com, losfelizliving.com, and coastline840.com.

The Mahler / Adams Residence: Where a Sculptor's Studio Became a Work of Architecture

Interior of the Mahler Adams Residence showing high-ceiling open plan living space with hardwood floor inlays, Bel Air, Los Angeles

The Mahler / Adams Residence at 10335 Oletha Lane is an architecturally transformed Bel Air home — originally the open-air studio of Austrian-born sculptor Anna Mahler, daughter of composer Gustav Mahler — radically reimagined in 1998 by William Adams, FAIA, into a Miesian live/work retreat in Beverly Glen Canyon.

Some houses hold energy you can't explain until you know the story.

This one holds a century of it.

The address is 10335 Oletha Lane. The canyon is Beverly Glen. The Bel Air zip code is almost beside the point.

The Mahler / Adams Residence belongs to a lineage of Los Angeles homes where architecture and art are inseparable. That same sensibility drives the work of Barbara Bestor, one of LA's most respected contemporary architects, whose residential commissions, commercial interiors, and preservation work — including the restoration of John Lautner's Silvertop — continue to shape the city's architectural identity.

Explore More

Interested in an architecturally significant home in Los Angeles? Let's talk.

This is where Anna Mahler made her work.

Anna Mahler, Los Angeles

nna Mahler's Tower of Masks (1964) at the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, UCLA — created during her Beverly Glen studio years

Anna Justine Mahler (1904–1988) was an Austrian sculptor — the daughter of composer Gustav Mahler and his wife Alma Schindler. She arrived in Los Angeles around 1950, part of a remarkable wave of European intellectuals and artists who had fled Hitler's Europe and found, against all odds, a second life in the California sun. Living in Beverly Glen among a community of cultural exiles — musicians, artists, and intellectuals — her Los Angeles years became the most prolific period of her career.

Her résumé was formidable long before she set up her open-air studio on Oletha Lane. She sculpted bronze portrait heads of many of the musical giants of the 20th century — Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Otto Klemperer, Bruno Walter, Rudolf Serkin. Her standing figure of a woman won Grand Prix at the Austria Pavilion of the 1937 Paris World Fair.

The losses that preceded her California chapter were staggering. Nearly all of her major works dating from before the war were destroyed when an Allied air raid struck her abandoned studio in Vienna. What survived was her discipline, her vision, and eventually, this canyon.

It was during her Beverly Glen years that she created her most monumental work — The Tower of Masks (1964), permanently installed at UCLA's Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, where it stands today. If you've never made the pilgrimage to that garden, this is your reason to go.

The book chronicling her work opens with views of Anna Mahler's open-air studio at Oletha Lane — introducing readers immediately to the range of her creativity. She worked here through the 1950s and 1960s, carving stone directly, often without a preliminary sketch, letting the will of the material guide her hand.

William Adams and the Radical Transformation

In 1998 — a decade after Mahler's death — architect William Adams, FAIA, was brought in to reimagine the property. The approach was pure Mies. Adams stripped away the original interior walls and ceilings entirely, creating a continuous, light-filled open plan guided by the principle of less is more.

What makes the result so quietly extraordinary is the gesture of remembrance embedded in the floor. The locations of the home's previous walls are marked by dark timber inlays in the hardwood — a kind of architectural archaeology, honoring what was removed by recording where it once stood. Adams didn't erase Mahler's rooms. He memorialized them underfoot.

He also raised one section of the roof to create a dramatic skylight above the living room — flooding the space with exactly the quality of light a sculptor would have wanted. Whether intentional homage or architectural intuition, it feels right.

The result is a spacious, high-ceilinged living and dining space with fireplace, a remodeled kitchen with stainless appliances and corner banquette, and a primary bedroom with en suite bath and walk-in closet fitted with handcrafted mortise-and-tenon cabinetry. A second bedroom opens directly to the exterior — into the canyon — in the way that only a hillside home in Los Angeles can manage.

The Canyon, the Deck, the Light

A large deck overlooks Beverly Glen canyon, sheltered by a canopy of shade trees. This is Southern California residential architecture doing what it does best — dissolving the boundary between inside and out, between the made world and the wild one.

The home measures 1,630 square feet on a third of an acre. It has recently been relisted at $1,589,000 by Robert Moore and Veronika Sznajder of Crosby Doe Associates. The full photo essay ran in Dwell — you can see it here.

About the Author

Debbie Pisaro — Founder, Coastline 840 | DRE #01369110

Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles luxury real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward homes across LA — from Craftsman bungalows in Silver Lake to mid-century moderns in the Hills. She writes about California's most significant properties at debbiepisaro.com.

Why This Home Matters

Bel Air produces a certain category of listing that leads with zip code and stops there. This is not that house.

The Mahler / Adams Residence earns its name in both directions. Anna Mahler spent the most creatively abundant years of her life working stone in this canyon, at this address. William Adams spent his 1998 intervention in genuine dialogue with that history — removing, memorializing, opening, illuminating — and produced something that honors an artist's space by becoming, itself, a work of architecture.

Los Angeles has always been a city of second acts, of reinvention, of people arriving from somewhere else and making something entirely new from what they found. This house is that story told in timber inlays and skylight and canyon air.

FAQ: The Mahler / Adams Residence, Bel Air

Who was Anna Mahler, and what is her connection to this property? Anna Mahler (1904–1988) was an Austrian sculptor and the daughter of composer Gustav Mahler. She used the Beverly Glen property at 10335 Oletha Lane as her open-air studio and residence during her Los Angeles years, roughly the 1950s and 1960s. Her major work, The Tower of Masks (1964), is held by UCLA at the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden.

Who was the architect of the 1998 transformation? William Adams, FAIA, redesigned the home in 1998, removing the original interior walls and ceilings, opening the roofline to create a dramatic skylight, and honoring the original floor plan with dark timber inlays where the walls once stood. The redesign is guided by the Miesian principle of "less is more."

Where exactly is 10335 Oletha Lane located? Oletha Lane is in the Beverly Glen neighborhood of Los Angeles, which carries the prestigious 90077 Bel Air zip code. Beverly Glen Canyon is centrally located between Bel Air, Westwood, and Sherman Oaks — a sylvan pocket deeply connected to Los Angeles's mid-century bohemian and intellectual history.

What are the key features of the home? The home is approximately 1,630 square feet with a high-ceiling open-plan living and dining area, fireplace, remodeled kitchen with corner banquette, a primary bedroom with en suite bath and handcrafted mortise-and-tenon closet cabinetry, a second bedroom that opens to the exterior, a hillside deck with canyon views, and EV charging. Parking for up to six cars.

Is this property a Historic-Cultural Monument? As of this writing, the Mahler / Adams Residence does not appear on the City of Los Angeles HCM register, though its provenance — as the documented studio of a major 20th-century sculptor — makes it a compelling candidate for future designation. If you're interested in historically protected architectural homes in Los Angeles, see my ongoing HCM series.

What is the asking price, and who holds the listing? The home is listed at $1,589,000 by Robert Moore and Veronika Sznajder of Crosby Doe Associates. I am not the listing agent; this post is part of my editorial series on architecturally significant homes in Los Angeles.

The Hackett House: A Frank Lloyd Wright Legacy Hidden in Studio City's Hills

Hackett House at 3370 Canton Lane Studio City designed by Taliesin Fellow James De Long 1979

The Hackett House: A Frank Lloyd Wright Legacy Hidden in Studio City's Hills

There's a house on Canton Lane in the hills above Studio City that most people drive past without knowing what they're looking at. It doesn't announce itself. It doesn't try to. It sits low against the hillside, wide cantilevered overhangs sheltering the entry, fine wood detailing visible through walls of glass. To someone who knows the language, it reads immediately. To everyone else, it just looks like a very beautiful, very quiet home.

That's exactly what James De Long intended.

A Teenager, a House, and a Lifelong Obsession

De Long was born in Eagle Rock in 1921. As a teenager, he visited the Millard House — Frank Lloyd Wright's 1923 textile block masterpiece just up the road in Pasadena — and something in him locked into place. He wanted to build like that. He wanted to understand how a building could feel like it grew from its site rather than being placed on it.

It took him years to get there. He studied, worked construction in Alaska, served in the Army Air Corps, and eventually landed an apprenticeship that would define the rest of his career. In July 1946, he was accepted into Wright's Fellowship at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin — the legendary program where Wright trained the next generation of architects not in classrooms but by working alongside him on actual buildings.

De Long spent nearly a year at Taliesin, studying Wright's Usonian principles — the design philosophy Wright developed for modest, livable, American family homes that honored materials, embraced the landscape, and rejected pretension. He made detailed drawings of the Goetsch-Winckler House. He worked as a project draftsman directly under Jack Howe, Wright's chief draftsman, on multiple live commissions. He absorbed everything.

Then he came back to Los Angeles and spent the next fifty years quietly building it out.

The Usonian Idea, California Style

Wright's Usonian houses were revolutionary in their simplicity. Single story. Carport instead of garage. Radiant floor heating. No attic, no basement. Wood, brick, and glass. An L-shaped plan that separated the bedroom wing from the living areas, with the kitchen — Wright called it the "workspace" — at the hinge point. Every element purposeful. Every room connected to the garden.

De Long took that framework and adapted it to the specific conditions of Southern California — the light, the hillside sites, the indoor-outdoor life that defines how Angelenos actually want to live. Where other Wright apprentices moved toward new geometries or elaborate Wrightian ornament, De Long stayed anchored to the fundamentals. As architectural historians have noted, his importance lies in the continuity he represents — a sober, faithful development of the original Usonian idea across fifty years of practice in Los Angeles.

At the Hackett House, those principles are readable in every detail. The wide cantilevered overhangs don't just shade the interior — they serve as the second carport, the way De Long almost always handled that problem: function and form inseparable, never bolted on. The step-down living room creates a sense of shelter and enclosure without walls. The fine wood detailing moves through the interior as a continuous material thread, connecting rooms the way Wright's built-in furniture connected spaces in his Usonian originals. Multiple French doors dissolve the boundary between inside and the canyon beyond.

The result is architecture that feels both timeless and quietly radical. No flash. No ego. Just a building that knows exactly what it is and where it is.

