Mid-Century Modern fans in Los Angeles don't have to look far to find a home they adore. But if it's a dream house they seek, this four-bedroom, $1,799,000 home in the Los Feliz neighborhood offers everything an aficionado might desire.
Entertainers should keep one palm firmly affixed to their jaw, lest it drop to the floor.
"The house is known for some epic parties," says photographer Kate Turning, the homeowner.
It's no wonder: The home features a wet bar, which is completely original "down to the hand-crank Atomic ice crusher hanging on the bar wall," Turning says. While present-day Americans might find the vintage wood-paneled space charming, '50s-era Americans held a different outlook. The house's original deed included a document permitting the bar sink -- as long as the owner promised not to run a speak-easy.
As awesome as it is -- and it is, indeed, awesome -- the wet bar isn't the only feature that makes this idyllic pad party-friendly. The kitchen's floor-to-ceiling overhaul added green slate floors, granite countertops, and oak cabinetry without sacrifice its Mid-Century bones.
Outside, a small raised-bed garden lets buyers grow the perfect herbs to complement their dinner. Lemon, avocado, and apricot trees keep snacks coming year-round.
The backyard's classic kidney-shaped pool received a 21st-century remodel. Turning and her husband also installed a hot tub, barbecue station, dining pavilion, and fire feature. If the SoCal heat gets too unbearable, family and friends can head under the roof of the cozy indoor-outdoor living space, painted a signature Mid-Century teal.
Expect to impress guests long before they get outside. The inviting, curvaceous entryway features waved glass and a rounded chrome wall, a perfect bit of '50s cool. And the hardwood floors -- Brazilian rosewood, chosen to match the home's original mahogany walls and built-ins -- are a gorgeous, authentic pick.
"I love the drama of the entry," Turning says.
Prefer aligning your chakras to adjusting your tie? Don't think this home is just for parties. Turning transformed a formal nursery into a yoga and meditation room. A custom-tiled mural surrounds a skylight above.
However you make the space yours, this home's classic bones promise to make any day beautiful.