Featured
Bel-Air Abode Calls For An Inspired Style Of Living
Imagine endless days spent in the lap of luxury at this brand-new, AMG Capital-built estate in Bel-Air that serves as a private retreat ideally suited to family living and entertaining soirées alike.
Here, one not only will find massive, resort-style grounds boasting an expansive yard with lounge areas, a fire-pit, zero-edge pool, cabana, open-air kitchen and putting green, but also seamless indoor-outdoor environs replete with high-end finishes and upscale amenities throughout. Add it all up, and this lavish yet livable residence exemplifies the sought-after California dream.
“It is very rare to find a flat 22,000-square-foot lot at the end of a cul-de-sac creating your own compound,” says Cindy Ambuehl, who is co-listing the property with Max Hutchison, both of Compass, for $7.750 million.
“AMG Capital does A-plus work throughout, and it shows in every corner of every room, from the really sexy bar lounge, to the oversized kitchen and family room opening to the backyard.”
Found at 15482 Milldale Drive, this six-bedroom, nine-bath smart home offers 7,512 square feet of open, contemporary living space on three levels featuring white oak flooring, soaring ceilings, designer lighting and high-end fixtures.
Among the highlights is a pub-style parlor with a walk-in bar adjacent to the family room; downstairs hideaway with theater, massage room, gym and guest bedroom; and formal dining room outfitted with an attractive glass-encased wine closet.
A professional chef’s kitchen is equipped with dual islands, Wolf appliances, and a butler’s pantry with a secondary refrigerator, cabinetry and counter space, while the plush master suite holds a fireplace, balcony, lounge, trio of walk-in closets, and spa-quality marble bath with a freestanding soaking tub, dual-vanities and steam shower.
“The house is really unique, because it is incredibly hard to find a place this large that has both emotion and functionality,” concludes Ambuehl. “High quality, great design, on trend…it’s a definite must-see.”
PRESENTED BY
Cindy Ambuehl and Max Hutchison of Compass
310.321.9148
List Price
$7.750 million
Picture-Perfect Moments In The Santa Monica Mountains
It’s true that Los Angeles County offers many beautiful homes within its vast expanse. But for the discerning buyer, the home with an ideal location and top-notch amenities is the ultimate luxury—and increasingly rare. More than just having opulent materials, the perfect home embodies beauty, flexibility, convenience and ease.
It must be within driving distance of work and the best that the city has to offer, from its multi-star restaurants and world-class museums to its beautiful beaches and wild hills. For frequent travelers, a swift commute to the airport is a necessity too.
It should work for entertaining on a grand scale yet not be overwhelming as a setting for daily life. Perks, such as a butler’s pantry, a pool and spa, a tennis court, housekeeper’s quarters, and parking for at least three cars, are a given; and, it must be private and secluded.
If security is a prime concern, a gated community joins the list of non-negotiables. Weighed against this list of criteria, the inventory of available properties dwindles to a small trickle. Throw in the desire for a stunning view and only a handful of homes remain. Of these, 1458 Bienveneda Avenue is a standout.
“We’ve been here for 25 years,” says the home’s current owner who has watched her children grow from toddlers into adulthood within its walls, “and I couldn’t have imagined any place more perfect.” Located in the desirable Ridgeview Country Estates in Pacific Palisades, just west and north of the new Palisades Village, the home is situated close to the top of a winding road whose every swooping turn renders the stress of daily living a distant memory.
Passing a row of tall cypress trees to the west and a vineyard on the right, the vista conjures up memories of the Italian countryside. Finally comes the exclusive gated community, one of a few in the area, including only 40 homes, each custom built, with an entryway to community staffed, round-the-clock guards.
With the criteria of location met, attention turns to the home itself. The three-story estate does not disappoint. Reminiscent of a Georgian manor, with its multiple columns and a white clapboard exterior punctuated by jet-black shutters, its classic proportions exude both beauty and majesty.
Lush landscaping and a curved driveway soften its grandeur, rendering it welcoming and gracious, qualities that are mirrored in the home’s well-designed interior. Here’s the background for the full spectrum of life’s events. From the casual and intimate to the formal and public, the residence morphs to host them all.
It begins with the generous entryway, underscored by the first floor’s 14-foot-high ceilings. The large foyer and hallway embrace the home’s formal rooms—a living room, spacious dining room, family room and bar—orchestrating them in a dance between unity and autonomy.
