Author: Ed Baran
The Gravity of Owlwood: A Masterclass in Asset Assembly
The legendary Holmby Hills estate tied to Marilyn Monroe and owned by Sonny & Cher, rebuilt as a ten-acre private compound that redefined Los Angeles luxury real estate.
The Sheats–Goldstein House: John Lautner’s Concrete Vision Above Los Angeles
Cast-in-place concrete and glass, the Sheats–Goldstein House is one of the clearest expressions of John Lautner’s Organic Architecture. Completed in 1963 for Helen and Paul Sheats and later stewarded by James Goldstein, it is not just a famous Hollywood Hills home, it is a permanent cultural artifact. Goldstein’s donation of the property to LACMA effectively…
The Storer House: A Landmark Hillside Home Above Hollywood
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Storer House stands above Hollywood Boulevard as one of his most daring textile-block experiments. This deep dive explores its design, client, restoration, and architectural legacy.
The Chemosphere: A Home Suspended Above the Hollywood Hills
The Chemosphere is one of the most recognizable homes in the Hollywood Hills, not because it is large or lavish, but because it is daring. Completed in 1960, the house balances a full-sized residence on a single concrete column above a steep hillside. Designed by architect John Lautner for aerospace engineer Leonard Malin, it represents…
Stahl House: The Home That Made the Hollywood Hills a Global Icon
The Stahl House, also known as Case Study House #22, is a steel and glass masterpiece perched above Los Angeles. Designed by Pierre Koenig in 1960, it became an icon of mid century modernism and one of the most photographed homes in the world, immortalized by Julius Shulman’s legendary nighttime image.
Lovell Health House: The Home That Introduced Modern Living to Los Angeles
The Lovell Health House is Richard Neutra’s groundbreaking 1929 steel-frame masterpiece perched above Los Feliz. Designed for Dr. Philip Lovell, the home introduced International Style modernism to Los Angeles with its floating volumes, ribbon windows, and radical health-driven design. It remains one of the most influential modernist homes in the world.
Greystone Mansion: Power, Tragedy, and a Beverly Hills Legacy
Greystone Mansion is a 1928 Tudor Revival estate built for the Doheny family, one of Los Angeles’ early oil dynasties. With its limestone facade, grand staircases, tragic family history, and sprawling terraced gardens, it stands as one of the most important and cinematic historic homes in Beverly Hills.
The Ennis House: A Landmark Los Feliz Estate Above Hollywood
The Ennis House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1924, is the pinnacle of his textile-block experiments. Perched above Los Feliz with sweeping city views, the house blends Mayan Revival geometry, cast concrete blocks, and cinematic presence, making it one of Wright’s most iconic and influential Los Angeles works.
The Cedars: Hollywood’s Gothic Mansion Above Los Feliz
The Cedars, designed for filmmaker Maurice Tourneur in 1923, is a Mediterranean Revival landmark overlooking Los Feliz. Its grand terraces, sweeping arches, and Hollywood lineage have made it a magnet for actors, musicians, and legends for over a century, capturing the spirit of early cinematic Los Angeles.
The DeMille Estate: Hollywood History That Still Shapes Today’s Luxury Market
The DeMille Estate in Laughlin Park, built in 1914 for filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille, is one of the earliest Hollywood power homes. With its Italianate architecture, sweeping gardens, and rich film history, the estate reflects the birth of Hollywood itself and the rise of Los Angeles as a cultural capital.