El Cabrillo is one of eight courtyard developments designed in the 1920s by husband-and-wife team Arthur and Nina Zwebell, who perfected the romantic Spanish Colonial Revival. Built in 1927, the 10-unit apartment building was commissioned by Cecil B. Demille to house out-of-state actors. Throughout the years, members of the Hollywood scene, including actress Anna May Wong,
AuthorSonya Coke
Modern Cape Cod in prime Silver Lake
This modern cape cod brings the vibe of the Hamptons to a prime hillside location in Silver Lake. Curbside, a hedge adds a sense of privacy to the residence dressed in shingle siding and topped with gable dormers and simple ornamentation. New and old are paired seamlessly throughout the 1,408 square feet of measured living
Calvin Straub’s Wirick Residence in Pasadena
The Poppy Peak Historic District, located in southwest Pasadena, contains a collection of 30 architecturally significant mid-century modern homes. One of them, the Wirick Residence, was designed by Calvin Straub of Buff, Straub & Hensman. Designed for the Wiricks, “a young and forward-looking family who wanted a home that embodied the best of Modern design
Handsome midcentury with ADU in the Hollywood Knolls
Built in 1962, this mid-century home is believed to be the work of Gardner Cowan, a Toronto-based architect with a distinctive style grounded in the ethos of ‘Less is more.’ A testament to the architect’s ability to harness light, volume, and flow, the rectangular-shaped residence occupies a slightly elevated position on a quiet, residential street
Refined midcentury in Montecito Heights by Design Assembly
Lauren Moore moved into a nondescript midcentury home on a uniquely architectural street in Montecito Heights seven years ago. After a recent overhaul, the word that best fits the house is refined. Completed in 1965, the home is part of an architectural development called The Cliffs. The original real estate brochure read, “Bold. Dynamic. Contemporary.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Freeman House is on the market
Frank Lloyd Wright’s curiosity about a material he once considered the cheapest and ugliest thing in the building world led to four spectacular concrete textile-block residences in Los Angeles. One is the Freeman House, currently on the market and awaiting restoration. Built between 1923-25 for Samuel and Harriet Freeman, the residence stands wrapped in Mayan-inspired
Striking modern farmhouse in Leimert Park
On a mission to “rejuvenate neighborhoods and increase the standard of living by improving the overall quality of housing for the residents,” Hello Homes introduces a striking modern farmhouse with a studio in Leimert Park. Painted black, 3830 Grayburn Avenue sits on a wide tree-lined street with a new lawn and simple landscaping. Inside, the
William Kesling’s Estes Residence lists in the Hollywood Hills
According to Kesling Modern Structures: Popularizing Modern Design in Southern California 1934-1962, “For one year, beginning in November 1935, William Kesling was by far and away Los Angeles’ most prolific and successful practitioner of Streamline Moderne design, breaking ground on more than twenty projects.” The Estes Residence is one of the few that remain standing.
Dreamy architectural cabin in Mount Washington
Completely hidden from the street down a meandering wood and brick path surrounded by lush and leafy gardens is where you’ll find this dreamy, one-of-a-kind architectural cabin in Mount Washington. The 1932-built property sits on six lots, adding up to nearly half an acre. A large 1,000+ square foot deck wraps the darkly clad dwelling,
Paul Williams’ glamorous Villa Andalusia in Los Feliz
While trailblazing architect Paul R. Williams embraced a range of architectural styles, he is best known for his glamorous historic revival-style homes that still possess the glamor of Hollywood’s bygone era. Dubbed the “Architect to the Stars,” Williams’s client list included Lucille Ball and husband Desi Arnaz, Cary Grant, and Frank Sinatra, to name a