LOCALLA

Hidden behind gates in Lower Doheny, this beautifully restored 1937 residence reflects an uncommon level of architectural care. Restored by Tim Barber & Associates, with interiors by Sean Leffers, the house was comprehensively reworked to preserve its original character while making it a more gracious place to live. Over several years, nearly every architectural element was reconsidered. Ceilings throughout the upper floor were raised, five dormers introduced, and a leaded Georgian skylight installed above the central stair hall, transforming the quality of light throughout the house. Classical moldings were redrawn, French doors rebuilt with slimmer proportions and handmade brass fittings, and the exterior finished in smooth stucco beneath a new slate roof. Together, these changes give the house a remarkable sense of coherence, as though the house had always been intended this way. Groceries arrive beneath the porte cochre directly into the kitchen. Flowers move from the adjoining flower room to the breakfast table. For much of the year, French doors remain open, connecting the breakfast room and library to the brick terrace and garden beyond. A mahogany butler's pantry, generous laundry room, and abundant storage ensure there is a place for everything, allowing the house to function with quiet efficiency behind the scenes. The primary suite is arranged as a self-contained retreat, complete with a double barrel-vaulted sitting room or office. The dressing room brings a sense of ceremony to the beginning and end of each day, while a marble steam shower draws borrowed light deep into the bath. Reclaimed architectural elements including an early eighteenth-century Charleston mantelpiece and nineteenth-century vanities from a British country house lend the rooms a quiet sense of continuity. Outside, a long swimming pool stretches through lush tropical plantings of palms, ginger, and ferns, with a separate pool house extending the life of the home into the garden. As daylight fades, antique chandeliers, crystal fixtures salvaged from New York's Waldorf Astoria, and discreet brass picture lights replace daylight with a warm, intimate glow, giving the house an atmosphere entirely its own after sunset. One of the few street-to-street properties in Lower Doheny, the residence offers gated entrances from both Wetherly Drive and Catherine Lane, combining unusual privacy with exceptional convenience in one of Los Angeles' most desirable residential enclaves.