Unfortunately guests will still need to go upstairs in order to use one. (Get rid of the second staircase off the kitchen and tuck a half-bath in there.)

The more I see of his plans, the more I think this architect, Paul Revere Williams (1894–1980), the pioneering African American architect who helped shape the look of Los Angeles, who was not allowed to live in or even stay overnight in many of the premier, white-only neighborhoods and homes he designed, did a lot of work for single gay men…

Despite being one of the most celebrated architects for Hollywood celebrities, he was restricted by legally enforced, racist land covenants that held sway in LA until the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Was this a conscious design decision? I know in the past I’ve designed (desert houses) with extremely thick exterior walls for their insulating properties. Just curious as to what was going through the designer’s mind.

In 2020, Clive Wilkinson Architects was commissioned by a film director and his philanthropist wife to renovate and modernize the iconic Wolff House in West Hollywood, designed in 1961 by the visionary architect, John Lautner, for concert pianist and interior decorator Marco Wolff.

The house was enlarged, also by Lautner, in 1970 with a guest house wing. The oversailing wide copper roof was extended to embrace the guest house addition. The home was designated a Historic Cultural Monument in 2006.

The organic features of the surrounding hillside contrast with Lautner’s carefully integrated and forward-thinking uses of natural materials like stone, glass, and copper. The elegant, asymmetric geometry of the house is seamlessly integrated into this natural environment, creating an organic flow between the interior and exterior with contemporary design.

Over the years, the house changed hands several times, and changes were made – the kitchen was renovated with stainless steel cabinetry; the staircase was moved from the center to the back of the main house.

Our goal in restoration was to completely restore and revive Lautner’s design vision, without any stylistic imprint of contemporary design.

In the main house, skylights were restored to their original size and place. The powder room was renovated, a sheet of green marble enlivening the space. What had been a large, unfinished storage room, became a sleek wine cellar. The circular stairway was updated to make it less precarious and to visually integrate it in a more seamless way.

The primary bath restored the main features of the original layout, removing a deep sunken tub and replacing it with a glass-enclosed shower. Perhaps most notably, a floor to ceiling window was added to the primary bedroom, bringing in much needed light and expanding the views of trees and the city below.

In the guesthouse, a gym and extra bedroom were created, where before there had been a steam room and storage area. All the renovations were guided by the idea of bringing back the original Lautner character and erasing later modifications.

Located in Hollywood’s Outpost Estate’s neighborhood, Bob Barker’s home was previously owned by the polo playing wildcatter Russell Havenstrite (1896-1958) and his wife, Edith. Born in Oklahoma, Havenstrite would arrive in Signal Hill during the 1920s to strike oil before heading to Alaska in 1932 and returning to Southern California to drill in Newhall. ⁠
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Together with his wife, Edith, Havenstrite owned the Fine Arts Building in downtown Los Angeles, an Italian Renaissance Revival style building located at 811 West 7th Street designed by Walker & Eisen. The building’s penthouse served as their downtown social space, and Havenstrite, an accomplished polo player, would found the Beverly Hills Polo Club. ⁠
⁠
Designed by architect Rollin F. Pierson⁠, the home’s floor plan is classic Spanish Colonial Revival. The home’s large living and dining rooms open onto a large terrace with direct access to the private bedrooms upstairs. The home includes both a library and breakfast room, revealing that this was no mere speculative commission, but a true custom home.⁠
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Another unique flourish can be found upstairs, where a private interior balcony links the primary suite with the second largest bedroom across the two story entry hall. ⁠
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Located at 1851 Outpost Drive, the home has recently been renovated and is currently on the market for $7,395,000.
Project: Residence of Mr. and Mrs. ⁠Russell Havenstrite⁠, 1929⁠
Architect: Rollin F. Pierson⁠
Location: Los Angeles, California⁠
Source: Architectural Digest⁠

Keisuke Kawaguchi + K2-DESIGN: 198.73 m², 2016, Hamamatsu, Japan

Built in 1963, this 5 bedroom 9 bath home was on the market in Austin, Texas. It is not currently for sale but I thought you’d all enjoy seeing these. The property was listed for sale at 3.9 million in early 2021 and sold later that year.

Linework Architecture: This project is a substantial remodel and addition to an unassuming 1940s single-family ranch in Northeast Seattlewith a focus on sustainability, durability, indoor-outdoor living, and generational flexibility.

Designed during the COVID quarantine, the family realized they needed to rethink how their home should function in the “new normal” and beyond. The owners wanted a house that would serve them now and into the future, no matter the shape of their family, requiring us to rethink how the traditional house is programmed and laid out.