The built-in bar is the natural gathering place for get-togethers with close friends; for larger events, designate this space as a drink station, where hired bartenders shake up a bevy of cocktails starring fruit, including apples, oranges and grapefruits, plucked from the estate’s trees. Choose the dining room for a formal sit-down business dinner for a baker’s dozen; for a casual lunch, steer them to the patio’s built-in island.
Scatter large round tables across the back lawn for a charity event or a wedding; set it up with a bouncy house for a children’s birthday. The large kitchen, which corrals both a breakfast nook and a casual seating area, puts a chef and team within earshot of both indoor and outdoor guests, while its large windows offer discrete vantage points from which to monitor the backyard’s activities while a door here enables direct access.
A back staircase, a suite for live-in assistance and a laundry area aid in the smooth and discrete running of a busy household. An additional full-bath, with access to the backyard (the home’s alarm system can be programmed to restrict entry to only this area), enables guests a private place to change and shower.
Large glass-paned doors ensure an easy flow to the home’s expansive backyard. With its surfeit of country club-quality facilities, this is the spot that, taking full advantage of Southern California’s idyllic weather, is destined to become the centerpiece of everyday life.
There’s the plush built-in seating area around the fire pit; a pool sited to rival that of any five-star hotel; and an oversized tennis court that’s been vetted by the some of the state’s top players. (It’s been used as the home court for many of The Riviera Country Club’s most lauded coaches and a junior Maria Sharapova spent time training here.)
Fitted with basketball hoops, it can easily double as the location for weekly pick-up game, as well. With high hedges on two sides and the majestic backdrop of the Santa Monica mountain range as the dramatic scenery to the sprawling 2-acre lot, the treasured and yet often unobtainable gift of privacy is a given here.
From the solitude of morning laps in the pool to afternoon tennis lessons to late nights that end around the fire pit, enjoying bottles brought back from France (a cool room keeps them at their peak, though oenophiles can easily outfit it with a temperature-controlled system), the luxury of solitude underscores the peace and quiet that permeates this home. For indoor activities, look to the immense top floor.
In addition to 1,700-square-feet of storage, which might easily accommodate plenty of sports equipment and holiday decorations, the open plan space also can support a home theater, gaming area, playroom, or a home gym, with a staircase near the master encouraging frequent use.
Seek solitude on the home’s quiet second floor whose en-suite bedrooms enjoy that view described above from the quartet of private balconies that extend along the entire back of the house. Large closets, generous bathrooms and plenty of well-designed built-ins render each room a self-contained sanctuary.
This idea is magnified in the master suite. Waking to hilltop views with nary another home within sight, it’s not hard to imagine oneself in some faraway retreat. This is a Los Angeles few experience. They call it living the dream.
PRESENTED BY
Anthony Marguleas
Amalfi Estates
310.293.9280
List Price $9,125,000
BoConcept’s Enduring Craftsmanship
It’s a good time to be selling BoDesign in Southern California. The region’s current bend towards Modernist and Contemporary design means there are countless spaces awaiting the brand’s clean-lined furnishings, as practical as they are urbane, and with the ability to look as au courant today as they likely will for decades to come.
“I just spoke with an architect a few minutes ago,” says Stephanie Duval, franchisee of BoConcept’s Los Angeles and Costa Mesa stores along with her husband Stephane. “She said she bought furniture from BoConcept for a project 15 years ago.” So impressed was the architect with the quality of the pieces, recounts Duval, she was turning to BoConcept once again, to furnish a new project.
Started in the early 1950s by two Danish cabinetmakers, BoConcept has grown to nearly 300 stores internationally, with consumer demand, says Duval, driven by the love of the brand’s “functionality, design, and quality.” Cost is another.
“We are an affordable luxury,” she points out. “Our price point is excellent.” Customers, notes Duval, include those looking to furnish their homes, along with professionals who turn to BoConcept for pieces to adorn boutique hotels, restaurants and corporate spaces. “What architects and designers love about our brand,” she says, “is the fact that we customize, and are so modular that it’s very easy for businesses to use our products.”
It’s this mix of pragmatic design, sophisticated image—BoConcept pieces are often sculptural in look—and the ability for buyers to customize to their heart’s content that is at the core of BoConcept’s calling card and appeal.
When browsing for a new sofa, for instance, one can select the shade and fabric: textured wool, corded velvet and soft leather from South African cowhides are among the substantial options. Materials, Duval divulges, are sourced from around the world, and among them is wood from Canada, fabric from Italy and leather from South America.
