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Many people would say that the L. A. lifestyle begins and ends in Beverly Hills. That might be an accurate assessment; just look at the houses. Everything from mid-century modern to Crafstman to ultra-modern homes and mansions can be found behind gates in secluded, forested, fenced communities.
The Robert Skinner House, located at 9557 Lime Orchard Road in Beverly Hills’ Hidden Valley Estates is a justifiably celebrated mid-century modern home. The 4,614 square foot, five-bedroom with four full and two half baths sits on 0.42 acres with two fireplaces and a two-car covered garage. It sold on August 21, 2021, for $8.5 million dollars to Ellen Degeneres.
This is the main entry of the house that has concrete walkway adorned by landscaping of shrubs, trees and succulents with a view of the foyer through the glass wall brightened by the skylight above. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The living room has a green velvet tufted sofa set of two sofas and two ottomans on a patterned area rug. These are then complemented by the large piano on the side and the fireplace on the far corner. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The dining area has a large oval wooden dining table surrounded by matching wooden chairs with cushions. These are then complemented by the wall artworks mounted on the far wall. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is a view of the eat-in kitchen that has large built-in wooden cabinets and structures on the walls flanking the small round dining table and the kitchen island on the far side topped with a skylight. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is the family room that has built-in wooden bookshelves lining the walls and extends to the built-in wooden sofa structure with cushions paired with a small wooden coffee table and a TV. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. 
This is a large home office that has a a large wooden desk on the side paired with swivel chairs, built-in wooden bookshelves on the walls and a sitting area that has a pink sofa set. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The large office is brightened by the glass wall on the side of the desk and on this view you can see the computer area on the far corner by the built-in bookshelves and the curtain. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. Outside the glass walls and doors of the house is the patio area fitted with an outdoor dining set on a graveled ground topped with a cover and adorned by the surrounding shrubs. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. The back of the house also has a large pool surrounded by concrete walkways and a lounge area on the far side of the backyard paired with a large firepit. These are all then complemented by the surrounding lush landscaping. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com. This is an exterior view of the back at night to showcase the warm lighting of the interiors seen through the glass walls and the exterior lights along with the large sphere lighting above the dining area. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
All photos are used with permission from TopTenRealEstateDeals.com
Who is Robert Skinner?
California isn’t full of just movie stars and famous singers. Some of the most celebrated architects of the 20th century have lived here and built houses here as well. A graduate of USC’s esteemed School of Architecture, Skinner designed the Rowan House in 1961 and had it photographed by Julius Schulman.
The residence became the home of the Becket family of architects until 2015 when the house fell into disrepair. The house was subsequently restored by the Cavics, whose architect and interior designer used Schulman’s photographs to painstakingly renovate this gem of a house.
What Does The Rowan House Look Like?
You’ll enter the redwood and glass-walled structure surrounded by lush greenery and mature trees. The living room of the split-level mid-century modern house is paneled in redwood with walls of glass. The wood theme is carried on with a grand piano, two green velvet sectional sofas with wood structure, and an open floor concept.
From there, you will step up. To one side are the stairs leading up to the bedroom level. On the other side, you’ll step up into a galley kitchen.
Paneled in redwood, a very long skylight bathes the kitchen in natural light. At one end of the galley kitchen is a breakfast nook. At the other end is an extra-long island. Custom cabinets and terrazzo flooring complete the picture.
You’ll also find a family room with built-in bookcases, a built-in sofa, and a TV. The home office features an enormous desk with more built-in bookshelves, a separate computer site, and a sitting area beside a wall of glass. All of these rooms feature redwood paneling along with modern, pretty lighting.
More glass walls and redwood paneling adorn the spacious bedrooms, with a fireplace in the primary bedroom. Don’t let the glass fool you, though. There’s plenty of privacy to be had.
The back yard features a pool, fire pit, barbecue, with a dining area and seating surrounded by lush greenery, trees, and blue skies.
What to Like about the Rowan House
Hardwood floors, wooden siding, and wooden window frames have made a comeback in recent years. Only in Beverly Hills, though, will you see redwood used as paneling. I love wood tinged with red, such as cherry and mahogany, in flooring or for other uses in a home. I’d feel right at home in Robert Skinner’s house.
Another thing I like about the house is the glass. Natural light is important to our health, but so is the daily sight of Mother Nature. It calms, soothes, and heals us.
Photo credit: Juwan Li and Adrian Anz
Source: www.compass.com
