LOCALLA

HOLLYWOOD HILLS EST. 1954 - Petite Villa Mauresque - A Moroccan-inspired sanctuary above the city. There are places you discover on your travels that never quite let go ... tucked down an unmarked street, glimpsed through an archway, felt before you fully understand them. Petite Villa Mauresque is that place. Built in 1954 with an almost obsessive attention to detail, it has the rare quality of feeling elevated, inspiring and utterly welcoming. It begins at street level, where glass fronted double doors framed by zellige tiles, open onto a private world. A lush courtyard spills over with color and drama from the vibrant bougainvillea to the fountain surrounded by monstera plants, all made more magic by the dappled light through the trees above. Arched doors wait at the far end of the courtyard and as you push through them, you're greeted by a double height entryway with another fountain that immediately lets you know that you've stumbled into something special. Past the fountain, through the foyer, you see the light flooding in from the floor to ceiling windows that retract entirely, dissolving the line between inside and out, and the canyon opens up before you. The living room and kitchen coexist warmly, seamlessly. The kitchen island stretches wide, framing a view of the pool and the canyon beyond even the mundane act of cooking is elevated here. Outside, a verdant grass yard runs to the edge of the pool, mere steps from the living room. A stone-clad courtyard with a built-in outdoor kitchen invites long dinners under the night sky. A standalone, vibrantly tiled fireplace anchors the view, perfectly framing the canyon that unfolds behind it. A sport court in the corner of the property completes the grounds. A private guest suite with an ensuite bath sits discretely on the main floor. The french doors of the elegant dining room open on two sides to the courtyard. The room feels equally at home for a candlelit dinner or a slow Sunday morning. The polo inspired lounge off the foyer is where the home reveals its most theatrical self. Another elegantly tiled fireplace, doors leading to the outside, a space designed for lingering. Through a separate door, you'll find a temperature controlled wine cellar capable of storing a formidable collection. The curved stairway, intricate with tile work, rises past an oversized stained glass window that looks out onto the pool, and whose geometry and color stop you mid-step. Upstairs you'll find dual primary suites, each with their own balcony and fireplace. The eastern primary is extraordinary: light enters from every direction, clerestory windows adorn the raised ceiling above a separate seating area that makes the space feel more like a private hotel suite than a bedroom. The bath, tucked into its own nook, is positioned beside a large picture window that frames the canyon like a painting. A separate steam shower features stained glass windows that casts a wash of ethereal pink light. Two additional generously sized bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, along with a laundry room, round out the upper floor. Set high in the Hollywood Hills, this estate offers true privacy the city's energy reduced to a distant hum, visible but untouchable. And yet everything that Hollywood has to offer lies just minutes away. Some homes are beautiful. Petite Villa Mauresque is unforgettable.