The Kid Stays in the House

Chances are great that if you don't know the name Robert Evans, you certainly know his work. While head of Paramount Studios and later as a producer he was responsible for such films as Barefoot in the Park, The Great Gatsby, Love Story, The Godfather, Chinatown, and many more. Actually, you really should know the name Robert Evans because he is a legend.  He was also married to Ali MacGraw but even more famous than all of these things is his house, Woodland, in Beverly Hills.  The New York Times has just published a story about the home in T magazine.  I knew it looked familiar and I finally remembered that Matt Trynauer had written a very interesting article, Glamour Begins at Home,  for Vanity Fair about the architect, John Woolf.  It was built in 1941 for interior designer James Pendleton and is considered a masterpiece.  The style became known as Hollywood Regency and John Woolf's life story is almost as interesting as that of Robert Evans. 

In his autobiography, The Kid Stays in the Picture, as well as the wonderful video on The New York Times website, Robert Evans tells the story of how he came to fall in love with the house.  Actress Norma Shearer took him on a walk about 10 minutes from the Beverly Hills Hotel.  "We entered a hidden oasis, protected by hundred-foot-tall eucalyptus trees.   It was Greta Garbo's hideaway whenever she snuck into town.  The house, a formal pavilion with a mansard roof, was beautifully proportioned.  But what really got me were the grounds-nearly two acres of towering eucalyptus, sycamores, and cypresses, thousands of roses, all behind walls." 

It was not for sale but Mr. Pendleton was a widower and living there all alone sold it to Robert Evans.  "For $290,000 the place of my dreams was mine.  Paramount took over...an army of studio engineers, carpenters, painters, electricians, and plumbers expanded the pool house into a luxurious screening room with state-of-the-art projection facilities, including the largest seamless screen ever made-sixteen feet wide.  A new, winding driveway was installed off Woodland Drive to create a second, more private entrance.  A greenhouse was constructed.  A north-south, day-and-night tennis court was designed by Gene Mako, the premier designer of hard surface courts." 

"Nature couldn't be improved on when it came to the garden's prize.  Standing among the over two thousand rosebushes was an enormous spreading sycamore, several centuries old, with branches covering half an acre.  Anything that's been breathing that long needs lots of help.  For the circumference of the half acre, every three feet the roots are intravenously fed.  Many a time I've given it an anxious look: 'You're one hell of an expensive lady.' But it's more than a tree - it's a piece of art.  I'd take a night job to keep its leaves aglow.  Twenty-one weddings have been blessed under its far reaching branches.  I'm sure its batting an average higher than any alter in the world.  Nineteen for twenty-one.  Not bad huh? Only two have failed - mine."

Artwork and objects collected by Robert Evans over the years.

Robert Evans had help decorating his home from Paramount since it would also be used for "clandestine meetings for historic deals - both legal and illegal."  Evans himself bought the art including a wonderful Monet from the Wildenstein Gallery in New York.  You really do have to read The Kid Stays in the Picture for the full account of Robert Evans life and the life of the house. 

The dining room has a view of the garden. 

A hallways is lined with photographs that chronicle Robert Evans' life in pictures.

His signature glasses.

The pool and house today which is barely visible behind the ivy. 

Robert Evans by the pool in 1968.

A view of the pool house with the Pendletons and friends around the pool by Slim Aarons.

All of the following photos are from 1968 and show Robert Evans and his friends enjoying the house.  It's no wonder that he's remained in it to this day.  It really does look like a dream house. 

Photos: 1-10 Jason Schmidt; 12 Slim Aarons; 11, 13-22 Alfred Eisenstaedt

Lovely Los Feliz

One of my favorite homes that was published in the old House & Garden magazine was this one in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles that is owned by designer John Janik. The home was built in 1924 by the architect was A.F. Leicht who was prolific designer in the 1920's in Los Angeles. I personally love the amazing arched windows and that great staircase I'll try to add more details about it when I return but for now, I think the photos speak for themselves! Enjoy!