Finding the ideal furniture and accessories for one’s space, however, is the province of an interior designer. Someone who understands the interplay of scale, daily use, color and personal style, among other factors, when it comes to selecting the right pieces.
For this, BoConcept offers an in-home designer service. “First, we have a talk with our customer to really understand what they’re looking for,” says Duval of the process. Her team of design consultants studies how customers live and learn what they like. “We don’t sell a piece of furniture,” she remarks. “We sell a concept.”
It’s a concept that translates fluidly across geography, architectural styles, and home size. A modular design, such as the popular Amsterdam, for example, can morph from a sofa to a coffee table, serve as a sectional for the entire family, or as seating for two.
And as one’s place called home evolves, from that first shoebox apartment to a full-fledged house, purchases from BoConcept travel with their owners, and can be seamlessly expanded. A two-seater sofa might be amended with a matching corner sofa, an ottoman, or other complementary pieces from the brand’s expansive collection of design furniture, lighting, and accessories. “You can furnish a very small place in Asia or furnish a huge home in California,” says Duval of the brand’s seemingly endless options. “It’s very exciting.” boconcept.com
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF BOCONCEPT
The Firehouse Hotel
Hospitality entrepreneur Dustin Lancaster—the mind behind Hotel Covell, Chinatown wine bar and bistro Oriel, among many other well-known projects—had to have patience in undertaking his latest project. It was more than 10 years ago that Lancaster first laid his eyes on the two-story historic building that was home to the Los Angeles Fire Department from 1927 to 1980.
So, in 2016, when the owner asked Lancaster to create a hotel “like Covell” there, he agreed without hesitation. Also an obvious choice for the entrepreneur: partnering with developer (and friend) Tyler Stonebreaker, founder, and CEO of Creative Space. And for the interior design, Lancaster immediately knew he could count on Sally Breer, co-founder of ETC.etera, who previously worked with him on Hotel Covell and Oriel, so this project was a natural continuation of their story.
Last April, the Firehouse Hotel opened in Los Angeles’s Arts District, becoming the very first boutique hospitality project in the neighborhood. Behind the original façade, with its two red doors that pay homage to the building’s past, guests discover a light-filled ground floor dedicated to the community.
It comprises the lobby-reception area; a café; a shop with products curated by Breer’s ETC.etera business partner Jake Rodehuth-Harrison; and a bar and restaurant—led by chef Ashley Abodeely and pastry chef Rose Lawrence—with a patio. The space beyond the patio that was originally used as the firefighters’ handball court has been transformed into a private dining room that can accommodate 30 people seated or 40 to 50 people for cocktail parties.
Bespoke items created exclusively for the hotel by Los Angeles-based designers and makers such as Clare V., Block Shop, Hedley & Bennett and Robert Siegel, as well as design pieces and artworks (from curator and dealer Jonathan Pessin) by Atelier de Troupe, Brendan Ravenhill Studio, Converso and Wolfum, among others, personalize the spaces with a Southern Californian vibe.
All but one of the project’s nine rooms are located on the second floor and each has a door painted a different color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet and white—the black door is on the ground floor), setting the tone of the décor inside. One key element for Breer was to “first and foremost respect the architecture,” she says.
The original wood and concrete floors, factory windows, exposed wood-truss ceilings, pressed-tin panels and niches initially used to house statuettes of the Virgin Mary to protect the firefighters were all preserved to honor the place’s bygone aesthetic and spirit. According to Lancaster, the Firehouse Hotel is “very much about LA love.” Retro and elegant, quirky and cozy, the property has all the ingredients to seduce the local community. firehousela.com
PHOTOGRAPHS: BY AARON HAXTON
LASVIT A Fresh Design Radiance
When the great Maria Callas stood on the stage at La Scala, she imposed herself like no other, singing with such force, her songs were enough to shake the chandelier from its moorings. If not this precise scene, then it is a close approximation of one similar that designers Jan Plecháč and Henry Wielgus conjured up to create their Neverending Glory collection for Czech glassmaking company LASVIT.
For the design duo, if not all the world’s a stage, as Shakespeare proposed, then perhaps it should be. That is the idea that propelled them to take a theatrical direction in contemporizing the form of classical chandeliers at historic opera houses and concert halls—from La Scala in Milan, Palais Garnier in Paris, and Metropolitan Opera in New York, to the Czech Republic’s Estates Theater in Prague, and Bolshoi Theater in Moscow—to innovate a line to illuminate the au courant abode.
