Description

The Arensberg Estate, William Lee Woollett with later contributions by Richard Neutra, Gregory Ain, Henry Palmer Sabin and John Lautner (The only project on record where all these architectural giants have collaborated). Avant-garde art patrons Walter and Louise Arensberg purchased the estate in 1927, transforming it into a modern art museum. Los Angeles Magazine acknowledges that this home represented the first modern art museum in L.A., decades before LACMA and MOCA. The Arensbergs hosted artist exchanges and exhibited prized works by Marcel Duchamp, Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian to name a few. The estate and its art history is the subject of a Getty published book in 2020, "Hollywood Arensberg". Sabin's 1928 Neo-classical entry pavilion was designed to house Brancusi's *Princess X* and *Arch*. Neutra's 1933 sunlit gallery showcased Duchamp's stained glass and other artworks. Ain's 1936 second-floor gallery introduced a floating soffit ceiling for displaying fine rugs and paintings. In 1954, after Walter Arensberg's death, the estate passed to art dealer Earl Stendahl, who hired Lautner to design a new driveway and carport. Now a designated Los Angeles Historic Monument (#994) and currently protected under the Mills Act, the estate underwent an extensive $5 million restoration between 2018 and 2022 under its current owners. Douglas Levine and Jonathan Browning redesigned the millwork, furniture, and decoration, seamlessly blending historic preservation with modern enhancements, including solar panels and a Control4 smart system. The front garden features a custom 4'x12' concrete table and a 6' black bowl fountain, both by Concreteworks. Two caryatid statues from the 1912 Vanderbilt Hotel, Bacchus and Ariadne, sit within the outdoor garden. A sunken U-shaped seating area surrounds a lawn, ideal for entertaining. The grand brick stairway was restored, with birds of paradise planted in keeping with historical photographs. An auto turntable was installed for convenient entry and exit. The front terrace, restored with custom tile, features Italian umbrellas with built-in LED lighting. Inside, the Brancusi entryway features custom Jonathan Browning lighting. The living room includes custom furniture, four bisque porcelain ceiling fixtures, and a floating steel 'slipcover' fireplace. The dining room boasts a green mohair sofa in a gumwood niche, two mahogany and formica tables, a pendant light, a travertine console from the 1970s, and cocktail tables. The original Butler's Pantry was restored, while the kitchen was transformed from four small rooms into a spacious culinary area. The breakfast room, previously an office, can serve as a bedroom for a personal assistant or nanny. The black powder room, clad in Italian black marble with mirrored walls, features a rare Aldo Tura chandelier. The Neutra-designed room retains its battleship gray linoleum, plaster walls, and restored steel casement windows. The media room, designed by Ain, preserves its original black linoleum and floating soffit ceiling. The staircase showcases 11 rare 1950s Venini light fixtures from a Venetian bank designed by Luigi Nervi. The bedrooms contain custom furniture, floating steel elements, oak built-ins, and Jonathan Browning lighting. The library, with restored original bookcases, now extends onto a newly added terrace. Outdoor features include a saltwater pool with a spa, water jet fountain, and a lounging wall. An outdoor kitchen, clad in white Caesarstone, enhances functionality. The estate also includes a rare LA basement and parking for up to eight vehicles. Hillside is not just a house but a living legacy of art, architecture, and design, an enduring masterpiece in Los Angeles history.