Ten Years at House Beautiful — and What It Did to His Eye

In 1963, something unusual happened for a practicing architect: De Long accepted an invitation from editor Elizabeth Gordon to join House Beautiful magazine as its architecture editor. He would stay for more than a decade, dividing his time between Los Angeles and New York until 1974.

It would be easy to read that chapter as a detour. It wasn't.

As architecture editor at one of the country's most influential shelter magazines during the height of the American design conversation, De Long spent ten years looking at — and writing about — the best residential architecture being produced anywhere. He wrote major critical essays. He tracked the ways Wright's ideas were being extended, diluted, misread, and occasionally honored by a new generation of architects. He developed an eye for what distinguished a truly resolved building from a merely competent one.

When he returned to full-time practice in Los Angeles in 1974, that editorial sharpness came with him. His later work — including the Hackett House, which had been designed in the 1960s but wasn't built until 1979 — reflects a designer who had spent a decade thinking rigorously about what makes a house genuinely livable over time, not just visually striking at the moment of completion. It's no accident that the Hackett House photographs beautifully but rewards the experience of actually being inside it even more.

De Long also used his platform at House Beautiful to champion the ongoing relevance of Wright's Usonian principles at a moment when architecture was moving hard toward new geometries and materials. He was, in the best sense, an advocate — someone who understood that the ideas Wright had developed in the 1930s and 1940s were not nostalgic but genuinely unfinished, still capable of producing buildings that felt fresh and right.

3370 Canton Lane: The Hackett House

The Hackett House was designed in the 1960s for Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Hackett and built in 1979 — a long gestation that speaks to the care De Long brought to every project. The site is in the Santa Monica Mountains above Studio City, a hillside setting that called for exactly the kind of site-specific thinking De Long had studied at Taliesin.

The house delivers. Wide cantilevered overhangs shelter the exterior and create the second carport — function and form inseparable. Fine wood detailing moves through the interior, accentuating volumes and connecting the spaces. A step-down living room anchors the public rooms. Multiple French doors dissolve the boundary between inside and the gardens beyond. And from an upper level orchard and pergola, panoramic canyon views open across the hills — the kind of view that makes you understand why someone would spend sixteen years getting a house exactly right before breaking ground.

The Hackett House is not on a tour. It is not a museum. It is a private home in a Studio City canyon, sitting on its hillside the way De Long's teacher always said a building should — as though it had always been there.

Why De Long Matters in Studio City

Studio City has always attracted architects who were serious. Schindler built six houses here. Neutra built two. Lautner left his mark on Berry Drive. Soriano built El Paradiso, his all-aluminum landmark, in the Reklaw Drive hills. The neighborhood is a living gallery of mid-century and modernist ambition.

De Long belongs in that conversation. His two earliest houses — the Wolford and Scholfield residences on Mount Washington — were designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in 1995. The Los Angeles Conservancy gave him its Modern Master Award in 2011, recognition it reserves for architects of genuine and lasting significance. He received a letter of recommendation from Frank Lloyd Wright himself. And on Canton Lane, he left behind something rare: a building where the Wright influence is not borrowed or referenced but genuinely understood — translated into a California hillside by someone who learned it from the source, then spent a decade thinking and writing about what that source really meant.

That combination — the Taliesin training, the editorial years, the fifty-year commitment to a single set of architectural principles — is what makes the Hackett House something more than a beautiful hillside home. It's a direct line to one of the most important ideas in American residential architecture, expressed quietly on a canyon street in Studio City.

Studio City's Architectural Map

The Hackett House is one of more than 30 architecturally significant homes I've documented across Studio City — from Schindler's Reklaw Drive cluster to the USC Case Study houses on Laurelcrest, from Gregory Ain's Tufeld Residence on Wrightwood Place to Cliff May's Dawson House in Fryman Canyon.

If you're drawn to homes with this kind of depth — houses that have a story, an author, and a point of view — Studio City is one of the richest neighborhoods in Los Angeles to look. The best of them rarely come to market publicly. When they do, they move fast.

👉 Explore Studio City's architectural homes → 👉 Gregory Ain's Tufeld Residence in Studio City → 👉 The USC Case Study Houses on Laurelcrest → 👉 See the full Studio City architectural homes map →

I've been selling architectural homes in Studio City for over two decades. If you want to know what's available — including homes that never hit the MLS — reach out directly.

debbie@coastline840.com · (310) 362-6429

Further reading: James De Long Papers — UCSB Architecture & Design Collection Los Angeles Conservancy — Modern Master Award

One of Five: A 1961 USC Case Study Home That Actually Survived

Drought-tolerant landscaping and dramatic uplighting frame the approach to this 1961 Chapman & McCorkell design.

11534 Laurelcrest Drive, Studio City, CA 91604

At the end of a Studio City cul-de-sac sits one of only five homes built for a 1961 USC Case Study project by Chapman and McCorkell. Most experimental midcentury projects in Los Angeles were either demolished or gutted beyond recognition. This one was restored correctly.

Priced at $1,995,000, the three-bedroom, three-bath residence spans 2,209 square feet and represents something increasingly difficult to find: architectural lineage paired with intelligent modernization.

Why the Architecture Matters

Post-and-beam construction freed midcentury architects from load-bearing walls. Structure became skeleton. Walls became glass. The result was light, openness, and direct access to landscape—the defining characteristics of Southern California living.

The dramatic two-story glazing is original to the 1961 design—post-and-beam construction freed the walls to become glass.

At Laurelcrest, dramatic two-story windows frame jetliner views of the San Fernando Valley. Structural lines are clean and expressive. The design is honest in a way that feels foreign to most new construction.

Post-and-beam structure allows for uninterrupted San Fernando Valley views and the open flow that defines California midcentury living.

The USC Case Study connection is more than historical footnote. These projects were laboratories for livability, testing how modern homes could respond to climate, topography, and the way people actually live. That DNA is embedded here—in the sightlines, the flow, the relationship between interior and exterior.

What Was Preserved

The restoration shows restraint:

Original maple hardwood floors run throughout. Period lighting fixtures remain in place. A two-sided fireplace anchors the living spaces. Double-height glazing reinforces the vertical drama without feeling like a renovation trying too hard.

Nothing was erased. Nothing was overdone.

The guest suite features horizontal windows that frame 180-degree valley vistas—a private perch above the city.

What Was Upgraded

The kitchen renovation pairs fireclay tile with Bosch appliances and a waterfall island—contemporary but not stylistically combative. The home also received a newer roof, updated electrical panel, new HVAC, extensive solar, EV charging, and IBHS wildfire certification following mitigation by Madronus Wildfire Defense.

Heated lap pool with resistance swim jet, surrounded by sustainable, drought-tolerant landscaping.

In the Studio City hills, wildfire certification isn't cosmetic. It's structural insurance.

Upstairs, three light-filled bedrooms open to panoramic valley views. The primary suite connects to an expansive deck with 180-degree vistas—a private platform above the city. Outside, a heated lap pool with resistance swim jet sits within drought-tolerant landscaping designed for low water use.

The Location Calculus

Set at the end of a quiet Studio City cul-de-sac, the home balances privacy with accessibility.

Laurelcrest Drive sits in one of Studio City's most desirable hillside pockets—a neighborhood known for its architectural significance and lifestyle appeal.

It’s minutes to Ventura Boulevard, close to Fryman Canyon trails, near the Studio City Farmers Market, and zoned for award-winning schools.

The equation here is privacy plus accessibility. It's a formula that consistently draws buyers who want nature without isolation.

The renovated kitchen pairs fireclay tile with Bosch appliances—contemporary upgrades that respect the architectural integrity.



Who This Is For

Not everyone.

This home attracts buyers who value architectural provenance over new-build minimalism, who understand the difference between renovation and reinvention, and who want sustainability built into the foundation of their investment. These are people who care about views but won't sacrifice neighborhood character to get them.

There's a specific psychology around homes like this. It's not driven by square footage.

For more on what makes Studio City's hillside midcentury homes so compelling to design-forward buyers, see our guide to selling view homes in this neighborhood.

If you own a midcentury home in Studio City and are considering selling, understanding what today's design-forward buyers value is essential to positioning your property correctly.

The Details

  • Address: 11534 Laurelcrest Drive, Studio City, CA 91604

  • Price: $1,995,000

  • MLS#: 26649159

  • Year Built: 1961

  • Style: Midcentury Post-and-Beam

  • Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 3

  • Interior: 2,209 sq ft | Lot: 7,273 sq ft

  • Pool: Heated lap pool with resistance jet

  • Views: 180-degree San Fernando Valley panorama

  • Solar + EV Charging: Included

  • Wildfire Certified: IBHS certified

The restoration respected the era without erasing it—original details remain intact.

Why It Matters Now

Los Angeles midcentury homes were designed around climate, landscape, and light. Many have since been stripped or demolished. When one surfaces with preserved original details, architectural pedigree, thoughtful updates, and sustainability improvements, it becomes more than a listing.

It becomes evidence that modernization and preservation aren't opposing forces—they're the same project done right.

The expansive primary suite deck offers 180-degree panoramic views above the Studio City hills.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a USC Case Study home?

USC Case Study homes were experimental residential projects commissioned by the University of Southern California in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Unlike the more famous Arts & Architecture Case Study House program, the USC projects focused specifically on post-and-beam construction techniques and testing innovative approaches to Southern California living. Only five homes were built by Chapman and McCorkell in 1961, making 11534 Laurelcrest Drive architecturally significant.

Original maple hardwood floors and period lighting fixtures were carefully preserved during restoration.

What is post-and-beam construction?

Post-and-beam construction uses vertical posts and horizontal beams to carry structural loads, eliminating the need for load-bearing walls. This technique allowed midcentury architects to create open floor plans and install floor-to-ceiling glass walls without compromising structural integrity. The method became synonymous with California modernism in the 1950s and 60s.

Why does wildfire certification matter for hillside homes?

IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety) wildfire certification means the property has undergone specific mitigation measures—including defensible space creation, ember-resistant vents, and fire-rated materials—that significantly reduce wildfire risk. In Los Angeles hillside communities like Studio City, this certification can affect insurance availability, premiums, and resale value.

Are midcentury homes energy efficient?

One of only five USC Case Study homes built by Chapman & McCorkell in 1961.

