The Iconic Issue - January 2023 by Iconic Homes LA

It is with so much joy that we announce Iconic Homes joining Carolwood Real Estate. Two Iconic names working together to create an exceptional experience for our clients.

Carolwood is a boutique brokerage based in Beverly Hills focused on the highest end segment of the market. Named after one of the finest streets in Los Angeles - Carolwood is synonymous with prime locations.

Founded by veteran agents and management with a combined 50 years of experience, Carolwood is an organic extension of their collective passion for iconic estates.

With a new 10,000 sqft. penthouse in Beverly Hills, Carolwood offers a discrete environment rooted in bespoke marketing and legendary real estate transactions.

We are truly excited about this iconic beginning and what this means for us and our clients.

We are dedicating this volume of the Iconic Issue to highlighting the most iconic homes built in Los Angeles.

Significant architects and architectural styles have contributed in making these the most famed properties in our beautiful city.

We hope that you enjoy reading this Issue as much as we enjoyed creating it. Cheers, Mark.

The Stahl House

1635 Woods Drive, Hollywood Hills West

This striking modern home, designed by Pierre Koenig in 1959 for the Stahl family, was part of the Case Study House Program, an initiative of Arts & Architecture magazine in 1945 to introduce modernist style into America’s architectural landscape. It was made famous by a 1960 Julius Shulman photograph that depicts two women sitting in the living room at night, gazing out over the glittering lights of the Hollywood Hills. You may also recognize the home from the countless movies and fashion editorials that have been shot here. The Stahl House’s sleek and streamlined structure, panoramic glass walls and openconcept layout have made it a hallmark of midcentury modern design. It was designated a Los Angeles HistoricCultural Monument in 1999, made the AIA’s “America’s Favorite Architecture” list in 2007 and holds a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The best part is that the Stahl House is open to the public year-round for private and group tours. Visit the website to book a tour and get a little taste of architectural history.

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The Spadena House

516

Walden Drive, Beverly Hills

Any Real Housewives fan probably would argue that there are more than a few witches in Beverly Hills, but this one takes the cake. The Spadena House (more frequently referred to as the Witch’s House, for obvious reasons) is straight out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, though the quaint structure replete with bridge and moat is more adorable than it is menacing. An exemplar of the storybook architecture style popular in 1920s L.A., the house was built by Hollywood art director Harry Oliver in 1921 for Irvin Willat’s Culver City studio, and showed up in a few films of the silent era. It was moved to the corner of Carmelita and Walden in 1934, and there it stands today, to the delight of children and adults alike. It even had a cameo in 1995’s Clueless, and if that doesn’t qualify it as some sort of national landmark, I don’t know what does. One of the greatest things about this house is the fact that it’s situated smack dab in the middle of an otherwise normal residential street (well, as normal as you can get in Beverly Hills). Not exactly inconspicuous but Angelenos wouldn’t want it any other way. When real estate agent Michael Libow bought the house in the late 1990s and began interior renovations, he started receiving hate mail from angry locals who feared he would demolish the house. Clearly, the witch’s broom is staying parked for the time being.

The Hobbit House

3819 Dunn Drive, Culver City

Lord of the Rings fans, brace yourselves: There’s an honestto-goodness Hobbit House in Culver City. The whimsical fairy-tale cottage features roofs that look like mushroom caps, stained-glass windows, a tree shooting through the roof and an outdoor pond that’s home to a group of resident turtles. Like the Spadena House, the Hobbit House is another great representation of storybook architecture, but what makes the Hobbit House unique is its interior, which is just as fanciful as the outside. The home has its original stone hearth, ship wheel motifs on everything and trippy dimensions that would put Alice’s Wonderland to shame. You’d half expect one of Snow White’s dwarves to pop out of one of the hand-carved wood cabinets. The home is just one unit in a series of similarly styled residences completed in 1970 by former Disney artist Joseph Lawrence. The compound was designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1996, and you really should keep your eye on the MLS occasionally you’ll find one of the units up for rent. It’s a pretty great alternative to a cookie-cutter condo.