In Wielgus’s words, “The idea for the Neverending Glory collection came to us when we realized how many amazing old crystal chandeliers there are, and that it would be beautiful to give them a fresh form and bring them into modern living and workspaces.”
The collection’s ability to adapt stylistically to an array of residential environments make its exquisitely crafted pendants quite suitable for life in transitional times, when, increasingly, a home’s conventional guest room might also serve as a workspace, a garage loft might be a private studio, and so on.
To this end are options: Neverending Glory offers pendants in three different sizes—Neverending Glory Small debuted last year at Maison et Objet in Paris at half the size of the original collection, and another size, which is halfway between the small and large fixtures, releases this year—in original clear, opal, iridescent and other color versions. Variety of size and shades means more possibilities for styling, either solo, for a single statement, or clustered, like stars.
Striking looks does not belie the fact that this is a solidly constructed collection, one that reflects the art and tradition of hand-blown glass, particularly in the Czech Republic, of which it claims mastery. In the hands of LASVIT designers, it offers precise and rarified beauty.
A product of this rich heritage of craftsmanship, the Neverending Collection is, much like LASVIT itself, a bridge between Old World and New. The recipient of the design “Oscar” at Salone del Mobile, LASVIT is the result of the Czech glassmaking tradition, blending its hand-blown Bohemian soul with a reverence for new technologies and cutting-edge design. In this context, Neverending Glory is not only brilliant, but it also puts the direction of contemporary design in a whole new light. lasvit.com
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF LASVIT
Frida Kahlo’s Home: Picture Of Her Life.
When the exiled Marxist revolutionary Leon Trotsky came to Coyoacan, a town on the outskirts of Mexico City, he did so at the invitation of artist Frida Kahlo (and the man she married twice, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera).
Trotsky and his wife were welcomed at Frida’s family home Casa Azul, the Blue House, a blue as bold as the woman who was born there, died there, and spent time recovering from a horrendous, life-threatening trolley accident that left her bed-ridden, in a body cast, and alone to explore self-portraiture.
Casa Azul is a portrait of Frida, as well. Constructed in 1904, with a colonial typology, the composition lacks a significant physical configuration (its floor plan, which placed adjoining rooms around a courtyard, was typical of the period), but its engagement with community and culture makes it a building of great consequence, greater than the sum of its parts, and sensitive to poetics.
The home’s original architect is unknown, but Frida’s mannerly father Guillermo, a photographer with an interest in architecture, likely espoused his opinions about its design. While not architecturally experimental, Casa Azul was more than comfortable, a single-story structure with four bedrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen and servants’ quarters. Plants filled the patio.
Tall windows, French doors and elements of French decorative style on the exterior were fashionable touches. Many books and a German piano certainly helped nurture a sense of the artistic in a growing Frida.
This rich history reverberates through the halls of the current Casa Azul, a world of Frida’s creation, its vivacious palette characteristic of her work and life alike—her artistic depictions, like her dress, are vivid, expressing cultural and feminine identity and strong politics. Ornamented similarly, the house features photos of Lenin, Stalin and Mao, pre-Hispanic artifacts, mirrors and butterflies, and a show of Frida’s constrictive, spine-correcting corsets.
Modifications and expansions have been made to the house, including a wing that Diego constructed, but arguably the most of momentous transformation—its cobalt-blue painted façade—turned the building into art itself. The robust color sets off an oasis of greenery, and the red of its pre-Hispanic pyramid, which serves to integrate Mexico’s indigenous history.
The strong assertion of blue on the exterior gives way to an interior of bright-green trim and yellow accents that highlight a trove of Mexican treasures—crafts, pre-Hispanic artifacts, personal belongings and fascinating works of art by both Frida and Diego.
Rechristened the Frida Kahlo Museum in 1958, four years after her death, at which time Diego bequeathed the building to Mexico, the destination receives art and culture lovers across the world. Magically, visitors find the folkloric charm of Casa Azul in Frida and Diego’s day is much the same. One element, in particular, leaves a lasting impression: Frida’s 1954 work whose name is what Casa Azul still represents—Long Live Life. museofridakahlo.org
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF FRIDA KAHLO & DIEGO RIVERA ARCHIVES. BANK OF MEXICO, FIDUCIARY IN THE DIEGO RIVERA AND FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUM TRUST
Venice Canals Home With Balance
Stunning and remodeled, the Craftsman-style residence of Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter and Cheers executive producer Rob Long has hit the market in Venice for $3.75 million, complete with touches that capture the unique character of yesterday paired with modern-day amenities and today’s style.