PROBLEM SOLVING

The main house was built on the existing foundation and extended to include a larger kitchen and primary bed and bath. A new garage/DADU was introduced at the rear (northern) lot line and is currently used as a family room above and a flexible work-space below, but could be re-programmed to meet the family’s needs as they change over time.

The new one house/two structure design serves up a multitude of readings. While it currently functions as one for a nuclear family, either structure can be self-sufficient as a rental but also have enough separation to finely balance independence and togetherness for an aging parent or the owner’s handicapped brother.

The 2,250-square-foot house is uniquely situated on a through-lot. While the original house and its neighbors had historically neglected the northern side, it became a defining opportunity to reconnect with the street and form a central garden court by placing the DADU at the rear of the property. Large sliding glass pocket doors open to the central garden court expanding the perceived interior volume and provide a seamless indoor-outdoor experience.

The flow and sequence of space was influenced by the owner’s experience living in a Japanese temple complex, where spaces relate and connect to each other through a common courtyard and garden. The functions were intentionally distributed between the two buildings, pushing the occupants outside and connecting them with nature.

The owners were not interested in formal certification but sought to make the house as sustainable as the budget allowed. The house was converted to 100% electrical with a 15kW solar array, and both buildings are conditioned and heat water by heat pump. The main house is ventilated with an HRV. The exterior envelope is clad in exterior insulation, thermally treated wood requiring no recoating, and the windows are U-0.23. On a holistic level, the home is built small—the house is only 1600 square feet, and the DADU adds another 650 square feet. Together, these moves reduce the net energy use to a verified 3,800 kWh per year, or a 73% reduction from the national average.

Efficiency isn’t all or nothing. By building small, building durably, and integrating sustainability features where possible, the result is a design that dramatically reduces the building’s lifetime carbon cost. Most clients do not have the appetite nor the budget for PHI certification or Living Building Challenge, yet there are still opportunities to make a huge difference when

these measures are applied incrementally and across a portfolio of work.

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“Despite the efforts of pedophile and felon Trump and his fascist cult followers, racism can not be denied by taking down signs in Philadelphia or anywhere else! February ushed in Black History Month and I am hornoring Paul Revere Williams (1894–1980), the pioneering African American architect who helped shape the look of Los Angeles, but was not allowed to live in or even stay overnight in many of the premier, white-only neighborhoods and homes he designed. Despite being one of the most celebrated architects for Hollywood celebrities, he was restricted by legally enforced, racist land covenants that held sway in LA until the late 1940s and early 1950s.”

[source]

But I rather like the overall plan and exteriors. And that Studio…👨🏻‍🍳😘

From the source:

Architect Wallace Neff’s third house for opera star Amelita Galli-Curci⁠ was located in San Diego’s bucolic Rancho Santa Fe community. Rancho Santa Fe, technically a census-designated place, transports you into the California of yesteryear, and provided just the artistic respite Galli-Curci desired.⁠
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My favorite aspect of this home are the garage’s generous overhangs, which provide both protection from the elements as well as adding visual interest to an otherwise stark facade.⁠ This home’s design expertly straddles the Spanish Colonial and midcentury modern forms, creating a home that combines the best of both worlds.⁠
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And is there anything more romantic than a home situated within its own private eucalyptus grove? While I prefer native plants, I grew up with eucalyptus trees in my backyard, which will always afford them a special place in my heart and imagination.⁠
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The home was located on Las Planideras, yet has since been demolished. ⁠
⁠
Project: Residence of Mr. Homer Samuels and Mrs. Amelita Galli-Curci⁠, 1947
Architect: Wallace Neff⁠
Location: Rancho Santa Fe, California⁠
Photographer: Maynard L. Parker⁠

It’s no wonder we Boomers are cranky.

Vault House, Keisuke Kawaguchi + K2-Design, Shizuoka, Japan, 2011

I think the architects drew inspiration from the Woolner house, although truth be told I still prefer Woolner over this one…

…but I would expand the dimensions by a few feet in all directions, throw in a second bathroom to get a master suite, and find some place for a laundry room. But I do like the overall “feel” of the house.=.

I’m a sucker for Art Deco.

I would, however, rework the “Service Porch” downstairs to turn it into an office and knock out the wall between the kitchen and dining room. Upstairs, I would knock out the wall between the two bedrooms at the left and run a wall (with a door from the hall to the newly-enlarged bedroom) where the stair railing is on the left side of the hall.

