This dazzling mid-century home is like Neutra’s Singleton Residence with the lights turned up. Located on the outskirts of Los Angeles, it was originally built by architects Conrad Buff, Dennis Straub, and Don Hensman in 1963 for Hollywood costume designer Helen Rose.
In recent years, it has undergone a significant renovation by the Marmol Radziner, with upgrades to accommodate a contemporary lifestyle. According to the architects, a special emphasis was placed on “well-crafted details and simplicity in design”.
This is evident in the abiding thematic element of the home: its whiteness. It has white marble floors, white walls, white window frames and beams, and a white roof.
With so much white, the house appears to resemble a work of art more than a house, or perhaps more specifically, a contemporary art gallery.
Just as with the white cube that has come to dominate the art world, the abiding whiteness really brings into relief any interruptions, like the chunky minimalist bench overlooking the swimming pool, the bright green abstract painting in the living room, or the pitch-black fireplace that the painting overlooks.
It’s just as well, then, that all these brief interruptions are very well curated, in a sparse composition that must make for a wonderfully serene home life.
Photos by Marmol Radziner