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The O’Neill House

507 N.

Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills

This elaborate dwelling appears to have been designed by a cake decorator with a penchant for white fondant. In actuality, the fondant is white cement, and it wasn’t designed by a master chef but by former owner Don O’Neill. In 1978, the Beverly Hills art dealer decided to redo the home’s parlor and guesthouse in the art nouveau style. His wife, Sandy, loved it so much that they planned to extend his vision to the entire property but, sadly, Don died in 1985. In a moving tribute to her late husband, Sandy decided to continue the project they’d started together. The result was nothing short of decadent. Today, the Gaudiesque residence still stands, its voluptuous, fluid loops and swirls evoking images of a cupcake melting under the L.A. sun.

The Playboy Mansion

10236 Charing Cross Road, Little Holmby

Known simply as “the Mansion” to insiders, this oversized bachelor pad has hosted some of L.A.’s most notorious parties – and celebrities since 1971, when Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner moved in. The entrance to the sprawling, 21,987-square-foot property beckons to visitors with grand gates, a road sign cautioning that “Playmates” are at play and the occasional squawk of a tropical bird one of many that reside in Hefner’s personal zoo and aviary. (The Mansion is one of the few private residences in Los Angeles with a zoo license not to mention the only one with a year-round fireworks permit.) Built in 1927 by architect Arthur Rolland Kelly, the Tudor-style mansion has 22 rooms, including a screening room with a built-in organ, a hidden wine cellar (left over from the Prohibition era) and the top-secret “Elvis Room,” where Mr. Presley is rumored to have spent one fateful night with no less than eight Playboy bunnies. And let’s not forget the outdoor pool and its notorious grotto. Sure, the decor inside the actual mansion may be dated (wood paneling, anyone?) but who wouldn’t give their right arm for a chance to party here? The Mansion recently made headlines when it was put on the market for a whopping $200 million, with one important stipulation: The buyer must allow Hef to continue living there for the rest of his life. (Hef's next-door neighbor, Daren Metropoulos, the 32-year-old billionaire owner of Twinkies, bought the mansion and eventually plans to join the property with his own.)

The John Sowden House

5121 Franklin Avenue, Los Feliz

Alternatively, and perhaps more appropriately, known as the “Jaws” House, this stately Los Feliz home is packed to the gills with morbid Hollywood history. Built by Lloyd Wright (Frank’s son) in 1926, the looming mansion resembles an ancient Mayan temple, with a front exterior that evokes the jaws of a shark. The house doesn’t exactly give off a warm or welcoming vibe. Partially screened from sight by overgrown gardens, the entryway is guarded by an imposing gate and a staircase that has been described as “tomblike.” Between 1926 and 1945, the house was a watering hole for the Hollywood glitterati friends of the original owner, artist John Sowden. From 1945 to 1951, it was home to Dr. George Hodel, whose time there has been the subject of many a crime theory. Hodel is a prime suspect in the notorious Black Dahlia murder case, which remains unsolved after 69 years. In a 2003 book that made Christina Crawford’s Mommie Dearest look like a Hallmark card, Hodel’s son publicly accused his late father of the torture and murder of Elizabeth Short – among other women –inside the Sowden House. The home underwent an extensive (and controversial) restoration by designer Xorin Balbes in the early 2000s, but its intriguing aesthetic –equal parts glamorous and ominous – has remained eerily intact.

