Robert Skinner, a renowned Los Angeles-based architect, designed this swanky midcentury in Beverly Hills, restored by a local L.A. architect and Hancock Park-based interior designer.
Skinner’s passion for modern design graces the streets of the Trousdale Estates and other pockets of Beverly Hills. This one, located in the celebrity-studded, private, and guarded Hidden Valley Estates, is another trophy mid-century ready for its next steward.
Purchased in 2011 by talent agent Greg Cavic and his wife, the home sits on a .42-acre lot wrapped in wood and glass in a serene, verdant setting. But the house needed love. The couple hired L.A. architect John Bertram and Hancock Park-based interior designer Sarah Shetter to get the job done.
The thoughtful restoration leaves the Rowan Residence — photographed initially in 1964 by Julius Shulman and featured in Taschen’s Modernism Rediscovered — updated and in harmony with its intended design. Quality finishes include Douglas fir cabinetry, terrazzo flooring, Calacatta Gold and salt marble countertops, LSI lighting, redwood tongue-and-groove interior, exterior siding, and a chef’s kitchen.
Skinner is among the most talented architects to graduate from USC’s School of Architecture. Like many of his classmates, he incorporates the principles of organic architecture, a term coined by Frank Lloyd Wright to describe the integration of the structure with its site. Starting with the courtyard entry, the five-bedroom home features floor-to-ceiling glass walls throughout the 4,614 square feet of internal space, creating harmony with the outdoors.
The single-story residence has an open floor plan with clearly defined private and public spaces.
Last sold in 2011 for a tad under $3.5 million, the restored Rowan Residence located at 9557 Lime Orchard Rd has a pool surrounded by lush greenery, mature trees, and gardens designed by Judy Kameon of Elysian Landscapes. The asking price is $10 million.
