Listing of the Day
Location: Los Angeles, California
Price: $10.75 million
When the renowned architect, conservator, designer and author Xorin Balbes decided to move back to Los Angeles, he wasn’t quite ready to leave the zen of the Lumeria yoga retreat he’d developed on Maui and had lived in for the three years prior. So when he found this Spanish-style home in Los Feliz, a neighborhood he’d always loved, he undertook a redesign in order to make this house in the heart of the city feel like "an escape to Santa Barbara." He wanted it to be "a place to rest, play and rejuvenate," he said.
Mr. Balbes is known for dabbling "in all sorts of architectural styles," according to listing agent Billy Rose.
His historic restorations include Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1927 Snowden House and early 20th century screen legend Norma Talmadge’s 17th century Italianate mansion in Los Feliz.
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He’s also the author of the book "SoulSpace: Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life," which offers Marie Kondo-like advice on decluttering and letting go of objects that do nothing for your spirit. "He’s a very spiritual guy, who brings a lot of that into what he does," Mr. Rose said of Mr. Balbes. He also has a strong sense of how to intertwine the past with the present in design—"lots of the original house remains," said Mr. Rose. "He took his cues from what it was, channeled that quality, then expanded on it—the house is now much bigger."
Big, beautiful, and well-situated. Mr. Balbes notes that "the house captures the view of the Griffith Park Observatory from almost every room."
The Stats
The house has five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and two partial baths. It stretches to 7,820 square feet, and includes a three-car attached garage.
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Amenities
The home also features an entry courtyard with a fire pit, a chef’s kitchen, a formal dining room, a heated pool with a pool house, a theater, gym and sauna.
Neighborhood Notes
"Laughlin Park is the only gated community in Los Feliz," said Mr. Rose. "It’s a very private neighborhood, very secure and safe and with very little traffic—the crème de la crème in terms of location and architecture."
Listing agent: Billy Rose, The Agency Real Estate
(Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the name of the listing agent.)
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