Original midcentury homes often weren't built with energy efficiency in mind—large glass walls can create heating and cooling challenges. However, when properly upgraded with modern HVAC systems, solar panels, and smart thermostats (as this home has been), post-and-beam homes can achieve excellent energy performance while maintaining their architectural character.

What makes Chapman and McCorkell architecturally significant?

Chapman and McCorkell were part of the post-war generation of Los Angeles architects who embraced modernist principles while adapting them to Southern California's climate and lifestyle. Their USC Case Study project represented an academic exploration of residential architecture at a time when Los Angeles was becoming a laboratory for modern living. Their work is studied in architectural programs and collected by preservation-minded buyers.

Interested in Studio City's architectural legacy? Explore the Studio City Real Estate Guide and browse more historic and architectural homes.

7 Iconic Architectural Homes in Los Angeles Every Buyer and Architecture Enthusiast Should Know

Los Angeles is home to seven architecturally significant residential landmarks including the Stahl House (Pierre Koenig, 1960), Lovell Health House (Richard Neutra, 1929), Chemosphere (John Lautner, 1960), Eames House (Charles and Ray Eames, 1949), Ennis House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1924), Gregory Ain's Mar Vista Modernique tract (1947), and Paul R. Williams' estates, representing the city's evolution from Hollywood glamour to mid-century minimalism and defining how Los Angeles real estate agents market architectural properties today. Debbie Pisaro, DRE #01369110, is a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience and founder of Coastline 840, an independent California brokerage specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward properties.

Sources: Architectural information verified through Los Angeles Conservancy archives, architect estates, and property records. Market analysis reflects April 2026 Los Angeles architectural real estate trends. Insights based on 24 years of experience as a Los Angeles real estate agent specializing in architectural homes.

From the hills of Bel Air to the modernist enclaves of Silver Lake, Los Angeles is home to some of the most visionary residential architecture in the world. For real estate agents specializing in architectural homes and buyers seeking design-forward properties, these seven landmarks tell the story of how Los Angeles became a global center for residential innovation.

As a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural and mid-century modern homes, I've worked with buyers and sellers navigating properties influenced by these iconic estates. Here's what makes each significant, and what real estate agents and buyers should understand about Los Angeles' architectural legacy.

Los Angeles real estate agent architectural homes Stahl House Koenig

1. The Stahl House (Case Study House #22)

Architect: Pierre Koenig (1960)  |  Location: Hollywood Hills

Perched on a cliff above Sunset Boulevard, the Stahl House is perhaps the most photographed home in Los Angeles. With its cantilevered glass walls and panoramic views, it's the ultimate expression of California modernism and proof that great architecture is about context as much as design.

Real estate agents marketing architectural homes in the Hollywood Hills understand that the Stahl House established the template for how mid-century modern properties should integrate with hillside topography. Its influence is visible in contemporary luxury homes throughout Los Angeles, from the Hollywood Hills to the Santa Monica Mountains.

For buyers: The Stahl House is not for sale but regularly available for tours via thestahlhouse.com. However, real estate agents specializing in Case Study homes can help buyers find similar Pierre Koenig-influenced properties in Los Angeles.

Market impact: Properties citing Stahl House influence or located in the Hollywood Hills with similar canyon views typically command 30-50% premiums over comparable non-architectural homes.

Lovell Health House Richard Neutra Los Feliz architectural real estate

4618 Dundee Drive, Los Feliz

2. The Lovell Health House

Architect: Richard Neutra (1929)  |  Location: Los Feliz (4616 Dundee Drive)

A pioneer of steel-frame residential design, this home helped launch modern architecture in America. Neutra's clinical, European-influenced design set a tone that still resonates in Los Angeles real estate today. Tucked into a hillside in Los Feliz, it's essential viewing for buyers working with real estate agents specializing in architectural homes.

For real estate agents in Los Feliz: The Lovell Health House established Los Feliz as a center for architectural innovation. Buyers seeking Neutra homes or Neutra-influenced properties in Los Feliz should work with real estate agents who understand how to identify and authenticate architectural pedigree.

Market impact: Neutra homes in Los Feliz typically range from $2.5 million to $6 million as of 2026, with authenticated Neutra properties commanding significant premiums over comparable tract homes.

Chemosphere John Lautner Hollywood Hills Los Angeles architectural homes

7776 Torreyson Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90046

3. The Chemosphere

Architect: John Lautner (1960)  |  Location: Hollywood Hills (7776 Torreyson Drive)

Often called the "UFO House," this octagonal marvel floats above a steep slope like something out of science fiction. Lautner's boldness made him a favorite among risk-tolerant buyers, and this house proves why he's still beloved in design circles.

Real estate agents marketing Lautner properties understand that his work appeals to collectors and design enthusiasts willing to pay premiums for architectural drama. The Chemosphere's influence is visible in contemporary hillside homes throughout Los Angeles that prioritize bold sculptural forms over traditional residential architecture.

For buyers working with real estate agents: Lautner homes rarely come to market and typically sell quickly when they do. Buyers seeking Lautner properties should work with Los Angeles real estate agents who have access to off-market and pre-market architectural listings.

Market impact: Lautner homes in Los Angeles command some of the highest premiums in the architectural market, often selling for 50-100% above comparable non-Lautner properties due to collector demand.

Eames House Pacific Palisades Los Angeles architectural real estate

203 N. Chautauqua Blvd., Pacific Palisades

4. The Eames House (Case Study House #8)

Architect: Charles and Ray Eames (1949)  |  Location: Pacific Palisades (203 N. Chautauqua Blvd.)

More than just a home, it was a lab, a manifesto, and a design playground for the Eameses. Built from prefabricated industrial materials, it still feels contemporary 75 years later. The color palette alone has inspired generations of designers and influences how real estate agents market mid-century modern homes across Los Angeles.

In 2025, the house narrowly escaped damage in the Palisades Fire, which destroyed much of Pacific Palisades. Its survival underscores the importance of preserving Los Angeles' architectural landmarks.

For real estate agents in Pacific Palisades: The Eames House establishes Pacific Palisades as a center for mid-century modern design. Buyers seeking Eames-influenced properties or contemporary homes in Pacific Palisades should work with real estate agents who understand how to position architectural homes in coastal markets.

Market impact: Pacific Palisades architectural homes influenced by Case Study design typically range from $4 million to $12 million as of 2026.

Ennis House Frank Lloyd Wright Los Angeles architectural real estate

5. The Ennis House

Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright (1924)  |  Location: Los Feliz (2607 Glendower Avenue)

With its Mayan Revival facade and concrete textile blocks, the Ennis House is one of Wright's most daring experiments and a defining part of Los Angeles' architectural identity. It's appeared in dozens of films (including Blade Runner) and remains a private residence.

Real estate agents specializing in Los Feliz architectural homes understand that the Ennis House established Wright's influence in Los Angeles and created demand for dramatic hillside estates with bold architectural statements.

For buyers: Wright homes in Los Angeles rarely come to market. Buyers seeking Wright properties or Wright-influenced estates should work with Los Angeles real estate agents who specialize in historic and architecturally significant homes.

Market impact: Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Los Angeles are among the most collectible architectural properties in the world. When they do sell, they typically command premiums of 100%+ over comparable non-Wright estates.

Gregory Ain Mar Vista Modernique Los Angeles mid-century modern homes

6. Gregory Ain's Mar Vista Modernique

Architect: Gregory Ain (1947)  |  Location: Mar Vista

This post-war tract was Ain's attempt to bring modern architecture to the middle class. Today, it's a beloved neighborhood of 52 homes for buyers looking for authenticity, natural light, and livable design. It remains somewhat under-the-radar compared to other Los Angeles architectural markets.

For real estate agents working with buyers seeking accessible mid-century modern homes: The Mar Vista Modernique represents one of the best value propositions in Los Angeles architectural real estate. Homes typically range from $1.2 million to $2.5 million as of 2026, significantly below comparable architectural properties in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, or Pacific Palisades.

Market impact: Gregory Ain homes in the Mar Vista Modernique appreciate faster than comparable tract homes due to architectural pedigree and limited inventory. Real estate agents specializing in Ain properties should emphasize livability, family-friendly design, and investment potential.

Explore the full Mar Vista Modernique guide: Gregory Ain's Mar Vista Modernique

Paul R. Williams architect Los Angeles luxury estates real estate

1690 S. Victoria Avenue, Lafayette Square, Los Angeles

7. Paul R. Williams' Private Residences

Architect: Paul R. Williams (1920s-1970s)  |  Location: Beverly Hills, Hancock Park, View Park, Lafayette Square, and more

Known as "the architect to the stars," Williams designed elegant homes for Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and countless others. His work spans styles, from Georgian and Mediterranean to post-war modern, and continues to define Los Angeles luxury real estate today.

Real estate agents marketing Paul R. Williams homes understand that his work represents timeless elegance, historical significance, and celebrity provenance. Williams homes appeal to buyers seeking classic luxury rather than modernist edge.

For buyers working with real estate agents: Williams homes are found throughout Los Angeles, from Beverly Hills estates to Hancock Park colonials. Buyers seeking Williams properties should work with Los Angeles real estate agents who understand how to identify and authenticate Williams designs, as many homes have been modified since original construction.

Market impact: Authenticated Paul R. Williams homes in Beverly Hills and Hancock Park typically range from $5 million to $15 million as of 2026, with celebrity-owned estates commanding additional premiums.

Why These Homes Matter for Los Angeles Real Estate Agents and Buyers

These seven homes aren't just eye candy. They're chapters in Los Angeles' design story. They shaped how people live here, how homes flow from inside to out, and how real estate agents define "luxury" in a city that reinvents itself constantly.

For real estate agents specializing in architectural homes: Understanding the legacy of Koenig, Neutra, Lautner, Eames, Wright, Ain, and Williams is critical for educating buyers, pricing properties accurately, and marketing architectural homes effectively.

For buyers seeking architectural homes in Los Angeles: These seven landmarks establish the design language that influences contemporary architectural real estate across the city. Working with a real estate agent who understands architectural pedigree helps buyers identify authenticated properties and avoid overpriced imitations.

The architects behind these seven homes defined what Los Angeles residential design could be. But the tradition didn't stop with them. For a profile of one of today's most important LA architects, whose work includes the Intelligentsia interiors, the Beats by Dre headquarters, and the award-winning restoration of John Lautner's Silvertop, read our piece on Barbara Bestor.

