If the walls of this charming 1930s home in the Laurel Canyon enclave of Hollywood Hills could talk, they would probably regale listeners with tales of how the late Oscar-nominated costume designer Theodora Van Runkle lived there while working on wardrobes for films like Bonnie and Clyde, The Godfather II, and Peggy Sue Got Married—in a studio she reportedly created out of an enormous wine vat culled from the set of Wuthering Heights, no less.
Or maybe they would speak of the residence’s setting as a creative haven for music legends like Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, John Lennon, and Jim Morrison. In fact, the latter’s Doors bandmates, Robby Krieger and John Densmore, bunked together at a house right down the street. It’s there that the charismatic lead singer was said to crash on occasion, once taking a walk around the surrounding neighborhood and returning with the lyrics for the Billboard chart-topper “People Are Strange.”
But that’s not all. At one point, Van Runkle shared the home with her ex-husband, actor and photographer Bruce McBroom, who took the iconic shot for Farrah Fawcett’s 1976 red swimsuit poster that’s now on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
The living room is topped with a crystal chandelier hanging from a whitewashed pressed-tin ceiling.
David Archer
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The commercial illustrator-turned-costume designer died from lung cancer in 2011 at age 83, and the three-bedroom, three-bath home was last sold in late 2015 for $1.7 million. Now, a decade later, this footnote of Hollywood history—and all its intriguing anecdotes—is up for grabs at the tidy sum of $2.25 million. The pad has been dubbed Pebble Court as a nod to outdoor spaces that the also-prolific painter covered in small pebbles. Those areas have since been upgraded with new decking to accommodate events, but some of those small stones have been scattered on pathways as an ode to the onetime owner.
“Every inch of this home is steeped in artistry, legacy, and vision,” said Madeline Goldberg of Compass, who holds the listing. “It is a true piece of art and still carries the creative energy of Laurel Canyon circa 1967.”
The kitchen comes with an antique O’Keefe & Merritt range and a window-lined breakfast nook.
David Archer
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Tucked away on nearly half an acre at the end of a lengthy gated driveway, the bohemian-chic oasis offers roughly 1,300 square feet of pristine white living space teeming with a mix of hardwood and penny tile floors, wood-paneled walls, casement windows, and soaring pressed-tin ceilings dotted with skylights.
Among the highlights is a spacious fireside living room that opens to the outside via French doors, plus a sun-drenched kitchen sporting an antique O’Keefe & Merritt range and a cozy breakfast nook. The primary bedroom comes with a fireplace and an en suite bath flaunting a built-in oval soaking tub topped with a duo of stained-glass windows. Adjacent to the primary is a sitting area, which has a fireplace and a spiral staircase leading up to a loft.
The garden-laced grounds feature a large decked gathering space with a new outdoor kitchen and a flagstone patio that’s ideal for alfresco dining. More reasons to fall in love: a separate one-bedroom, one-bath casita with its own fireplace, kitchen, and living area.
Click here for more photos of the Hollywood Hills residence.
David Archer
Source: Luxury - robbreport.com
