8616 Allenwood Road

A stunning example of mid-century modern design at its best, the four-bedroom, four-bath home is 3,212 sq. ft. and sits on more than an acre of land in a hidden canyon with tree top views. Asking price is $2.95 million.

The home has been faithfully restored and updated by architect Tony Unruh of Unruh Boyer, an architecture, interior design and planning firm with offices in the historic Ain/Garrot building in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Other noted restoration projects include properties by Gregory Ain and Greta Grossman.

Unruh’s love of the mid-century style is apparent in the impeccable finished product:

“Restoring and working on these Modernist icons is sometimes challenging because you don’t want to destroy the original architect’s intent. On the other hand, their rigid structural order—in this particular case, the double square dimensions—give a clear directive to creating a seamless solution. Most often after completing additions to these homes, in spite of the fact that they are clearly different to the original house, the result has been so organic most people don’t realize the house has changed at all.”

— Tony Unruh, architect

The Case Study Houses were experiments in American residential architecture sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine which commissioned major architects of the day including Richard Neutra, Craig Ellwood, Pierre Koenig, and Charles and Ray Eames to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the housing boom at the end of World War II.

Case Study House #22 The Stahl House Hollywood Hills Peter Koenig 1959

Case Study House #8 The Eames House Pacific Palisades Charles Eames 1949

One of the youngest architects in the project, Abell, a graduate of USC, was commissioned to design CHS#7 only two years after opening his own private practice.

He went on to design some of the most significant homes in the Los Angeles area including his personal residence in Rustic Canyon.

Thornton Abel House Rustic Canyon Santa Monica 1937

Thornton Abel House Rustic Canyon Santa Monica 1937

Thornton Abel House Rustic Canyon Santa Monica 1937

8616 Allenwood Road, lies in the wooded area west of Laurel Canyon in a secluded neighborhood. Christened Wonderland Park by developers at the turn of the century, the area was originally home to wild life—bears, pumas, and coyotes—before the wild life of Hollywood moved up into the hills. Actors, artists, and musicians, and free spirits were drawn to the intimate, pastoral area and have been ever since giving the arty neighborhood a reputation as a bohemian enclave.

8616 Allenwood Road embraces the best of mid-century modern design with its spacious open floor plan, natural light, and walls of glass.

A lush garden atrium leads you past a skylight lit desert garden and into the spacious home.

Floor to ceiling walls of glass, terrazzo floors, and Palos Verdes stonework bring the outdoors inside, the mission statement of mid-century architecture.

And custom designed divider screens and beautiful teak cabinetry add natural color to the soothing neutral palette.

The beautiful stainless steel and granite chef’s kitchen is state of the art yet folds seamlessly into the design sensibility of the period.

The spectacular master suite has a stone fireplace, terrazzo master bath with glass ceiling, and a huge walk-in closet.

The three other bedrooms in the house are impeccably designed using the natural beauty of indigenous California plants outside for decoration like original works of art.