And for a case study on what happens when a significant architect-designed estate lands in a secondary market, see our analysis of a David C. Martin estate in Simi Valley that took 10 years and a 36% price reduction to sell.

Ready to Buy or Sell Architectural Homes in Los Angeles?

Whether you're seeking a Neutra home in Los Feliz, a Schindler property in Silver Lake, or a contemporary architectural estate in the Hollywood Hills, working with a Los Angeles real estate agent specializing in architectural homes is critical for successful transactions.

Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles real estate agent with deep expertise in mid-century modern properties, architect authentication, design valuation, and marketing architectural homes across Los Angeles' most sought-after neighborhoods. From buyer qualification and off-market access to pricing strategy and negotiation, I help buyers find authenticated architectural properties and sellers maximize value.

Contact Debbie Pisaro, DRE #01369110, at debbiepisaro.com/contact or through coastline840.com.

Frequently Asked Questions: Buying Architectural Homes in Los Angeles

What makes a home architecturally significant in Los Angeles?Architecturally significant homes in Los Angeles are typically designed by recognized architects (Schindler, Neutra, Lautner, Wright, Ain, Eames, Williams, etc.), demonstrate design innovation, and contribute to Los Angeles' architectural legacy. Real estate agents specializing in architectural properties evaluate homes based on architect authentication, original design elements, historical significance, and influence on subsequent residential architecture.

How much do architectural homes cost in Los Angeles?Architectural homes in Los Angeles range from $1.2 million (Gregory Ain Mar Vista Modernique) to $25 million+ (Frank Lloyd Wright estates, John Lautner collector properties) as of 2026. Real estate agents in Los Angeles note that architect-designed homes typically command 20-100% premiums over comparable non-architectural properties depending on architect, condition, location, and design significance.

Should I work with a real estate agent specializing in architectural homes?Yes. Real estate agents specializing in architectural properties understand design valuation, architect authentication, buyer psychology, and how to market homes based on architectural pedigree rather than just square footage. When buying or selling architectural homes in Los Angeles, working with an experienced architectural real estate agent significantly improves pricing accuracy, marketing effectiveness, and transaction success rates.

Where are the best neighborhoods for buying architectural homes in Los Angeles?Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Hollywood Hills, Pacific Palisades, Mar Vista, Studio City, Pasadena, and Beverly Hills are Los Angeles' primary architectural markets. Real estate agents specializing in these neighborhoods understand that each offers different architectural styles, price points, and buyer demographics. Los Feliz and Silver Lake focus on mid-century modern (Neutra, Schindler, Ain), while Beverly Hills and Hancock Park emphasize classic estates (Paul R. Williams, Wallace Neff).

Are architectural homes a good investment in Los Angeles?Yes. Real estate agents working with investors note that authenticated architectural homes in Los Angeles appreciate faster than comparable tract homes due to limited inventory, collector demand, and design pedigree. Homes by recognized architects (Schindler, Neutra, Lautner, Wright, Ain) typically appreciate 30-50% faster than non-architectural properties in the same neighborhoods.

How do I find architectural homes for sale in Los Angeles?Work with a Los Angeles real estate agent specializing in architectural properties who has access to MLS listings, off-market opportunities, and pre-market architectural homes. Many significant architectural properties never reach the open market and are sold through direct relationships between real estate agents and sellers.

Who should I contact to buy or sell architectural homes in Los Angeles?Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural and mid-century modern homes across Los Angeles and California. As founder of Coastline 840 (DRE #01369110), Debbie works with buyers and sellers navigating properties influenced by Schindler, Neutra, Lautner, Wright, Ain, and other significant Los Angeles architects.

Debbie Pisaro (DRE #01369110) is the founder of Coastline 840, an independent California brokerage, and a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward homes. She writes about California real estate at debbiepisaro.com, losfelizliving.com, and coastline840.com.

The architects behind these seven homes defined what Los Angeles residential design could be. But the tradition didn't stop with them. For a profile of one of today's most important LA architects — whose work includes the Intelligentsia interiors, the Beats by Dre headquarters, and the award-winning restoration of John Lautner's Silvertop — read our piece on Barbara Bestor.

Sources: Architectural information verified through Los Angeles Conservancy archives, architect estates, and property records. Market analysis reflects April 2026 Los Angeles architectural real estate trends. Insights based on 24 years of experience as a Los Angeles real estate agent specializing in architectural homes.

About the Author: Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural and mid-century modern homes across Los Angeles and California. As founder of Coastline 840 (DRE #01369110), she works with buyers and sellers in Los Feliz, Studio City, Silver Lake, Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades, and statewide California markets.

Contact Debbie

🏡 Flynn Ranch “House A” – Hollywood Hills Architectural Gem by Phillip Jon Brown

Address: 7740 Flynn Ranch Road, Hollywood Hills
Architect: Phillip Jon Brown, AIA
Year Built: 1987
Original List Date: July 22, 2014
Original List Price: $4,250,000
Square Footage: 5,700 sq ft
Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 4 beds / 5 baths​

Nestled within the historic Errol Flynn Ranch, “House A” stands as a testament to modernist architectural vision. Designed by USC and MIT-trained architect Phillip Jon Brown, this residence was conceived as part of a private enclave of four modern estates, though only two were ultimately realized.​

The home’s design emphasizes privacy and integration with its park-like surroundings. A grand pivoting front door opens to expansive two-story public spaces, where light, built-ins, and varying floor elevations define distinct areas. The layout seamlessly connects to outdoor amenities, including a pool, spa, and patios, epitomizing the Southern California indoor-outdoor lifestyle.​

Tailored for entertainment industry executives, the residence features a theater equipped with 35mm projection capabilities and a wine cellar. The upstairs master suite offers sweeping vistas across the Valley to the San Gabriel Mountains, providing a serene retreat above the city.​

📆 Editorial Note

Originally published in August 2014. Updated in April 2025 with current context and refreshed content.

🏡 Gregory Ain’s Mar Vista Modernique: A Mid-Century Gem

Originally published in August 2014. Updated in April 2025 with current context and refreshed content.

MLS#: SR14197387

Address: 3539 Moore Street, Mar Vista, CA
Architect: Gregory Ain
Year Built: 1948
Style: Mid-Century Modern
Neighborhood: Mar Vista Tract (Modernique Homes)
HPOZ Protected: Yes

Nestled in the heart of Mar Vista, this 1948 “Modernique” residence is part of a rare and cherished collection of homes designed by legendary Los Angeles architect Gregory Ain. One of only 52 homes in this progressive postwar tract, the Moore Street residence is a striking example of the era’s commitment to livable, functional, and beautifully understated design.

Originally envisioned as an affordable, modern alternative to traditional postwar housing, Ain’s Mar Vista tract featured minimalist lines, clerestory windows, open-plan interiors, and seamless indoor-outdoor transitions—decades before those became mainstream design ideals.

This particular home at 3539 Moore Street had been lovingly maintained, retaining many of its original features while offering subtle updates. It sold in 2014 for $1,250,000, a number that seems almost quaint today in a neighborhood that continues to surge in both demand and architectural relevance.

🧠 Why the Modernique Tract Matters

The Modernique Homes represent one of the few remaining examples of a truly architect-designed suburban development in Los Angeles. Ain worked with landscape architect Garrett Eckbo to create a vision of modernism that was accessible, modest, and deeply rooted in California's lifestyle. The homes’ layout and community-centered design are now protected under a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ).

In a city that’s constantly reinventing itself, these homes serve as a quiet, powerful reminder of what’s worth preserving.

🧭 Architectural Context + Your Real Estate Perspective

Gregory Ain is more than a name on the plans—he’s a significant figure in LA's mid-century movement. His work bridges function and form with clarity, and homes like this offer buyers something that goes beyond square footage: a piece of cultural history.

Looking for more like this?
Explore my Historic + Architectural Homes section, including the Feldman House in Beverly Hills, and current listings in neighborhoods like Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Mar Vista.

🏡 Gregory Ain in Studio City: A Mid-Century Modern Classic Revisited

Address: 12306 Canton Drive, Studio City, CA
Architect: Gregory Ain
Year Built: 1950
Neighborhood: Studio City Hills
Sold Price (2014): $3,000,000
Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 3 bed / 2 bath
Square Footage: Approx. 2,000 sq ft
Lot Size: ±12,000 sq ft

Tucked away in the hills of Studio City, this mid-century modern residence designed by Gregory Ain is a rare example of his residential work outside more well-known tracts. Completed in 1950, the home sits quietly off Laurel Canyon on a street with both privacy and architectural pedigree.

Ain, a Los Angeles–based modernist known for his focus on democratic design and restrained beauty, brought those same principles to this hillside home. The layout is clean and efficient, the materials intentionally honest, and the connection to the outdoors unmistakably Californian.

Though modest in scale compared to some of Ain’s experimental housing projects, the Canton Drive residence retains the soul of mid-century design: open plan living, natural light, warm wood elements, and a respect for topography. Homes like this are increasingly rare—especially in Studio City, where many lots are being redeveloped for larger-scale builds.

🧠 The Architect’s Imprint

Ain’s work was always more about how people live than how things looked. He believed in flexible space, built-ins that created function, and minimizing what he called “wasteful architecture.” In today’s market, where timeless design is being rediscovered and revalued, his homes are more relevant than ever.

Want to learn more about Ain’s work across LA? Check out the Feldman House in Beverly Hills and the Modernique Tract in Mar Vista.

Looking for more architectural homes across Los Angeles? Studio City offers mid-century, modern, Spanish, and canyon-view properties worth exploring →

If you’re exploring neighborhoods like Studio City, here’s my full Studio City Guide.

📆 Editorial Note

Originally published in February 2014. Updated in April 2025 with current context and refreshed content.

Learn more about buying and selling architectural homes in Studio City in the Studio City Real Estate Guide and browse more historic and architectural homes.

🏗️ Trousdale Estates in 2014: The Year Development Hit a Turning Point

Originally Published: August 2014
Updated: March 2025
Category: Historic + Architectural Homes | Trousdale Estates

In the early 2010s, Trousdale Estates became the epicenter of a quiet storm—one where new wealth and architectural ambition collided with preservation and neighborhood identity.

