Many people say their home is like a work of art. This home in Los Angeles really is one. Part bunker and part artist's retreat, the concrete home topped with a geodesic dome has been the artist-owner's project for some 15 years. And it's on the market for $890,000.
"The house is pretty remarkable," listing agent Jonathan Silberman says modestly.
Built by local architect William King in 1982 as one of the first homes on the street, the original owner never moved in, according to the agent. When artist Fritz Haeg bought the house in 2000, Silberman says, the general architecture was intact.
"But it was essentially a shell of a house," he adds.
Over the years, Haeg renovated the interiors, including the two bathrooms, the kitchen, and the sleeping alcove, and tended to the drought-tolerant landscape.
He also opened the home for public events such as his "Sundown Salons," where "visiting artists do musical performances, art installations, all kinds of stuff," Silberman says.
The quirky 1,787-square-foot home is an eye-popping sight. Built into a hillside of the Glassell Park/Mount Washington neighborhood, the space has three stories connected by a spiral staircase, city and mountain views, and a totally chill vibe.
"This home exists in a slightly different dimension," the owner, who dubbed it the "Domestead," writes on his website.
It certainly seems that on the subterranean lower level, which looks like the mouth of a cave, lit with skylights. There you'll find a cozy sleeping alcove the artist added.
On the main level there's a timber-framed kitchen and a movable countertop that doubles as a table. The third level is topped by a geodesic dome and wrapped by a deck.
Even the colors of the dome are the result of an art project: Each tile is painted to reflect the shade of the sky on different days over the summer. The result is a glowing orb of blues and purples.
Aside from the kitchen and bathrooms, the spaces can be whatever you decide. If you decide you need a yurt, you're in luck because one comes with the property. Think of it as a bonus dome.
You can also be at one with nature when you bathe in the outdoor tub. The landscape on two lots includes a quarter-acre of gardens and native plants.
The artist has finally decided to pass the place on to the next owner because he has a new project: He's moved north to cultivate a 35-acre property in Mendocino County that was once a commune.
So if you've been on the prowl for a home with two -- count 'em, two -- domes, your wait could be over.