Completed in 1934, the Sten-Frenke House at the mouth of Santa Monica Canyon was designed by Richard Neutra, who left an indelible mark on California architecture. The two-story property incorporates many facets of contemporary indoor-outdoor living, including walls of glass and period elements like built-in furniture and Douglas-fir paneling. The home is sited on a 16,500-square-foot lot, and includes five bedrooms, seven baths, and an oval dining room.
The home was originally commissioned by Ukrainian actress Anna Sten and her husband, producer Eugene Frenke. Decades later, it appeared in the 2002 film Laurel Canyon and was eventually bought by that film’s coproducer, Jeff Levy-Hinte. Hinte tapped AD100 firm Marmol Radziner and James Biber to handle restoration and renovation. In 2009, it was sold for $4.7 million to A Man Called Otto director Marc Forster, who restored much of Neutra’s original design, according to Curbed. Forster also added a guest house designed by Johnston Marklee with two bedrooms, a hot-yoga studio, sauna, and rooftop deck.
Last on the market in 2020, the compound is now listed for $12,695,000 by Bjorn Farrugia and Drew Fenton of Carolwood Estates.
Courtesy of Architectural Digest