By 2014, the demand for panoramic views and trophy homes had triggered a new building boom in Beverly Hills’ most iconic hillside enclave. Properties were being purchased for land value, original mid-century homes were disappearing, and ultra-modern estates were rising in their place. It was a transformative era—but not without tension.

🚧 The City Steps In: 2014 Construction Pause

After receiving an influx of resident complaints and safety concerns, the City of Beverly Hills temporarily paused construction activity in Trousdale Estates. What followed was a formal review and rollout of stricter regulations designed to protect both the community and its infrastructure.

⚖️ Key Regulations Introduced in 2014:

  • Heavy Equipment Certification: Construction vehicles had to meet specific criteria and undergo additional inspections.

  • Traffic & Routing Restrictions: Trucks could only access the neighborhood during designated hours via designated routes.

  • Parking Enforcement: On-street construction parking was limited to preserve neighborhood access.

  • Neighborhood Notifications: Homeowners had to be informed of disruptive activity in advance.

📄 View the original Trousdale Construction Measures PDF

🧭 Why It Still Matters in 2025

Many of today’s $30M+ homes in Trousdale Estates were built—or rebuilt—during this era. Some replaced mid-century homes by architects like Wallace Neff, Paul R. Williams, or Harold Levitt. Others integrated original structures into striking contemporary compounds.

This moment in 2014 marked a shift in how Beverly Hills approached hillside development, preservation, and the future of one of its most storied neighborhoods.

Want to see how the neighborhood has evolved? Don’t miss our companion post:
Trousdale Estates in 2025 →

🗂️ Editorial Note

This article was originally posted in 2014 and has been updated to reflect changes in policy, architectural context, and today’s market.

🏡 Mid-Century Modern Retreat in Mandeville Canyon

ddress: 2232 Westridge Road, Brentwood, CA
Architect: Unknown
Year Built: 1959
Original List Date: July 2, 2014
Original List Price: $3,695,000
Square Footage: Approximately 3,077 sq ft
Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 4 beds / 4 baths
Lot Size: Approximately 0.5 acres​

Perched atop a serene hillside in Brentwood's Mandeville Canyon, this 1959 mid-century modern residence offers panoramic views stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the city skyline. The home's design emphasizes indoor-outdoor living, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the interior with natural light and provide seamless access to the lushly landscaped grounds.​

The open-concept layout includes a gourmet kitchen equipped with a Wolf double wall oven, a 6-burner cooktop, a 48-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator, dual sinks, and custom walnut cabinetry. European ash wide-plank flooring extends throughout the home, complementing its clean architectural lines. Modern amenities such as dual tankless water heaters, a dual-zone HVAC system, and an iPad-controlled smart home system enhance comfort and efficiency.​

Outside, a saltwater pool and spa are surrounded by drought-tolerant landscaping, creating a private oasis ideal for relaxation and entertaining.​

📆 Editorial Note

Originally published in July 2014. Updated in March 2025 with current context and refreshed content.

​

Inside 622 N Elm Drive: A Beverly Hills Architectural Icon

Tucked into the heart of Beverly Hills, 622 North Elm Drive stands as an enduring symbol of Southern California luxury and design. Originally featured in Architectural Digest, this estate captures the spirit of classic Beverly Hills architecture with elegance, sophistication, and an unmistakable sense of place.

Designed to blend timeless architecture with modern comfort, the residence showcases meticulous craftsmanship, spacious proportions, and seamless indoor-outdoor living — a hallmark of luxury life in Los Angeles. Large-scale windows, soaring ceilings, and beautifully landscaped grounds make this estate as livable as it is visually striking.

While many Beverly Hills homes have undergone extensive modernization, 622 N Elm Drive has managed to preserve its authentic charm, offering a rare opportunity for discerning buyers who appreciate the true essence of California design.

Located on one of Beverly Hills’ most desirable tree-lined streets, the home is just minutes from world-class shopping on Rodeo Drive, acclaimed dining, and the city's renowned cultural attractions.

Whether you're passionate about historic estates, Architectural Digest–worthy homes, or simply drawn to the character of Beverly Hills, 622 North Elm Drive remains a shining example of what makes this neighborhood so exceptional. The house sold in 2024 for close to $20 million.

Interested in learning more about historic and architectural homes in Beverly Hills and greater Los Angeles?
Explore more architectural homes here, including the celebrated Gregory Ain Tufeld House and the iconic Nesbitt House by Ed Niles.

Richard Neutra’s Nesbitt House: A Timeless Brentwood Masterpiece

Editor’s Note: This iconic property is no longer on the market, but remains a celebrated example of Los Angeles mid-century modern architecture. We maintain this page to honor its architectural significance.

Designed in 1942 by pioneering architect Richard Neutra, the Nesbitt House stands as a striking example of California mid-century modernism. Commissioned by radio producer John Nesbitt, the home reflects Neutra’s commitment to creating spaces that harmonize with the natural environment.

For a guide to where Neutra's most important residential buildings stand across the city, see our overview of Richard Neutra Homes in Los Angeles.

The Nesbitt House captures the defining features of Neutra’s work:

  • Floor-to-ceiling glass walls connecting indoor and outdoor spaces

  • Post-and-beam construction that emphasizes horizontal lines

  • Minimalist materials designed to showcase light, landscape, and lifestyle

  • An open floor plan that fosters flow and flexibility

In the late 1990s, the Nesbitt House underwent a thoughtful restoration led by designer Barbara Barry and architect David Serrurier, preserving Neutra’s original vision while sensitively updating the home for contemporary living. Their work was recognized by the American Institute of Architects and continues to be admired by architecture enthusiasts today.

Set within the lush, private landscape of Brentwood, the Nesbitt House remains a lasting symbol of the ideals that shaped California’s architectural identity in the mid-20th century.

f you love architecturally significant homes, Studio City has its own collection of mid-century gems and canyon estates. Explore Studio City architecture and neighborhoods →

Related Resources:

🏡 Gregory Ain’s Feldman House: A Beverly Hills Mid-Century Masterpiece

Address: 1181 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA
Architect: Gregory Ain
Year Built: 1954
Neighborhood: Beverly Hills / Trousdale Area
Original List Price (2014): $4,700,000
Sold Price (2014): $3,000,000
Lot Size: ±¾ acre

Tucked into a wooded pocket of Beverly Hills, this mid-century gem—known as the Feldman House—was designed in 1954 by legendary architect Gregory Ain. Built during the rise of Los Angeles modernism, the home reflects the restrained elegance and environmental sensitivity that defined Ain’s work.

With walls of glass, a full-length great room, and a strong indoor-outdoor connection, the residence is a study in light, flow, and simplicity. The home sits on nearly ¾ of an acre and features Ain’s signature details: clean lines, built-in storage, warm materials, and passive design strategies that make the most of California’s climate.

🧠 Why Gregory Ain Still Matters

Gregory Ain (1908–1988) was deeply influenced by his social and political beliefs, designing homes that reflected values of functionality, community, and thoughtful architecture. His work—often overshadowed by more flamboyant contemporaries—has since become essential to understanding LA’s postwar design evolution.

Homes like the Feldman House are highly sought after not just because of their pedigree, but because of how livable and timeless they remain today.

Want to see more of Ain’s residential work across LA? Check out the Modernique Tract in Mar Vista and a rare hillside property in Studio City.

📆 Editorial Note

Originally published in February 2014. Updated in April 2025 with current context and refreshed content.

🏡 The Jacobson Residence: Edward Fickett’s Mid-Century Masterpiece in Los Feliz

Address: 4520 Dundee Drive, Los Angeles, CA
Architect: Edward H. Fickett, FAIA
Year Built: 1966
Historic Status: Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #674
Original List Date: July 17, 2014
Original List Price: $3,300,000
Last Sold Price (2023): $6,849,000
Square Footage: Approx. 2,926 sq ft
Lot Size: ±0.29 acres
Beds/Baths: 3 bed / 4.5 bath

Perched in the hills of Los Feliz, the Jacobson Residence is one of Los Angeles’ most beloved mid-century landmarks—and the first contemporary home ever designated as a Historic-Cultural Monument by the City of LA.

Designed by architect Edward Fickett, FAIA, this 1966 residence epitomizes Southern California indoor-outdoor living with its dramatic post-and-beam construction, walls of glass, clerestory windows, and lush interior atrium. The result? A home that’s both intimate and expansive—bathed in natural light and completely in tune with its hillside setting.

Beyond its architectural pedigree, the home features beautifully preserved walnut paneling, built-in lighting, a full bar, and vintage storage systems tailored for music lovers of the era. Outside, a shimmering pool, entertainment pavilion, and detached guesthouse round out the layout—perfectly suited for the collector, the aesthete, or anyone who values true design integrity.

🧠 Why It Still Matters

Fickett was a master of scale and restraint. The Jacobson Residence reflects his unique ability to make modernism warm, functional, and site-specific. Landmark status ensures it remains one of LA’s architectural treasures—protected, celebrated, and still relevant nearly 60 years after it was built.

🔗 More Like This

“Browse more design-forward homes in the Historic + Architectural Homes archive

“See another masterwork from the era: Gregory Ain’s Feldman House in Beverly Hills”

Interested in hillside estates with a legacy? Explore Trousdale Estates in 2025.”

📆 Editorial Note

Originally published in July 2014. Updated in April 2025 with current context and refreshed content.

Simi Valley Luxury Real Estate: How 1073 Box Canyon Road Dropped From $8.25M to $5.3M Over 10 Years

1073 Box Canyon Road in Simi Valley is a 12,000-square-foot architectural estate on 130+ acres designed by David C. Martin that was listed for $8.25 million in 2014, withdrawn after 536 days on market, relisted at $6.375 million in 2023, and finally sold for $5.3 million in December 2024, illustrating critical pricing and market lessons for luxury real estate agents and sellers working with ultra-high-end architectural homes outside Los Angeles' urban core. Debbie Pisaro, DRE #01369110, is a Los Angeles luxury real estate agent with 24 years of experience and founder of Coastline 840, an independent California brokerage specializing in architectural, historic, and design-forward properties.

Sources: Property sales data from public records and MLS archives. Market analysis reflects April 2026 luxury real estate trends. Insights based on 24 years of experience as a Los Angeles luxury real estate agent specializing in architectural homes.

