A Mid-Century Home Transformed Into a Modern Hollywood Sanctuary (House Tour)

Sited on a mountain in Bel Air with views of the Los Angeles Basin, Strata House by KOVAC is a stunning example of a home transformed. The architecture and interior design are defined by various layers, or strata, which encompass a battered stone base, a modernist glass-walled pavilion and the most recent addition – a contemporary, Shou Sugi Ban charred timber volume.

“We like to call it Strata House because it reflects something coming out of the ground and transforming through the ages,” says architect Thomas Schneider. The site, which is indeed multifaceted, has a storied past – Hollywood actress Zsa Zsa Gabor lived in the original 1950s structure before it was destroyed by a fire in 1961, and the modernist pavilion was designed and built by prominent Canadian architect, John B. Parkin in 1968.

KOVAC’s response was grounded in uniting these varied stylistic influences and celebrating the architecture’s lineage in creating a home transformed. “It was a bit tired, but it had this pavilion space, which was really the iconic piece. So, early on, we said we wanted to embrace it and work with it,” says architect Michael Kovac.

At the base, the stone plinth appears to burrow into the side of the mountain. The top level contains the more private areas including bedrooms, a home office and a library, realised in calming, neutral palettes demonstrated in the house tour.

The central, reimagined modernist pavilion contains most of the shared living spaces with a screening room, a bar and the kitchen and dining areas. Generous apertures frame views of the surrounding mature oaks and reinforce the home’s connection to the landscape, which is populated by native deer. These openings also create dynamic shadow play across the day.

At the rear, the living room is supremely inviting. Realised in sparkling silver and grey-blue tones reflecting the Los Angeles skyline. Replete with a large, sunken lounge, it is the jewel of this home transformed. Floor-to-ceiling glazing on all sides ensures unobstructed views of the surrounding hillside and the city below, and a large outdoor terrace allows for indoor-outdoor living in keeping with California’s clime.

Though confident in their nuances, these built strata are inextricably linked, and the interior design and decor are integral to the cohesion of this home transformed. Inspired by 1970s Hollywood glamour and mid-century culture, there’s vintage furniture by Pierre Paulin, Eileen Gray and Olivier Mourgue alongside luscious shag rugs and a Sputnik pendant. Materials like timber wall panelling with curved motifs, gold-veined Sahara noir marble, bold colours and indoor plants drive this decor concept home. Schneider says, “the Mad Men aesthetic was an important influence to pull from to create spaces that can function both in the daytime as a family home but that transform into this rich, lustrous, nighttime feel.”

Not only is this curation fitting for the project’s heritage, but it reflects the clients’ affinity for modernist architecture with a cinematic edge. Thankfully, these influences are tempered just so by KOVAC’s modern sensibility, making for a true home transformed that champions its Californian context in more ways than one.

00:00 - Introduction to Mid-Century Home
01:29 - The Mad Men Inspired Interior Palette
02:29 - Layout and Walkthrough of the Home
04:01 - Creating Dynamic Spaces Through Light
04:20 - Material and Colour Palettes
05:45 - Proud and Exciting Moments

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Photography by Roger Davies and OTTO.
Architecture and interior design by KOVAC.
Styling by Lisa Rowe.
Lighting design by Lux Populi.
Filmed and edited by Cheer Squad Film Co.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Los Angeles, California, United States

The Local Project acknowledges the traditional territories and homelands of the Indigenous peoples in the United States. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our respective countries and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

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