LOCALLA

"The Pink Castle," c. 1922. This sprawling French-inspired Storybook compound, built over four years by pioneering special effects artist Paul Sprunck in collaboration with architect Arthur Cass Munson, is an ode to Hollywood's boomtown era. Exquisitely restored over 30 years, the estate features a main house with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and multiple flex spaces (1,885 sq ft), a detached art studio/guest suite (442 sq ft), and a lower-level studio/guest suite (517 sq ft) on an oversized 8,000+ sq ft lot. The main living room features 18' high ceilings, original and rebuilt lath and frosting-like plaster walls, dense hand-carved beams, and a sculptural staircase rising to a landing ideal for reading or mixing cocktails for guests below. The upper bedroom, with exposed wood ceilings, a hidden loft and sweeping vistas, feels lifted from a fairytale. Through the thick arched doorways of an office/napping room, you enter a second grand living area with a stone fireplace, cathedral ceiling, and golden light streaming through nearly a dozen oversized windows. The depth and softness of a space crafted when everything was built by hand is hard to ignore, even as you take in the dining room, flanked by a marvelously renovated kitchen with curved counters that follow the home's contours, and the rounded grace of a turret with two fairytale-like alcoves. The second bedroom is a study in art and design, with storage secreted into every usable space, ocean views, and a pink stucco and tile bath with soaking tub. Outside, an expansive patio with gentle walkways and forged metal fences and gates leads to magical gardens with citrus trees and two additional living structures. The first, a detached studio/guest suite with powder room, blends seamlessly with the original architecture, featuring rounded walls, soaring ceilings, and a custom floor of salvaged stone. The second, a lower-level suite, includes a full bath and ample space for long-term guests or potential rental income. There are too many character details to mention as this is a home that defies written description and must be experienced in person. Suffice it to say, the Pink Castle, moments from Highland Park's vibrant core and within the coveted Mt Washington Elementary school district, is not only steeped in the glory of the past but ready for your future.