Built in 1962, this Modernist home in Los Angeles was designed by architect Carl Maston as his personal residence. Because of the steeply sloping site, the swimming pool had to be placed in the front—cleverly hidden from the street by a walled embankment.

A USC graduate, Maston went on to design more than 100 buildings across Southern California, each showcasing his inventive, livable approach to modern design.

Other than not using metal hurricane tie downs and other common US construction techniques, why isn’t this used here? Looks extremely sturdy…

 

…I dreamt of living in this building.

In 1972, this was the future…

Yes, please! Absolutely gorgeous…

The Farm, Ganaraska, Ontario, Canada by Scott Posno Design

The Farm, an hour east of Toronto, is a 30-hectare haven in Southwestern Ontario, offering a serene escape for the client, their family, and friends. This picturesque retreat features an array of buildings artfully integrated into the natural landscape, designed to resonate with the site’s rich history and stunning beauty.

The centerpiece of The Farm is the main house, a contemporary reimagining of a traditional longhouse. Stretching 48 meters in length and oriented eastward to greet the morning sun, the house boasts a sleek exterior of charcoal-stained cedar complemented by a matching metal roof. The design elegantly distributes public and private spaces along its length, including a luxurious master suite with a secluded patio, additional bedrooms, and a versatile loft studio above the garage.

Enhancing the home‘s fluidity, multiple entry points provide seamless access, while the dining room transforms into a breezeway, merging indoor and outdoor living depending on the seasons. The interior palette is a study in refined simplicity, featuring polished concrete, warm white oak, and exposed Douglas fir, creating an ambiance of understated elegance.

The Farm’s grounds are equally captivating. A tranquil Zen Garden invites meditation and relaxation, while an outdoor pool, hot tub, fire pit, and charming guest cabana promise leisurely afternoons and cozy evenings. The pond, situated 70 meters east of the main house, draws wildlife and serves as a perfect stargazing spot. Beyond the pond, a meandering stream with rustic wooden bridges beckons exploration, fostering a profound connection to nature.

At The Farm, every detail is crafted to enhance the harmony between architecture and landscape, offering a retreat that is both a luxurious escape and a celebration of nature’s splendor.

[source]

Chislehurst Place

A 1929 Spanish masterpiece, this meticulously preserved residence enchants with sweeping landmark views and timeless craftsmanship.

You enter through a courtyard that features an outdoor kitchen and dining area, arriving inside under a majestic rotunda graced by hand-painted Malibu tiles and intricate wrought iron staircases. Multiple archways, soaring vaulted ceilings, exposed wooden beams, grand fireplaces, and wrought iron balconies evoke an era of refined grace, while stained and leaded glass windows bathe the home in radiant light.

Gather with friends in the sunlit kitchen designed for culinary artistry and open to the front courtyard or relax and read a book by the office fireplace. A dramatic entertaining living room comes complete with a Juliet balcony; downstairs is a home theater, a cozy bar in the family room for your favorite cocktails and then unwind by the cascading saltwater spa before heading off to one of the three en suite bedrooms.

Nestled within the coveted hills of Los Feliz, this estate, formerly owned by actress Olivia Wilde, features four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths in just under 3300 square feet and recently sold for $5M.

[Source, source, source]

$5M is a bit of a bargian for L.A. isn’t it?

Yumenomori, Sapporo, Japan by YODEZEEN

Yumenomori, meaning “Forest of Dreams,” is YODEZEEN’s debut project in Japan — a 500 sqm single-family home in Sapporo completed in 2025. Designed by Artem Zverev and Artur Sharf, with project management led by Anna Tarabanova and Olga Kravchenko, the house embodies a seamless fusion of Japanese tradition and contemporary European architecture.

Set in a seismically active zone, Yumenomori showcases adaptive engineering and a deep respect for nature. Its facade features vertical wooden slats, terraces, and garden elements inspired by Japanese landscaping, creating harmony between the built and natural environments. A polished forest rock, placed in a symbolic garden and visible through expansive glass walls, anchors the home spiritually and visually.

Inside, minimalist design prevails. Travertine, stone, and wood form a serene palette, while a striking red stone adds energy through custom furnishings. The interiors feature Poliform kitchen design, Henge lighting, and B&B Italia furniture, with Italian wood finishes hand-selected for warmth and balance.

A curated collection of art by Andrii Voznicki and Naraz Bilyk adds personal depth, reflecting the client’s trust and shared vision. Yumenomori stands as a timeless sanctuary—where architecture, nature, and culture converge.

[source]