Think an outdoor EarthStone pizza oven used and approved by some of America’s most well-known chefs and food writers—including the owners and chef of L.A.’s own Pizzeria Mozza—along with the home’s original green front door; Chinese shutters from a temple in Jian; an original Pierre Madel chandelier from Paris decorating the formal dining room; and curiosities culled from the owner’s lifetime of exotic excursions.
“Venice is home to a lot of fantastically ramshackle houses—early 1900’s bungalows right up against purple steel boxes from the 1980s,” says Long. “I wanted to preserve the California bungalow feel of the house, and at the same time give it a little more air and light.
All I did was clean it up a bit, make more sense of the floor and site plans, and integrate a few things I picked up on my travels.” This includes the Burmese lintel beams that he carried back from Burma after paying a farmer who was tearing down his barn a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label for all three of them.
Found on a private, oversized lot at 514 Altair Place—on one of the most sought-after streets in Venice, near Abbot Kinney and Venice Beach—the home was built in 1909 and updated by architect Beck Taylor in 2000, in one of her first residential designs.
Expect almost 3,000 square feet of warm yet elegant, open and light-filled living space on two levels achieved mostly via skylights, massive doors, cherry wood cabinetry, and Douglas fir flooring. Among the highlights: a gourmet chef’s kitchen with a Sub-Zero refrigerator, handcrafted Le Cornue range from France, butler’s pantry with a duo of built-in wine coolers, a large, built-in bluestone island, and wet bar.
An open living room boasts a gas fireplace, while the ample master retreat sports a spacious en-suite bath, walk-in closet, and terrace overlooking the secluded backyard and patio.
“What I think I love most about the home is that even first-time visitors instantly recognize it’s a house that is filled with amazing memories,” says Long. “Something about it seems to retain and reflect the things that have happened there. It glows—partly the light, partly the Douglas [f]ir and partly the wide-open feeling of the first floor.”
PRESENTED BY
Michael Grady, Natasha Barrett & Jagger Kroener of The Agency
310.993.6044
List Price
$3.75 million
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF THE AGENCY
Bel-Air Hilltop Home Floats Above
When a Thai hotel heiress first approached L.A. architect Zoltan E. Pali about building a home for her in Bel-Air, she asked him to craft a spacious and luxurious abode ideal for hosting large affairs and her extended family.
At the same time, she wanted the dwelling to emanate a warm and welcoming feel, as well as a strong connection to nature. The result? A striking, propeller-shaped residence wrapped in a glass wall that mirrors its sweeping views of the Los Angeles Basin from The Getty to Long Beach, Century City and Downtown.
“Each of SPF:architects’ projects is a direct response to the site and the desires of the client—no two are the same,” says Pali, the firm’s founder and design principal. “It was very important to her that it feel open and airy, but also cozy at the same time, and that it engage with the surrounding views, which are pretty much unobstructed from its perch. The shape is a direct result of us trying to balance the program and the needs of the client.”
Situated at 11490 Orum Road, the four-bedroom, four-bath dwelling now is on the market for $56 million, listed by Louis Evans, Taylor Nakaki and Aaron Kirman of Aaron Kirman Group at Compass. Expect 18,800 square feet of open and flowing living space spread out across a trio of wings that radiate from a central core highlighted by a floating, glass-and-steel staircase.
The ground floor consists of the entry and communal gathering spaces such as a family/kitchen area; the second floor is dedicated to private rooms like the master suite; and the basement level, burrowed into the hill, is outfitted with a theater, gym, spa, cedar sauna, service kitchen and 1,000-bottle wine room. Outdoors the grounds host a kitchen; duo of fire pits; LED-lit pool; attached guesthouse; and a main garage that doubles as an event space.
“The wings define the exterior spaces, while the glass (reflective, opaque, translucent and clear) gives the home additional dimension,” says Pali. “Outside, there is a feeling that the building is floating above the site, but still part of the natural landscape; inside, it affords every room in the house with views that stretch in several directions.”
11490 ORUM ROAD
BEL-AIR SWEEPING VIEWS
18,800 SQ. FT.