The Ennis House

2607 Glendower Avenue, Los Feliz

If you’re wondering where Lloyd Wright got his penchant for Mayan-inspired dwellings, it may well have come from shadowing his father, Frank Lloyd Wright, on the famous Ennis House. Frank, with his son’s help, built the home (now a California Historical Landmark with a spot on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places) for Charles and Mabel Ennis in 1924. Its instantly recognizable exterior is composed of no less than 27,000 concrete textile blocks, each intricately patterned. Unfortunately, this beautiful structure has had a rocky past. Even during its initial construction, the walls were unstable and some of the blocks ended up cracking under the weight. In recent years, heavy rains and earthquakes did significant damage, resulting in crumbling walls and a shaky foundation. By 2005, the house was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Places. To ensure the future of this iconic building, a FEMA grant and construction loan were issued in 2006, which allowed for the extensive restoration of the property. Today, the house is owned by billionaire Ron Burkle but opens its doors to the public 12 days a year a condition that, according to the Ennis House Foundation, must be upheld through every future sale of the property. Unsurprisingly, the annual tours sell out quickly, so keep an eye on the AIA L.A. chapter’s website for announcements.

The Chemosphere

7776 Torreyson Drive, Hollywood Hills West

Before it was built in 1960, this iconic California Modernist home was considered an impossible project, but legendary architect John Lautner proved the naysayers wrong, and in the process created one of Los Angeles’ most celebrated structures. The single-story, space-agey octagonal house sits on a concrete pole nestled up high in the Hollywood Hills, overlooking the San Fernando Valley. The pole is just under 30 feet tall, and with the support of a concrete base nearly 20 feet wide, it’s been sturdy enough to withstand every earthquake that's hit Southern California to date. A funicular transports lucky guests to and from the residence. The Chemosphere has had multiple owners over the years — including one who was murdered there in 1976 — but unlike the Sowden House, the Chemosphere doesn’t seem to have retained any residual vibes of gloom and doom. Publisher Benedikt Taschen purchased and restored the house in 1998 (after years on and off the market as a rental property, it had seen one too many parties) and he has lived there ever since. In 2004, Los Angeles designated the Chemosphere as a Historic-Cultural Monument. If George Jetson were an Angeleno, we’re pretty sure we know where he’d want to live.

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The Sheats Goldstein Residence

10104 Angelo View Drive, Beverly Crest

There are a couple of things that can be said about John Lautner: He wasn’t afraid of heights, and he sure as hell wasn’t afraid of a challenge. Another seemingly impossible project made possible by Lautner’s brilliant vision, the spectacular Sheats Goldstein Residence takes the concept of outdoor living to the next level. Helen and Paul Sheats commissioned Lautner to build the house in 1961, and over the years it has served as the backdrop for numerous movies and photo shoots (though truth be told, it tends to steal the spotlight just a bit). Perched on a steep hill in tony Beverly Crest, the midcentury modern home is distinguished by its slanted concrete roof, floor-to-ceiling windows and seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor space. Skylights (made out of drinking glasses) in the living room’s coffered ceiling create a glittery, starlike illusion. The real star, though, is the master bedroom: it juts out over the hillside and features floor-to-ceiling glass partitions on three sides, providing magnificent views of the Los Angeles skyline, obstructed only by the lush foliage below. The house is often compared to a cave, but one could also argue that it resembles a treehouse — albeit a glamorous one. The bedroom’s partitions slide open so that you can literally turn your bedroom into your balcony if you so choose (those with a fear of heights need not apply). Millionaire James Goldstein bought the house in 1972 but he recently bequeathed it to LACMA, ensuring its future as an iconic historical landmark, as well as a source of inspiration to aspiring architects everywhere.