Location: Simi Valley, California (approximately 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, 40 minutes from the Westside)
Architect: David C. Martin, AIA (A.C. Martin Partners)
Year Built: Early 2000s
Square Footage: 12,000+ square feet
Lot Size: 130+ acres
Bedrooms: 6  |  Bathrooms: 10
Key Features: Steel and glass construction, infinity edge pool, 2-bedroom guesthouse, panoramic mountain and valley views, waterfall features, meditation gardens, massive rock formations
Original Owner: Ed Landry, Los Angeles attorney who handled estate matters for J. Paul Getty

1073 Box Canyon Rd isn't just a house. It's a cinematic compound tucked deep into the hills above Simi Valley. First listed for $8.25 million in 2014 and featured in the Los Angeles Times, the property turned heads with its raw drama, sweeping canyon views, and unapologetically bold design. But what happened next offers critical insights for anyone buying or selling luxury real estate in California's secondary markets.

After more than 500 days on the market and no sale, the home quietly disappeared in 2016. Seven years later, it returned, this time listed at $6.375 million. It took another 17 months, two price reductions, and a fundamental shift in pricing strategy before finally closing in December 2024 for $5.3 million.

As a Los Angeles real estate agent specializing in architectural and luxury homes across California, I've watched this property's journey closely. Here's what it reveals about pricing ultra-luxury estates, understanding buyer psychology, and the realities of selling architectural homes in markets like Simi Valley, Ventura County, and Santa Clarita.

The Property: 1073 Box Canyon Road, Simi Valley

Location: Simi Valley, California (approximately 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, 40 minutes from the Westside)
Architect: David C. Martin, AIA (A.C. Martin Partners)
Year Built: Early 2000s
Square Footage: 12,000+ square feet
Lot Size: 130+ acres
Bedrooms: 6  |  Bathrooms: 10
Key Features: Steel and glass construction, infinity edge pool, 2-bedroom guesthouse, panoramic mountain and valley views, waterfall features, meditation gardens, massive rock formations
Original Owner: Ed Landry, Los Angeles attorney who handled estate matters for J. Paul Getty

Architectural Significance: David C. Martin is a principal architect at A.C. Martin Partners, a Los Angeles-based firm known for modern steel-and-glass structures. The Box Canyon estate exemplifies the firm's signature use of industrial materials, dramatic cantilevers, and integration with rugged natural landscapes.

The 10-Year Timeline: What Luxury Real Estate Agents Can Learn

2014: Initial Launch at $8.25 Million

Listed in August 2014 at $8,250,000. Featured in Los Angeles Times editorial coverage and architectural publications. After 536 days on market (approximately 18 months), the listing was withdrawn in January 2016 with no sale.

What went wrong: The asking price exceeded Simi Valley's luxury market ceiling. Experienced luxury real estate agents in Los Angeles understand that pricing architectural homes requires analyzing local buyer pool depth, not just applying comparable sales from urban markets like Beverly Hills or Pacific Palisades.

2016-2023: Off-Market Period (7 Years)

The property remained privately held. No public marketing or showings. During this period, the luxury market evolved: buyers increasingly prioritized turnkey properties, coastal locations, and branded residences over remote architectural estates.

Lesson for sellers: Withdrawing an overpriced listing and resetting expectations can be more effective than continuous price reductions on an active listing. Real estate agents specializing in luxury properties often recommend off-market holds to avoid stale listing stigma.

2023-2024: Reemergence at Reduced Pricing

Re-listed in July 2023 at $6,375,000 (23% reduction from original ask). First price reduction in January 2024 to $5,900,000. Second price reduction in April 2024 to $5,600,000. Pending in November 2024. Final sale on December 9, 2024 at $5,300,000.

Total price reduction: $2.95 million (36% below original 2014 ask). Combined active marketing time: 536 days (2014-2016) plus 17 months (2023-2024), approximately 3+ years of active marketing over the decade.

Key takeaway: Pricing architectural real estate in secondary luxury markets requires realistic expectations. Working with a real estate agent experienced in both architectural homes and regional market dynamics is critical for sellers avoiding extended holding periods.

Why Did It Take 10 Years to Sell? Insights for Luxury Real Estate Agents

When selling luxury architectural homes in markets like Simi Valley, experienced real estate agents in Los Angeles and Ventura County understand five critical factors that affect pricing and marketing timelines.

1. Location Outside LA's Luxury Core. Simi Valley is approximately 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Luxury real estate buyers willing to pay $5+ million typically prioritize proximity to cultural institutions, dining, top-rated schools, and social infrastructure concentrated in neighborhoods like Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Los Feliz, and Pasadena.

For real estate agents marketing luxury homes in Simi Valley: Position the property's acreage, privacy, and value proposition rather than competing directly with urban LA luxury markets. Target buyers seeking lifestyle (space, privacy, equestrian access) over urban prestige.

2. Buyer Pool Constraints for Ultra-Luxury Architectural Estates. The 2014 asking price of $8.25 million positioned the property in a rarefied buyer pool. Los Angeles luxury real estate agents working with ultra-high-net-worth clients understand that buyers in the $8+ million range typically seek coastal access (Malibu, Pacific Palisades), urban walkability (Beverly Hills, Los Feliz), or branded residence amenities.

For sellers working with real estate agents: Ultra-luxury architectural homes ($5+ million) in secondary markets require patient sellers, extended marketing timelines (6-18 months), and aggressive pricing aligned with actual buyer demand.

3. Architectural Polarization Reduces Buyer Pool. David C. Martin's steel-and-glass design is sculptural and unapologetically modern. Real estate agents specializing in architectural homes know that bold contemporary design appeals to design enthusiasts but alienates traditional luxury buyers preferring Mediterranean estates, Spanish Colonial Revival, or transitional-style homes.

For luxury real estate agents: When listing architectural homes, qualify buyers carefully for design preferences. Ultra-modern estates like Box Canyon require targeted marketing to design-forward buyers, not mass-market luxury demographics.

4. Maintenance and Operational Complexity. 130+ acres require ongoing land management, fire mitigation, and access maintenance. Luxury real estate agents in California increasingly see buyers prioritizing turnkey properties with professional management (branded residences, gated communities) over standalone estates requiring full-time oversight.

For sellers: When working with a real estate agent to list large-acreage estates, provide detailed documentation of maintenance costs, property management options, and operational requirements. Transparency builds buyer confidence.

5. Pricing Recalibration Aligned with Market Realities. The 2014 ask of $8.25 million reflected the seller's investment and architectural significance. However, experienced real estate agents in Simi Valley and Ventura County understand that the market ultimately valued the property at $5.3 million (36% below ask), reflecting local pricing ceilings.

Critical lesson for real estate agents: Luxury architectural homes in secondary markets (Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Ventura County) do not command the same pricing multiples as equivalent estates in Beverly Hills, Malibu, or Los Feliz. Use local comparable sales, not urban LA comps, for pricing guidance.

Simi Valley Luxury Real Estate vs. Los Angeles Markets: Price Comparison for Real Estate Agents

Simi Valley ($3M-$6M median luxury): 30 miles NW of downtown LA. Thin buyer pool. Acreage, privacy, limited walkability, value proposition.

Beverly Hills ($8M-$25M+ median luxury): 12 miles W. Deep buyer pool. Prestige, walkability, schools, dining, entertainment.

Pacific Palisades ($5M-$15M+ median luxury): 15 miles W. Deep buyer pool. Coastal proximity, village walkability, top-rated schools.

Malibu ($6M-$30M+ median luxury): 30 miles W. Moderate buyer pool. Oceanfront, privacy, resort lifestyle.

Pasadena ($4M-$10M median luxury): 10 miles NE. Moderate buyer pool. Historic estates, walkable Old Town, cultural institutions.

Calabasas ($3M-$8M median luxury): 25 miles NW. Moderate buyer pool. Gated communities, family-oriented, celebrity appeal.

For real estate agents working with luxury buyers: Simi Valley offers 35-50% lower pricing than Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades, or Pasadena for equivalent architectural estates. Position Simi Valley as a value play for buyers seeking acreage and privacy over urban prestige.

Market Lessons for Luxury Real Estate Agents Selling Architectural Homes

Price architectural homes based on local market ceilings, not urban comparable sales. Real estate agents must analyze buyer pool depth, local luxury pricing trends, and design polarization when pricing architectural homes in secondary markets.

Expect extended marketing cycles for ultra-luxury properties. Luxury real estate agents should set seller expectations for 6-18 month marketing timelines when listing $5+ million architectural estates in markets like Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, or Ventura County.

Design polarization affects pricing and timelines. Real estate agents specializing in architectural homes must educate sellers that bold contemporary design reduces buyer pool size and requires targeted marketing.

Off-market resets can be more effective than continuous price reductions. Experienced luxury real estate agents often recommend withdrawing overpriced listings, resetting seller expectations, and relaunching at competitive pricing.

Work with real estate agents experienced in both architectural homes and regional markets. Selling ultra-luxury architectural estates requires deep knowledge of design valuation, buyer psychology, and local market dynamics. Generic luxury agents may lack the specialized expertise required.

Ready to Buy or Sell Luxury Real Estate in Los Angeles or California?

Whether you're selling an ultra-luxury architectural estate in Simi Valley, buying a mid-century modern home in Los Feliz, or exploring luxury real estate opportunities across California, working with an experienced real estate agent specializing in architectural and high-end properties is critical.

Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles luxury real estate agent with deep expertise in architectural homes, ultra-luxury estates, and California's most sought-after markets. From pricing strategy and targeted marketing to buyer qualification and negotiation, I help sellers maximize value and buyers find authenticated architectural properties.

Contact Debbie Pisaro, DRE #01369110, at debbiepisaro.com/contact or through coastline840.com.

Frequently Asked Questions: Simi Valley Luxury Real Estate

What is the Simi Valley luxury real estate market like in 2026? Simi Valley's luxury real estate market (homes priced $3 million and above) offers large-lot estates, architectural properties, and equestrian compounds with significantly lower pricing than comparable Los Angeles urban markets. Median luxury home prices range from $3 million to $6 million as of 2026. Luxury real estate agents in Simi Valley report thinner buyer pools and longer marketing cycles (60-120 days on market) compared to urban LA markets (30-60 days).