4 BEDROOMS
PHOTOGRAPHS: BY MATTHEW MOMBERGER
From The Hills To the Coast
Personal OASIS
A stunning, Spanish-influenced residence in the heart of El Segundo has hit the market for $1.799 million. “This is resort-style living at its finest, complete with a dazzling pool, beautiful yard, and city and ocean views,” says listing agent Alex Abad.
“What more could you want?” Think a four-bedroom home offering 2,000-plus square feet of open living space featuring a renovated gourmet kitchen with stainless-steel appliances that opens to a formal dining room and bar overlooking the lower family room with fireplace and balcony. An upstairs master retreat, meanwhile, boasts a balcony and spa-like bath, while the lower level has a game room. The crown jewel? The property’s lush backyard, just perfect for a game of bocce ball or soccer.
626 E. MARIPOSA AVENUE
RESORT-STYLE PROPERTY IN EL SEGUNDO
4 BEDROOMS
2,735 SQ. FT
Listed by Alex Abad
of Alex Abad Real Estate Group
List Price
$1.799 million
Ultimate Experience
Recently remodeled, this newly listed Monterey Colonial-style home rests on a secluded cul-de-sac in the coveted Oaks neighborhood of Los Feliz. Expect 2,000-plus square feet of elegant and open living space on two levels paired with espresso oak flooring and French doors that open to reveal seamless indoor/outdoor environs.
Among the highlights: four bedrooms (including a spacious master suite with a duo of walk-in closets, vaulted ceilings, balcony with canyon views and marble bath), along with a designer kitchen boasting marble countertops and Viking appliances. Outdoors, the professionally landscaped grounds hold a pool, lounge spots, and built-in barbecue area. “This property is both charming and sophisticated,” says listing agent Nikki Magliarditi. “With a picturesque kitchen, outdoor barbecue and sparkling pool, this home were made for entertaining.”
5740 SPRING OAK TERRACE
MONTEREY COLONIAL STYLE
4 BEDROOMS
2,640 SQ. FT.
Listed by Cindy Ambuehl and Nikki Magliarditi of Cindy Ambuehl Group
List Price
$2.695 million
PHOTOGRAPHS: RUSSELL SMITH (TOP) AND ANTHONY BARCELO (BOTTOM0
Hybrid Manhattan Beach Home
Dressed in white siding and rough-cut stone, a beautifully executed example of new construction at 401 N. Dianthus Street in the Hill Section of Manhattan Beach boasts a stunning curb appeal that gives way to a perfect balance of New York loft meets modern farmhouse.
This magnificent home, built by Ken Johnson Development, designed with Paul L’Esperance, and Doug Leach Architecture, delivers a fresh twist on a gorgeous farmhouse style while steeping the aesthetic in luxury, offering something different to the marketplace.
Featuring incredible volumes, warm, hand-finished wood beams and quintessential shiplap, the 6,300-square-foot home introduces its interior with an impressive two-story, loft-like entry with an open wood staircase, atrium skylights and an iron chandelier that sets a relaxed yet upscale tone. Crisp white walls donned with shiplap accents and black iron windows throughout is pure and uplifting design.
Warm wood beams, bleached wood floors, and refreshing Robin egg blue accents soften the shifts in the palette. “We love the freshness of the Robin egg color kitchen tile backsplash, paired with coastal colored cabinets and hand-made mosaic tile floors in the powder rooms that anchor the design,” explains Paul L’Esperance of L’Esperance Design.
This lovely contemporary mix is particularly apparent in the six-bedroom (or five-bedroom plus a study), five-bathroom, two powder room home where vaulted ceilings drip with bespoke lighting and an abundance of natural light beam into its generous spaces. Pretty combinations of metals and finishes add to the custom feel.
Grand in scale and incredibly sophisticated, the residence has an extraordinary master suite with a swoon-worthy, marble-swathed bathroom featuring lofty ceilings and a sexy, meet-me-in-the-middle oversized shower for two, as well as a decadent his-and-her closet with custom, glass-topped built-ins like one’s private boutique. “The spacious master suite with garden balcony, spa hotel bath and walk-in closet with makeup counter,” L’Esperance shares excitedly, “let you experience five-star treatment at home.”
One experiences this treatment throughout the home, in fact. The entry level includes a generous guest bedroom or deluxe office/study with black French doors opening onto a patio with a lovely garden, plus a private bath with mosaic-tiled floors in a happy custom pattern. Meanwhile, the generous dining room’s ultra-high ceilings foster a perfect dinner-party setting that is close enough to—but completely separate from—the kitchen for convenience and seclusion.