Photos by Simon Watson

Perfectly Pumpkin

Architect Gil Schafer's apartment in the West Village mixes orange and black but there is nothing scary about it! In fact, the burnt orange pumpkin color of the living room walls mixed with the espresso wool felt upholstered gallery walls and black scagliola mantle is positively divine! And then there are the Ionic columns and classical details that add to it's appeal and has me swooning. After he renovated the space, Mr. Schafer had a little help decorating it from his friend Miles Redd. Neither of them can do any wrong in my book and when I need an architect for my own home someday, I definitely know the first person I am going to call! Until then, these images are going into my orange wall color file! It's perfect!

Images from Gil Schafer

Distressed Black + White

This hauntingly beautiful image of a time-worn building from floto+warner immediately reminded me of this elegant bedroom discovered via {this is glamorous}...

The simple intensity of the black on cold white, the torn walls and decaying building. They mirror each other perfectly, don't you think?

Gentleman Architect Peter Pennoyer

It's one thing to chat via email with a fabulous designer or just post images of their work that you love but it's quite another to get invited to their office to speak with them in person! When architect Peter Pennoyer did just that recently, I jumped at the chance! Peter is known for his classic style but when you really delve into it and learn more, you realize that it's actually quite inventive.

Peter studied at Columbia and Columbia Graduate School and while there worked for Robert A.M. Stern but established his own firm in 1984 after graduation. He showed me one of his first projects and it was much more modern than his current designs but every designers eventually finds their way.

Peter not only practices architecture but writes books, gives lectures, champions preservation and reads a lot! It's always a pleasure to meet anyone in the creative world who is passionate about their chosen path and it is clear just from the bookshelves of the office that he is just that.

One of the things I found interesting is that not only does the firm embrace hand rendering and still create watercolor drawings but they also embrace technology. One of their programs for computer rendering is the same that Pixar uses! The three dimensional images were so real looking that I thought they were a photograph at first. It is certainly easier to fine tune a design before the construction begins and the advancements are amazing!

Another interesting fact I learned was that the firm creates many of it's own designs for mouldings and other architectural details. They may look to the past for inspiration but they are creating the future and also in the way that certain architectural elements are manufactured such as stair rails and grates. I really hope I have the chance to attend one of Peter's lectures because I know they must be fascinating!

I don't know if everyone knows that Peter Pennoyer and interior designer Katie Ridder are married and actually share office space on the same floor. There can sometimes be issues and friction between architects and interior designers when they work on projects together and Peter and Katie are lucky that they can seek advice from the other when they face these kinds of situations. They also have been lucky to be able to work with each other on some very beautiful projects.

You can always get a sense of a designer or architect's style from their work place and Peter's office is as you would expect, very well designed and full of wonderful details. I loved all the hand drawn renderings, watercolors and models that lined the back walls.

It was clear from meeting Peter that he has a profound respect for the history of architecture and design.

One thing that I thought was so interesting is that Peter sometimes makes up stories about a certain buildings that he designs that create a reason as to why the design might have elements from different periods, such as someone built the home in one style and then a subsequent owner added onto it later in a different style.

One of my favorite quotes from his website is the following, "We don't practice architecture by the book. We know the book. We know, say moldings and cornices so well that we can hold the pattern book stage, which is what frees us to be imaginative in our responses."

I wish I could have stayed all day and looked through the vast library of architecture and design books! I'm sure there are some amazing treasures along those walls!

What stuck me as interesting is that the bookshelves that Peter designed were very modern and simple didn't have any details.

Wouldn't you just love to sit in that chair and pull a book out and read. In the background is Peter's office that he shares with his partner.

I loved that the red leather chairs in the conference room related back to the red in the library when you opened the door.

There were beautiful details around every corner and in this little niche. It was truly a pleasure to meet Peter Pennoyer in person and talk about design and I really appreciate the time he took out of his busy day to meet with me. I hope you will check out more of his work online. I know once you do, you will be even more impressed and inspired!

On my way out, I was able to pop into Katie Ridder's office and say hello to Laurie Reynolds. My favorite color is orange so I loved the pops of orange throughout the small office.

Anyone who has worked in an interior design office knows that fabric samples are the bane of the existence of anyone who has to keep them organized so I was very impressed by this wall, and not at all surprised that Laurie is the one that keeps it looking so good!

I hope you enjoyed this profile and tour as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you!