Why did 1073 Box Canyon Road take 10 years to sell?The property took 10 years to sell because the original $8.25 million asking price exceeded Simi Valley's luxury market ceiling, the buyer pool for ultra-luxury architectural estates in secondary markets is extremely thin, and the bold steel-and-glass design polarized buyers. Real estate agents specializing in luxury properties understand that pricing architectural homes requires aligning seller expectations with actual buyer demand, not just applying urban LA comparable sales.

Is Simi Valley a good investment for luxury real estate buyers? Simi Valley offers value for luxury real estate buyers seeking large acreage, privacy, and lower price-per-square-foot compared to Los Angeles' urban luxury markets. However, real estate agents working with investors note that appreciation rates are slower than Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades, or Los Feliz, and resale liquidity is lower due to thinner buyer pools. Simi Valley luxury homes are best suited for end-users seeking lifestyle rather than investors prioritizing appreciation and quick resale.

What are the challenges of selling architectural homes in Simi Valley?Real estate agents selling architectural homes in Simi Valley face buyer pool constraints (limited demand for bold contemporary design outside urban cores), location premium gaps (buyers willing to pay $5+ million typically prioritize proximity to Los Angeles cultural institutions), and longer marketing cycles (60-120+ days on market). Experienced architectural real estate agents recommend competitive pricing, extended timelines, and targeted marketing to design-oriented buyers.

How does Simi Valley luxury real estate compare to Beverly Hills? Simi Valley luxury homes ($3-6 million median) offer larger lots, more acreage, and lower price-per-square-foot than Beverly Hills ($8-25 million+ median). However, real estate agents in Beverly Hills serve deeper buyer pools with faster sales cycles, prestige positioning, walkability, and top-rated schools (Beverly Hills Unified). Simi Valley real estate agents position the market as prioritizing space and privacy over urban amenities and prestige.

Should I work with a real estate agent specializing in architectural homes? Yes. Selling luxury architectural homes requires specialized expertise in design valuation, architect authentication, buyer psychology, and targeted marketing. Real estate agents specializing in architectural properties understand how to price mid-century modern homes, contemporary estates, and architect-designed properties based on design pedigree, not just square footage. Working with an experienced architectural real estate agent significantly reduces marketing timelines and maximizes sale prices.

Who should I contact to buy or sell luxury real estate in Simi Valley and Los Angeles? Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles luxury real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural and high-end homes across Los Angeles, Ventura County, and California. As founder of Coastline 840 (DRE #01369110), Debbie works with buyers and sellers navigating ultra-luxury estates, mid-century modern homes, and architect-designed properties in markets including Los Feliz, Studio City, Silver Lake, Simi Valley, Ojai, and statewide California.

About the Author: Debbie Pisaro is a Los Angeles luxury real estate agent with 24 years of experience specializing in architectural and ultra-high-end homes across California. As founder of Coastline 840 (DRE #01369110), she works with buyers and sellers in Los Feliz, Studio City, Silver Lake, Beverly Hills, Simi Valley, Ojai, and statewide California markets.

Contact Debbie

3489 Wonderview Drive - Gorgeous Architectural Modern in the Hollywood Hills

Original List date:  2/26/2015

Address:  3849 WOnder View Drive, Hollywood Hills

3800 Square feet - 4 bedrooms, 5 baths

Cost per square foot:  $908

Newly constructed in 2015.  Architectural with panoramic views. A harmony of modern style & cutting edge design. Expansive open floor plan has ±10 ft high ceilings, walls of glass & Sliding glass pocket doors that fill the rooms with sunshine & lake breezes. Generously proportioned Living room, dining area, kitchen & family/media areas all flow easily from indoor to outdoors. Beautifully appointed with Wide plank walnut wood floors, chipped glass fireplace, surround sound, nest control system network, & chrome & steel fixtures throughout. Showcase Kitchen is a study in whites: Caesar stone counters, Italian lacquer cabinets, Miele appls. Center island with large breakfast bar opens to spacious family/media room. Venture out to the private pool, spa & patio areas with chipped glass firepit. Three spacious bedrooms & Master suite with luxe spa bath with Porcelanosa tile, sep shower & stand alone tub, & view balcony. 

The Most Expensive Home Sales in Los Angeles for 2014

List price:  $125,000,000  

Sales price:  $88,300,000

Address:  350 N Carolwood, Holmby Hills "Fleur de Lys"

35,046 Square feet - 12 bedrooms, 15 baths

Cost per foot:  $2520

Seller:  Suzanne Saperstein, ex-wife of David Saperstein

Built in 2002, three separate parcels of land were combine to create a site suitable for this palace, modeled after Louis XIV’s Versailles.  Reportedly sold for ALL CASH.

List price:  $85,000,000  

Sales price:  $70,000,000

Address:  1181 N Hillcrest Road, Beverly Hills

22,300 square feet - 8 bedrooms, 15 baths

Cost per foot: $3139 

Seller:  Developer and handbag designer Bruce Makowsky

Buyer: Minecraft creator Markus Persson

Persson has said to have outbid Jay-Z and Beyoncé for the home, and has been rumored to have bought everything in the house along with the purchase, including a $130,000 candy wall that cost $130,000  stocked with $70,000 of jelly beans, chocolates and other sweets, three flat-screen televisions above a bar show panoramic views from rooftop cameras. and a car showroom displays a two-tone blue Bugatti Veyron, black Spyker supercar and a 2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom, (not included in the asking price). Makowsky and his wife paid just under $12 million for the Trousdale Estates home in 2012.  

List price:  $55,000,000  

Sales price:  $45,000,000

Address:  10231 Charing Cross Road, Holmby Hills

11,637 Square feet - 5 bedrooms, 6 baths

Cost per foot:  $3867

Seller:  Jamie McCourt

After trying for a few years, Frank McCourt's ex-wife has sold her Holmby Hills trophy property

List price:  $50,000,000  

Sales price:  $40,000,000

Address:  12780 Chalon Road, Brentwood 

18,298 Square feet - 5 bedrooms, 9 baths

Cost per foot:  $2186

Sellers:  Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen

Buyer:  Dr. Dre

Celebrity real estate news always makes national news, so you'll find plenty more details about the recently remodeled home on CurbLA via TMZ

List price:  $45,000,000  

Sales price:  $39,900,000

Address:  60 Beverly Park, Beverly Hills

11,204 square feet - 10 bedrooms, 16 baths

Days on market:  273

Cost per foot:  $3561

Seller:   Chairman and CEO of Harbor Freight Tools, Eric Smidt

Rare 5+ acre double lot in Beverly Park redesigned and rebuilt by Richard Landry in 2008.  Property features two guest house, a tennis court, 3 offices and parking for 30+ cars.  Read more details about the original listing and see details on the property here.

List price:  $36,000,000  

Sales price:  $31,000,000

Address:  1201 Laurel Way, Beverly Hills

11,200 Square feet - 6 bedrooms, 10 baths

Cost per foot:  $2768

Inspired by a dream team of home visionaries, developed by Richard Papalian and designed by Michael Palumbo in collaboration with architect Marc Whipple (and cabinetry design by Brownlow + Chen), this is a stunning masterpiece of a home.  You can probably imagine the trickery involved with building and designing a home like this - some of our favorite features are the PGA inspired putting green, a 14-foot tall wood pivot front door, a glass garage, gym with a bar, a guest house accessible by a solid glass staircase, and of course, the "moat".

The Most Expensive Home Sales in Los Angeles for 2014 - Part Four

Explore our archive of LA's most iconic architectural sales. While many of these homes have sold, they remain a testament to the city's design legacy. [Click here to see current Pocket Listings].

The final in a four-part series chronically the most expensive real estate homes sales in Los Angeles for 2014.   The fourth quarter did not see as many celebrity real estate transactions as the third quarter did, but it did see some of the biggest sales of the year, including the $70 million dollar purchase made by Swedish Minecraft creator Markus Persson.  

You can also check out the sales for the first quarter and the second quarter, but once again top sales this quarter prove that real estate is alive and well in Malibu, Bel-Air and Beverly Hills.

MLS#:14-792443

MLS#:14-792443

List price:  $85,000,000  

Sales price:  $70,000,000

Address:  1181 N Hillcrest Road, Beverly Hills

22,300 square feet - 8 bedrooms, 15 baths

Days on market:  99

Cost per foot: $3139 

Seller:  Developer and handbag designer Bruce Makowsky

Buyer: Minecraft creator Markus Persson

Persson has said to have outbid Jay-Z and Beyoncé for the home, and has been rumored to have bought everything in the house along with the purchase, including a $130,000 candy wall that cost $130,000  stocked with $70,000 of jelly beans, chocolates and other sweets, three flat-screen televisions above a bar show panoramic views from rooftop cameras. and a car showroom displays a two-tone blue Bugatti Veyron, black Spyker supercar and a 2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom, (not included in the asking price). Makowsky and his wife paid just under $12 million for the Trousdale Estates home in 2012.  

MLS#:14-745815

MLS#:14-745815

List price:  $45,000,000  

Sales price:  $39,900,000

Address:  60 Beverly Park, Beverly Hills

11,204 square feet - 10 bedrooms, 16 baths

Days on market:  273

Cost per foot:  $3561

Seller:   Chairman and CEO of Harbor Freight Tools, Eric Smidt

Rare 5+ acre double lot in Beverly Park redesigned and rebuilt by Richard Landry in 2008.  Property features two guest house, a tennis court, 3 offices and parking for 30+ cars.  Read more details about the original listing and see details on the property here.

13-691169

13-691169

List price:  $29,995,000  

Sales price:  $25,000,000

Address:  21808 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu

9508 square feet - 6 bedrooms, 10 baths

Days on market:  430

Cost per foot:  $2629

Seller:  Investment banker William Chadwick

On the sand at prestigious Carbon Beach with an exceptional 147 feet of ocean frontage & beach access, designed in 2005 by Malibu architect Lester Tobias.  Touted as a "castle on the beach"in “Billionaire’s Beach”, the seller has been trying to unload the home for years, once asking close to $65 million.  Last year the house was listed for close to $38 million.  