The great room is a focal point: a spacious, sparkling space that is light, bright and opens to the kitchen area and breakfast nook. Beamed ceilings, iron windows and custom built-ins trim the fireplace and the tiniest slices of marble designed in a chevron pattern are outstanding. The free-flowing open space that spills onto a blossoming and beautifully landscaped backyard is accessed via glass pocket doors for coveted indoor/outdoor space.
Adjacent to the great room is the spacious breakfast nook overlooking the backyard and gourmet kitchen with a massive slab island of marble atop blue cabinets. Every necessity a chef requires, from a Sub-Zero refrigerator, dual dishwashers, Wolf Range and cooktop, to a convenient walk-in pantry, all amid a pleasant backdrop of candied brick tiles in Robin egg blue.
It beckons plucking a rare bottle of wine from the Sub-Zero wine tower before heading outside to cozy up by the outdoor fireplace. Trimmed with vegetation and neighboring mature trees, the pool-ready backyard is private and comfy.
Upstairs, along with the aforementioned master suite, is the balance of the bedrooms and an open study nook for kids or possibly an alcove for yoga. “The first floor rooms open to beautiful garden porches while the upstairs bedrooms have twinkling city lights,” shares L’Esperance. There are even views [spanning] from downtown to the Westside with the Santa Monica Mountains sparkling in the background.
Meanwhile, balconies and window seats make it easy to take in these lovely vistas day or night. Refreshingly, the jack-and-jill bathroom connecting the two front bedrooms feature barn door-style glass shower doors—a reminder that, throughout all of the bathrooms and powder rooms, are individually designed mosaic tiles and custom fixtures.
Beyond aesthetics is the home’s sophistication, including the dedicated home theater tucked behind sliding barn doors, high-end speakers throughout, whole house water purifying system, and tankless water heaters. Reaching the basement to catch a movie, meanwhile, is easy via a full-sized residential elevator.
Here, a stunning full-size wet bar with dramatic cut-glass mosaic backsplash sets the stage for a great entertaining space. Just across, the huge game room can also accommodate dining, seating, and gaming. Also included on this floor are the guest en-suite bedroom and a powder room.
Perched atop the beloved Manhattan Beach Hill Section, this striking estate has it all, including close proximity to sand-and-sea, the amenities of downtown Manhattan Beach and Robinson Elementary School, MBMS, and Mira Costa High School. How fitting for a home that is ideal for a growing family and clearly the class of its field.
PRESENTED BY
John Chuka 310.990.1110
and Kerry Dawson 310.753.5537
NW Real Estate Brokers
401NDianthus.com
List Price
$7,099,000
PHOTOGRAPH: (THEATER TOP LEFT) COURTESY OF DANA THOMPSON
Elegant And Modern Statement
Chic and charming, this traditional Cape Cod-style home designed and built by noted architect Clark Remington is now available in Pacific Palisades for $3.935 million—complete with a welcoming front porch, canyon and ocean views, and even the sound of waves crashing in the distance.
Situated on a quiet, highly coveted cul-de-sac at 581 N. Marquette St.—near Palisades Park, Palisades Village and beaches—the two-story residence was built in 2000 and has since been updated. Expect 4,000-plus square feet of open living space featuring soaring ceilings, abundant natural light, newly refinished hardwood flooring on the main level and a spacious entry foyer with a striking spiral staircase.
Among the highlights: five bedrooms (including a sumptuous master suite with a separate sitting room with TV, and a spa-like bath with a soaking tub, walk-in shower, dual vanities and a makeup area), along with formal living and dining rooms. A gourmet kitchen stuns with an updated backsplash and granite counters, high-end stainless-steel appliances, a breakfast nook with built-in work station and large center island.
An attractive family room with a fireplace opens via sliding glass French doors to a 12-foot heated pergola with a TV and built-in barbecue area, while the 6,697-square-foot grounds are ideal for entertaining and relaxing with a sparkling pool and spa, and a patio sporting a fire pit. Rounding out this home’s exceptional appeal is a three-car garage.
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF SHAWN CORDON REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY
581 N. MARQUETTE
PACIFIC PALISADES
CAPE-COD STYLE
LOCATED ON A CUL-DE-SAC
4,000+ SQ. FT.
5 BEDROOMS
PRESENTED BY
Anthony Marguleas of Amalfi Estates
310.293.9280
List Price
$3.935 million
