While the so-called “Golden Age” of Southern California architecture is considered to have lasted between 1920 until 1940, there were a few years during that period, say, 1927 — 1929, when the conditions of well-trained craftsmen, top-quality building materials, and big-spending clientele were in taut alignment.
The exceptional level of bespoke craftsmanship found in some 1920s homes is rare these days, but (like everything else) still attainable to those for whom money is no object, as this ravishing Spanish Colonial now on the market in Beverly Hills illustrates.
Built in 1927, the rambling residence was a battle-scarred veteran of multiple inept remodels when its current owners.
Enlisted to overhaul it was Steven Johanknecht, co-founder of creative powerhouse and AD100 hall of famers Commune Design. Documented in ELLE Decor, Johanknecht’s revamp preserved what original elements remained — e.g., the home’s elaborately carved plaster work, leaded glass windows, a Batchelder tiled fountain in the center courtyard, the turned-spindle entry — and, after meticulous research, painstakingly reconstructed and added other period-appropriate details, integrating them seamlessly with modern-day luxuries compulsory to contemporary Beverly Hills life.
Concealed behind a towering wall of hedges and fronted by a circular driveway and motor court, the two-story hacienda disperses four bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms within an ample 8,900 square feet of living space. On the main level are its formal living and dining room, open-plan kitchen with breakfast area, office with fireplace, family/media room with bar, security room, and temperature controlled wine room. Upstairs holds an en-suite bedroom with balcony, and the show-stopping 1,200-square-foot primary suite containing an office and a spa-like bathroom with fireplace, a massive limestone tub, and custom Malibu Ceramic Works tile wainscot.
Other standout details include hand-stenciled truss ceilings and custom cabinetry, wood and inlaid tile floors, arched doorways, and wrought iron railings and sconces.
The resort-style backyard features an outdoor living room with fireplace, a catering kitchen, built-in BBQ area, a large lawn, tropical pool and spa. Elsewhere on the .66-acre grounds are an 800-square-foot gym, replete with vaulted ceilings and stenciled beams, and a two-bedroom, two-bath guest house.
Last sold in 2008 for $11.1 million, the picturesque property is now asking $24,995,000. Shane McCoy Fermelia and Hilary Markus of Carolwood Estates share the listing.
View Listing | Offered at $24,995,000 | Represented by Shane McCoy Fermelia and Hilary Markus
Story courtesy of Dirt
