A name can inspire a lot of things. Just to know that someone famous–or infamous–lived in or had anything to do with a home can shape your view of that home indefinitely. Regardless, from the point of that realization that home took on a special meaning, Such is the case with a magnificent home in Santa Monica, the Sten-Frenke home, which was built on orders of movie-producer Samuel Goldwyn by Austrian-born, mid-century-architect Richard Neutra, and has recently gone on sale for $15 million.

The entry of the house features brown walls and a brown door along with stylish hardwood flooring. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A hallway leading straigth to the home's living room featuring a cozy sofa set placed near the glass windows. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — A hallway leading straigth to the home’s living room featuring a cozy sofa set placed near the glass windows. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Large living room boasting a cozy sofa set and a classy area rug covering the hardwood flooring. The room also offers a large fireplace. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A rectangular dining table set paired with modern chairs. The wall on the side features bookshelves with multiple books and framed decors. The room also features carpeted flooring. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Another look at the dining area featuring multiple built-in shelving filled with books. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A dining nook featuring a round dining table set paired with modern chairs and is set near the glass windows. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Another small dining nook on the side of the kitchen featuring a round dining table set. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

This dining area boasts a very attractive large rectangular dining table set on top of a large area rug covering the hardwood flooring. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A narrow kitchen featuring stainless steel kitchen counter and kitchen backsplash. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A primary bedroom featuring a large comfy bed lighted by stylish wall lights on both sides. The room also has its own personal bathroom and has a doorway leading to a private balcony. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Here's a modern bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a floating vanity sink, along with a toilet. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — Here’s a modern bathroom featuring a walk-in shower and a floating vanity sink, along with a toilet. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Here's a pathway with a staircase leading to the home's backyard. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — Here’s a pathway with a staircase leading to the home’s backyard. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

The balcony offers magnificent view of the home's landscaping and surroundings. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — The balcony offers magnificent view of the home’s landscaping and surroundings. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Here's the outdoors of the house featuring a nice walkway and a beautiful surrounding landscaping. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — Here’s the outdoors of the house featuring a nice walkway and a beautiful surrounding landscaping. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

The house's backyard is home to a beautiful greenery garden and has a nice walkway leading straight to the swimming pool area. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — The house’s backyard is home to a beautiful greenery garden and has a nice walkway leading straight to the swimming pool area. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Another look of the house's backyard with a gorgeous greenery along with a fine walkway leading to the swimming pool. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — Another look of the house’s backyard with a gorgeous greenery along with a fine walkway leading to the swimming pool. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A side view of the house, taken from the property's backyard. This view showcases the timeless architectural style of the house. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — A side view of the house, taken from the property’s backyard. This view showcases the timeless architectural style of the house. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

Here's a look at the simple rectangular swimming pool with sitting lounges and surrounded by the greenery. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — Here’s a look at the simple rectangular swimming pool with sitting lounges and surrounded by the greenery. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

A look at the ocean view and the surroundings from one of the home's balcony area. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. — A look at the ocean view and the surroundings from one of the home’s balcony area. Images courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.

All photos are used with permission from TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

Neutra had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright and was gaining notoriety as one of Southern California’s best young architects when Goldwyn tagged him to build a home for a head-turning Ukrainian film-actress named Anna Sten and her movie-producer-husband, Eugene Frenke. Goldwyn saw Sten as the next Greta Garbo, and despite the fact that Sten ended up not quite what Goldwyn had in mind and was relegated to the dustbin of celluloid history, the house in all its glory remains.

The Sten-Frenke house is now a Los Angeles cultural landmark. The home features timeless California glass-walled architecture, with clean geometric lines and smooth angles. In 1934, it was the first modern home to win the top prize in the House Beautiful magazine.

The 4,000-square-foot home features five bedrooms and seven baths, divided between the main house and the nearby guest house. Lush gardens give privacy to the glass walls and allow sunlight to filter through, making intricate patterns on the white interior. In addition to the three bedrooms, there is a large living room with fireplace and wrap-around windows. There is also an oval-shaped dining room with wrap-around windows that jut out into the garden. An old Hollywood-style pool that Neutra designed for Sten to entertain and be photographed is a centerpiece of the house. The primary suite has a spectacular upstairs terrace with ocean views and an office. How you can expect to get any work done amongst all these spectacular sceneries is beyond us.

The Sten-Frenke house is still connected to the film industry by virtue that it’s the current owner is director/writer/producer Marc Forster, who directed Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner, World War Z, and Christopher Robin. Shortly after his purchase of the home, he hired designer Mark Haddawy to study Neutra’s original plans in order to restore the main house to the original plans. Forster also hired LA architects Johnston Marklee to design a combined work-studio and two-bedroom guest house that would compliment the style of the existing house. The house is located only a short stroll to the beach, restaurants, and shops.

Whether you love architecture, old movies, or just a unique home, the Sten-Frenke home is required viewing for anyone who is looking for a house to make into a home. There is literally nothing else like it currently on the market, so you should make sure you can see it today. A buy like this is probably not to last for long. And once it is gone, it won’t come back for another lifetime.

Photo credit: Marc Angeles

Source: www.theagencyre.com