MODERN LIVING LA | FEATURED POSTS

SILVERLAKE RICHARD NEUTRA OHARA HOUSE

One of several Neutra designed homes to hit the market recently, The Ohara Residence in Silver Lake offers picture perfect architectural serenity. Informally known as the Neutra Colony, several Neutra homes are congregated on the Eastern Side of the Silver Lake Reservoir. We can only imagine coexisting with the lucky few residents sharing stories of each home’s history and the stewardship responsibilities they’ve taken on.

HOLLYWOOD HILLS MEDITERRANEAN REVIVAL CLASSIC

At the base of the Hollywood hills just East of Fairfax lies the Sunset Square neighborhood. It is clear that the owners of this idyllic Spanish home chose to preserve and restore this home with dignity. One of our favorite features is the original elegant wedding cake detailing in the living and dining rooms. The owners have seamlessly Mediterranean revival classic blended both vintage and new with their choice of modern furniture and light fixtures. A stroll around the backyard’s lush landscaping conjures an appreciation for the simplicity of nature. And, we appreciate the victory gardens and fruit trees.

BRENTWOOD KOENIG HOUSE #2 MID-CENTURY MASTERPIECE

An exceptional modernist house built in the 80’s? Why, yes, Koenig House #2 by modernist architect Pierre Koenig is quite the specimen. This home represents one of over forty steel and glass residences built by the architect during his career.

A WHIMSICAL BUILDING’S REHAB

A whimsical building’s rehab. Several years ago our office was in a building on Wilshire in Beverly Hills playfully known as “the Wedding Cake building”. It was built in 1962 by Edward Durell Stone and known by several names, including Perpetual Savings and Loan and Pacific Mercantile Bank. It was rumored to have been influenced by a neoclassical building in Italy commissioned by Benito Mussolini (now the headquarters of the fashion house Fendi).

FORGOTTEN FANTASY | WORLD’S FIRST ART AMUSEMENT PARK

Imagine for a moment that a select group of influential modern artists got thrown into a carnival bouncy house and then launched via a cartoon spaceship into 1980’s Germany. We have the results stationed right in downtown Los Angeles. Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy, a spectacular showcase of the world’s first art amusement park- lost since 1987.

CAUTIONARY TALES | THE TRAGEDY OF SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

Did you know that the architect for the Sydney Opera house was pulled from a pile rejects? An international design competition enlisted Finnish American super star architect, Eero Saarinen, to help judge the contest. It was he who found the winning drawing, basically a simple doodle, by Danish architect, Jorn Utzon.

SANTA MONICA THE SCHWARTZ HOUSE PIERRE KOENIG

It’s astounding that the architect responsible for Case Study Houses #21 and #22 in the 50’s and 60’s was still building homes in the 90’s. As as a graduate of the USC School of Architecture, Koenig was exposed to and worked with many of the most notable modernist architects of his day. The Schwartz house in Santa Monica’s Rustic Canyon would be the last of his designs built during his lifetime.

HOLLYWOOD HILLS CLASSIC MID-CENTURY MODERN RANCH

While we couldn’t find a known modernist architect on public records, this Hollywood Hills Mid Century Modern ranch fits the Cliff May or Edward Fickett mold quite nicely. This home is going to need some love, but, there’s lots to like already. The rock wall features prominently in common rooms. Oversized floor to ceiling glass in the living room allows for an infusion of light. High ceilings with beams that lead the eye towards vistas of the Valley. What’s not to love about the pink primary bedroom and bathroom. And, of course there’s a nice pool to sit by (or in) for Friday night martinis.

HOLLYWOOD SIGNS: THE GOLDEN AGE OF GLITTERING GRAPHICS AND GLOWING NEON

We recently discovered a book called Hollywood Signs: The Golden Age of Glittering Graphics and Glowing Neon. What an absolute treat for design and Hollywood history fans alike. While we at Modern Living LA tend to focus on houses and buildings, these iconic signs play a pivotal roll in our appreciation of the structures they adorn. Great design lies at the intersection of architecture and these historic signs.