MLS#:  13-704741 

MLS#:  13-704741 

List price:  $24,995,000  

Sales price:  $21,550,000

Address:  613 Mountain Drive, Beverly Hills

10,172 square feet - 7 bedrooms, 8 baths

Days on market:  322

Cost per foot:  $1629

Italian Villa perched on an aprox. 1.24 acre knoll on one of the most desirable & exclusive streets in Beverly Hills. Originally built in 1926, this magnificent estate has been impeccably restored to seamlessly combine modern conveniences with the old world elegance of a grand Italian Villa. rooms/features include ballroom, music room, tea room/solarium, movie theater, wine vault, billiards room, media room, art studio, elevator, outdoor kitchen, loggia, cabana, sport court. 2-story full guesthouse with huge gym. Pictures available here.

List price:  $19,500,000  

Sales price:  $18,500,000

Address:  624 Nimes Road, Bel Air

10,172 square feet - 6 bedrooms, 11 baths

Days on market:  99

Cost per foot:  $1818

Traditional tennis court estate with guesthouse in lower Bel Air. Sited on approximately 1.5 acres of manicured gardens reminiscent of the finest East Coast homes, rolling lawns with Hampton's style swimmer's pool and spa, lighted tennis court and guesthouse.

MLS#:14-733861

MLS#:14-733861

List price:  $18,500,000  

Sales price:  $16,250,000

Address:  565 Perugia Way, Bel Air

11,027 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 8 baths

Days on market:  286

Cost per foot:  $1474

On and off the market since 2011, offering Panoramic Views of the Bel Air Country Club. On prestigious "Lower Perugia Way" one of only 12 homes that front the golf course. Set behind gates on a generous lot, the grounds offer a motor court w/ ample parking, tropical waterfall, koi pond, glamorous pool with spa, and a putting green. 

MLS#:14-799517

MLS#:14-799517

List price:  $18,000,000  

Sales price:  $15,000,000

Address:  1108 Wallace Ridge, Beverly Hills

6351 square feet - 4 bedrooms, 3 baths

Days on market:  46

Cost per foot:  $2362

Plans for 16,000 sqft home with permits pulled, fully entitled & ready to break ground 11/2014. The height of the house will be 14 feet maximum with 4 parking spaces. Similar development residences located within close vicinity to this property have sold for over $3000 a sqft. In addition, the existing nonconforming permitted conditions will enable the construction of a walkout, daylighted lower level as well as a real infinity edge swimming pool spilling into an uncompromising and unobstructed head on Ocean/Century City views. Designed by Vantage Design Group. 

MLS#:14-782583

MLS#:14-782583

List price:  $15,500,000  

Sales price:  $15,300,000

Address:  28028 Sea Lane Drive, Malibu

2586 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 5 baths

Days on market:  57

Cost per foot:  $5916

Highest cost per foot this quarter at close to $6000 a foot.  Panoramic Ocean Views from this original mid-century post and beam, which has been lovingly enhanced for today's lifestyle. Located on Paradise Cove, this estate can be enjoyed "as is" or build your dream retreat on this breathtaking property, swimming pool, two guest houses, path to beach, lush lawns and gardens with mature trees.

A. Quincy Jones Architectural Estate in Beverly Hills Sells for $15 Million

MLS#:13-707741

MLS#:13-707741

List price:  $16,500,000 

Orignal List date:  9/30/2013

Address:  1010 N Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills

7718 Square feet - 5 bedrooms, 7 baths

This highly coveted A. Quincy Jones Mid Century Architectural Estate is situated one of the most coveted lots in Beverly Hills just North of Sunset. Featuring 1.2 acres of land and a street-to street lot, this "homage to modern architecture" has been meticulously restored to maintain the architect's original vision and style. The gracious, open plan features expansive living, dining, and entertainment areas. Gourmet top-of-the-line chef's kitchen with butler's pantry and signature designer details. Luxurious master suite with fireplace, relaxation room and spa-like bath. With walls of glass, this estate is a striking example of Mid-Century modern architecture, showcasing the landscaped park-like grounds with a N/S Tennis Court, sunny swimmers' pool and alfresco dining patios perfect for entertaining and enjoying the Southern California lifestyle just minutes from the best shopping, dining, and entertainment venues in Beverly Hills. 

The Most Expensive Home Sales in Los Angeles for 2014 - Part Three

Part Three in a series chronically the most expensive real estate homes sales in Los Angeles for 2014.   The third quarter saw several celebrity real estate transactions from the likes of Bruce Willis, Lady Gaga and Heidi Klum.   You can also check out the sales for the first quarter and the second quarter, top sales this quarter prove that real estate is alive and well in Malibu, Bel Air, Brentwood, The Sunset Strip and Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills.

MLS#: 14-775159

MLS#: 14-775159

List price:  $25,000,000  

Sales price:  $24,000,000

Address:  12759 Chalon Road, Bel Air

12,300 square feet - 8 bedrooms, 10 baths

Days on market:  29

Cost per foot:  $1951

Seller:  Heidi Klum & Seal

24 hr guard gated entrance, 8.4 acres approx. 3 acres flat, the grounds are beyond spectacular.

MLS#: 14-747393

MLS#: 14-747393

List price:  $28,800,000  

Sales price:  $23,980,000

Address:  1232 Sunset Plaza Drive, West Hollywood

13,000 square feet - 8 bedrooms, 9 baths

Days on market:  365

Cost per foot:  $1845

A rare drive-on estate in the Sunset Strip llocated just seconds from the famed boulevard's array of world-class restaurants, shopping and nightlife. A Hagy Belzberg (Museum of the Holocaust, Patina at Disney Concert Hall) designed compound, a resort-like sanctuary where three distinct structures - a Main Residence, Wellness Center and Guest House.  Architecturally inspiring, in both appearance and function, 1232 Sunset Plaza radiates a warm, California modern allure draped in sophistication.  Interior finishes and design by Erinn Valencich.  

MLS#: 14-754511

MLS#: 14-754511

List price:  $24,950,000  

Sales price:  $23,000,000

Address:  30460 Morning View Drive, Malibu

10,270 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 12 baths

Cost per foot:  $2240

Days on market: 40

Seller:  Dan Romanelli, the founder of the consumer-products division at Warner Bros.

Buyer:  Lady Gaga

 Scenic, gated 6-acre property right across from Zuma Beach in Malibu. 5 bed, 7 bath estate offering unfettered ocean views, exquisite amenities throughout and an unbeatable indoor/outdoor coastal lifestyle. Rooms tastefully appointed by celebrated designer Madeline Stuart. Glassed-in breezeway leads to master office with attached gym and elevator. Lower level: 800-bottle wine cellar, home theater, wet bar, and 1960s-era, 2-lane Brunswick bowling alley.  Saltwater infinity pool/Jacuzzi with ocean views, bocce ball court, outdoor sitting & dining areas, dressage ring, 8-horse stables, guest cottage. Mountain views on one side, ocean views on the other - a truly special California coastal estate.

MLS#: 14-769929

MLS#: 14-769929

List price:  $14,995,000  

Sales price:  $20,000,000 

Address:  23916 Malibu Road, Malibu

10,270 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 12 baths

Cost per foot:  $5495

Days on market:  51

Sold for $5 milion over the asking price.  Extremely rare offering on one of the deepest and sandiest parts of Malibu's famous Colony Beach.  The extremely sought-after Colony Beach offers easy in-and-out access on Malibu Road walking distance to Cross Creek, the Malibu Country Mart, and the Village.  

MLS#:14-755293

MLS#:14-755293

List price:  $22,000,000  

Sales price:  $18,500,000 

Address:  124 Udine Way, Bel Air

12,500 square feet - 7 bedrooms, 10 baths

Cost per foot:  $1480

Days on market:  103

Prime lower Bel Air, a grand Mediterranean villa featuring incredible scale, quality, and craftsmanship. Behind iron gates and up a long private driveway that leads to a large motor court.  Designed by one of the top architects in the country with beautiful finishes and imported materials throughout. Very light, bright and open, steel doors and windows open to incredible grounds, impressive lawns, infinity pool overlooking Bel Air County Club & beautiful views. 

MLS#:  14-738727 

MLS#:  14-738727 

List price:  $19,900,000  

Sales price:  $17,850,000

Address:  1727 Mandeville Canyon Road, Brentwood

9198 square feet - 6 bedrooms, 11 baths

Cost per foot:  $1941

Days on market:  109

Seller:  Producer David Hoberman

Brentwood Traditional estate. 1.79 lushly landscaped acres in highly desirable lower Mandeville Canyon. Main house is well over 9,000 sf plus a dramatic separate structure (1,500 sf) which contains a professional theater plus baths and changing rooms for swimming pool and tennis court and a separate soccer sized field on pathway above. Newly built in 2005 and designed by architect William Hefner.

MLS#:13-675579

MLS#:13-675579

List price:  $22,000,000  

Sales price:  $16,500,000

Address:  1005 Benedict Canyon, Beverly Hills

10,379 square feet - 8 bedrooms, 11 baths

Cost per foot:  $1560

Days on market:  390

Seller:  Bruce Willis

Buyer:  Carlos Alberini, CEO of Restoration Hardware

1928 Hacienda in the heart of Beverly Hills. Walled and gated, tennis court estate,  old world charm with all the modern conveniences. State of the art screening room, lush landscaped grounds and inner courtyard, on nearly one acre flat lot.

MLS#:13-665309

MLS#:13-665309

List price:  $40,000,000  

Sales price:  $16,060,000

Address:  3100 Mandeville Canyon Road, Brentwood

12,000 square feet - 13 bedrooms, 8 baths

Cost per foot:  $1338

Days on market:  438

Seller: Glorya Kaufman, the philanthropist and widow of Donald Kaufman, of the KB home empire. 

Finally sold at Auction. Originally $40M. Tranquility and luxury on 48 acres at Amber Hills, one of the most exclusive luxury compounds to ever come on the market in Brentwood.  Located in magnificent Mandeville Canyon, enveloped by the stunning Santa Monica Mountains.

MLS#:14-745755

MLS#:14-745755

List price:  $18,500,000  

Sales price:  $15,728,188

Address:  652 Chautauqua, Pacific Palisades

13,980 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 8 baths

Cost per foot:  $1125

Days on market:  196

Recently completed on 1.36 acres with views over Santa Monica Canyon and the shimmering ocean. Conceived by Richard Keating and brought to life by residential architect Steven Giannetti, this great estate draws comparisons to the Getty Center in its construction. Interiors of the residence echo a museum ambiance, with ceilings soaring to 26 feet, galleries with 8-foot wide hallways. More details and photos courtesy of CurbedLA.