This $5 Million L.A. Home Epitomizes Midcentury-Modern Design and California Cool
Southern California, particularly Palm Springs, has a high concentration of midcentury-modern homes. Despite several notable midcentury homes in Los Angeles having been razed in recent months, this meticulously restored residence tucked up into Benedict Canyon still stands.
Listed for just under $5 million, the Hutton Drive home was built in 1956. It underwent necessary structural renovations and modern updates 20 years ago by Griffin Enright Architects, while still preserving several original details. Now, the seller, Malgosia Migdal of L.A.-based Malgosia Migdal Design, has reimagined the home with European-inspired design elements and vintage fixtures and furnishings.
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“As a designer, I am always mindful of respecting the original integrity of a property and enhancing special features for generations to come,” Migdal tells Robb Report. “On this specific property, we kept the integrity of architectural elements, such as the award-winning ceiling and iconic stainless countertops in the kitchen and in the primary bathroom. We also kept the original beautiful terrazzo powder room vanity and fixtures. The home has stunning views featuring the cactus gardens, and we left all of the picture windows, allowing for those special views to remain for the next homeowner.”
Set on a half-acre parcel, the 2,817-square-foot home has four bedrooms and four bathrooms spread over one level. The open-plan great room has an epoxy floor, recessed track lighting in the high, maple-clad ceilings, and a long skylight that pours light into the room. An open, built-in shelving unit divides two lounge areas.
The kitchen has a breakfast nook overlooking the backyard as well as a center, eat-in kitchen island. Other modern updates include the installation of top-of-the-line appliances from Viking, Bosch, and Sub-Zero, as well as Dornbracht fixtures and soft-close cabinetry. Meanwhile, the primary bedroom has high, wood-beamed ceilings painted white, with sliding glass doors that open to the backyard.
“As another way of playing into the original midcentury-modern feel of the property, we decided to pay homage to the era by introducing authentic vintage light fixtures, vintage furniture and decor, and modernizing with plaster in bathrooms,” Migdal says. “We also wanted to make sure the home was set for modern living, so we redid all closets and maximized storage space within the entire property. We also outfitted the pool bathroom with new terrazzo countertops while drawing inspiration from the existing powder room.”
Outside, there’s a charming pool and spa surrounded by all-new natural wood decking, as well as a covered alfresco dining area with a refinished ceiling and vintage light fixtures. A patch of gravel between the pool and the house is the perfect location for a comfy lounge area. The entire home is shrouded in privacy thanks to towering oaks, and both the front and backyards feature new drought-resistant, native landscaping.
“This is a significant jewel of a mid-century property, as it is from 1956, and unlike many Beverly Hills homes, it has undergone very few renovations and still has a lot of its original midcentury character and features intact that make it a true masterpiece,” says listing agent Emma Hernan of Oppenheim Group.
Benedict Canyon winds up into the mountains above Beverly Hills and is within close proximity to the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel and all the upscale shopping and dining options along Rodeo Drive.
Click here for more photos of 2538 Hutton Drive.
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