The Manor

594 S. Mapleton

Drive, Westwood

When it comes to design, is less really more? It certainly wasn’t for Aaron Spelling. The television mogul commissioned this flashy, 56,000-square-foot mega mansion in 1988, and it quickly rose to fame as the largest residential home in Los Angeles County (a record it still holds today). Few escape the spotlight unscathed, however, and the Manor is no exception. From the beginning, it’s been the target of ridicule from socially aware critics who deride its shameless display of consumerism; as well as from aesthetes, who find its gaudiness more than enough cause for concern. The gargantuan, 123-room chateau boasts a bowling alley, an ice skating rink, three designated gift-wrapping rooms and parking space for 100 vehicles (or what we assume was an average Sunday dinner at the Spellings'). Aaron died in 2006, and in 2009, his widow, Candy, put the home on the market at an astronomical $150 million. The listing didn’t budge for two years, until it sold in 2011 at far under asking (practically a steal at $85 million!) to then–23-year-old trust-fund baby Petra Ecclestone Stunt. Candy gave up the Manor along with her personal hair and beauty salon, and the entire wing of the house dedicated to her clothes and “downsized” to a two-story, 18,000-square-foot penthouse in Century City. If that’s considered roughing it, sign us up.

The Bailey House

9038 Wonderland Park Avenue, West Hollywood

One of modernism’s most iconic houses, Case Study House 21 (Bailey House) by Pierre Koenig, is now on sale. The twobed/two-bath Hollywood Hills landmark has been touted as among the finest of Arts & Architecture Magazine’s Case Study Houses, and one of the program’s few truly experimental projects to explore groundbreaking design and materials. In this early-career exploration, Koenig used a constrained set of industrial materials primarily steel and glass to execute a pure expression of his design approach. His philosophy of functionality and honesty in aesthetics manifests in a structure that appears simple but contains complexity in plan and organization. The design emphasizes harmony of materials and balance between interior and exterior through the use of terraces, water, glazing, and skylights. A 60-foot reflecting pool frames the undulating steel facade on the east and another pool traces the covered carport. Interlocking steel decking on the roof and an all-glass north wall add drama to the main entry, drawing visitors in, while the southern wall’s sliding glass doors extend the living area into the exterior terrace. Views of the expansive and carefully considered landscaping permeate the house. In the core of the house is a courtyard and the bathrooms; the bedrooms are also connected to the exterior via sliding glass doors.Built in 1958, Case Study House 21 underwent a restoration by Koenig to his original intent and design in 1998, including the addition of updated appliances and cabinetry. The house was last sold in an auction in December 2006 for an estimated $2.5 million – $3.5 million.

Case Study House No. 1

10152 Toluca Lake Avenue, North Hollywood

In spite of this house listed as #1, it was not completed until 1948, with Davidson’s #11 finished in 1946. Davidson designed three Case Study Houses, #1, #11 and #15. Unlike future houses, Case Study House #1 is a wood framed building. The use of steel framing became part of the utilitarian standardization of housing construction that would prevent costly increases in building houses. Unfortunately, the standardization, as well as the open floor plans, did not necessarily result in reduced costs. Except in terms of office and commercial buildings, the use of steel never caught on among the public and with the developers, in particular. Davidson’s house introduced floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors that allow access to the outside at multiple points. Open floor plans, multiuse rooms, a minimum of hallways and a flat roof, all part of the major features of a Case Study House, were introduced in #1. The house is around 1100 sq. ft. (not including the garage) with two bedrooms, two baths and a kitchen. Walls inside the house are basically partitions that do not provide load bearing support. Continuous trusses span the widths of the structure, relieving the need for support in the interior.

S H A M N O O R I S T A N I

Sham Nooristani is passionate about being responsive and organized when it comes to her client's needs She takes that passion to the next level when she begins building the type of rapport that considers her client's feelings about the most minute detail throughout the luxury home buying process from initial contact through final closing

Originally hailing from Davis, California, she brought her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from San Diego State University back to northern California, Silicon Valley, in 2010 Sham was an integral part of Ken DeLeon's real estate team, eventually being named the #1 agent in the nation (then) as DeLeon Realty in Palo Alto, where she completed hundreds of million dollar transactions at every price point

Sham is passionate about working with home buyers of all types, from first-time home buyers to overseas clients, and all-cash offers Sham prides herself on referring more business than she accepts to maintain her high level of respect for each client She has brought unmatched motivation and drive to the Los Angeles community, where she has practiced real estate excellence for the past nine years

The weather, beaches, and healthy food options in the area matched her love of walking the beaches with Philip, her mini Goldendoodle while enjoying her morning coffee Sham loves the endless options for meeting friends for lunch while enjoying the great outdoors in the surrounding Los Angeles area

H A R R Y W H E L A N I V

As a homeowner and real estate professional for the past 10 years in Los Angeles, I offer a unique combination of useful, deeprooted knowledge along with a genuine enthusiasm and personal commitment to my clients My priority is to be consistently accessible, responsive and sensitive to my client’s particular needs With a background in business and Venture Capital, I convey strong negotiation skills as well as a desire to “think outside the box” in order to help my clients reach their goals I believe transparency, communication and time are some of our most valuable assets

I am adamant about providing exceptional service and believe that each and every transaction deserves equal personal attention and commitment I am respectfully aware that buying, selling or relocating one ’ s home is one of the most important financial and personal decisions that a person can make

I am proud to be a 5th Generation Californian which makes me appreciate all our state has to offer I enjoy spending time with family and friends, being active outdoors and quietly giving back to our community Playing baseball in college and being a part of a team makes me understand the importance of hard work, dedication and collaborating with colleagues I continue to push myself and learn so that I can best represent my brand, Carolwood, and most importantly my clients

E D E N B O N B R I G H T

Born and raised in Beverly Hills, Eden comes from a real estate family with decades of experience in brokerage, investment, property management, and development Growing up in this environment, Eden discovered her passion for real estate at a very young age

After graduating from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Sciences, Eden joined a prominent real estate development firm in New York City where she worked as a leasing agent

Now back home in Los Angeles, Eden manages a portfolio of both commercial and residential properties, specializing in the gent, Eden has a sharp on for architecture, and s submarkets

ing at Runyon Canyon, Gratitude and Gracias ood home

M A Y A S H A V I T

With an elegant eye for aesthetics and divergent thinking, Maya leads all brand development and marketing initiatives of Iconic Homes As the team’s Creative Director, she oversees community engagement, social media management, strategic content creation, and experiential events

Maya’s past collaborations with international hospitality groups and lifestyle brands, along with her passion for cultural travel experiences, enable the Iconic Homes team to maintain its vision of a luxury lifestyle while giving each of its clients an elevated, personalized experience

When she’s not practicing real estate marketing, Maya is identifying future travel destinations and planning her next international adventure A California native at the core and USC alumna, she spends her free time hiking, photographing sunsets at the beach, rooting for the Trojans, and Sunday brunching with friends

THE ICONIC ISSUE

The Iconic Issue will keep on the cutting edge of today's luxury real estate market. The curated collection of properties shared within have riveting design, distinct architectural style, great location, or that emotional response we all want in our dream home. Be among the elite who can easily share these exceptional homes via the links inside. Please feel free to reach out to me for further information

WHO WE ARE

We are a full-service residential marketing & sales group with deep expertise in the luxury sector Combining over 20 years of experience executing multi-million dollar real estate transactions, we are uniquely qualified to help you achieve the greatest value for your properties.

ICONIC VALUES

MARK RUTSTEIN FOUNDER

Mark is a native South African hailing from a world-renowned family of real estate developers whose projects have included Atlantis and the exclusive One and Only group of Kerzner hotels

Consistently ranked among the top producing real estate agents, including having been named Variety's "Hollywood's Top Real Estate Agents" for four consecutive years, Mark credits his success to a business built on repeat clients and referrals, serving his clients with the utmost level of dedication, professionalism, and care.

Mark's experience working with clients in the entertainment and sports industries in the US and abroad has provided him with the perfect background on which to build his business. As founder of Iconic Homes, Mark is deeply committed to the confidentiality of his clients and continues to help high-profile individuals

He is actively involved in several non-profit organizations and sits on the board for Artists for a New South Africa, as well as for Lalela, an international arts education initiative For more than three decades, Mark has been proud to call Los Angeles his home and currently resides in Bel-Air.