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This charming home is one of the original homes in the Rivera. Built in 1936, in the Mediterranean tradition, its original architect was Arthur Hutcheson of Santa Barbara. The lot size is 120' x 120' x 100' and the original size of the home was 3,000 square feet.

In 1972 the owners completely renovated the house, both inside and out, increasing the original size to 5,200 square feet. The house was expanded to include fifteen rooms plus five baths. One of the unique features of the house is the commanding ocean and coastal views available from almost every room.

The home was purchased in 1974 and the owners remodeled the interior. In 1982, the home was open to the public as part of an historical homes tour sponsored by a local civic group.

106 Via Monte d'Oro

From the entry courtyard, with a spouting cherub fountain, to the irregularly shaped pool, this 1936 home is one of the red tiled roof original of the Riviera. The classic Spanish touches are here: Carved wooden door, entry with hand-painted beams, cathedral beamed ceilings, numerous hall alcoves, large bedrooms with dressing rooms and a master be4droom with balcony. (Tree growth has recently robbed the ocean view from this balcony.)

Although the kitchen has been remodeled extensively, the remainder of the house maintains its classic flavor. The current owners have infused many period furniture pieces to enhance the original flavor. The home has a basement rarity here, and two gravity furnaces.

It is said that Ethyl Barrymore retreated here to "dry out" in the home's early years...another link to the Riviera's "Hollywood" past!

This 3,500 square foot home, with nine rooms and the three baths, was purchased in 1976.

The current owners moved into this lovely Spanish home 18 years ago, and set about redecorating it to their distinctive tastes. An example of one of the smaller of the original Riviera homes, their 2,000 square feet is well suited to this "empty nest" couple.

This picturesque home was originally built by Carl W. Holt for the Grant Reed family in 1939. It was originally a three bedroom house which the owners reduced to a one master bedroom suite which opens onto an enclosed, bricked Spanish patio with spa, fire pit and wet bar. The current owners still have the original plans and receipts for the home which was built for only $5,300 back then!

In keeping with the Spanish tradition of the day, there are many archways, numerous alcoves and niches. There is a full dining room, unlike most newer homes in Southern California, as well as a den with a view of the coastline, two baths and a remodeled kitchen with hand painted Mexican tile countertops.

The house is situated on a very deep lot, which has a large expanse of grass, fruit trees and two giant pine trees.

 

128 Via La Circula

This Spanish Colonial Revival home was overgrown and in need of modernizing when the new owner moved in last year. Built in 1940 by Ladd Hoffman, the home has seen only two previous owners. The intrepid owners cleared the brush and trimmed the rear trees, then proceeded to put this Mediterranean style house in its appropriate setting by planting cactus in the front and remodeling the interior in Southwest style. The whole house is original construction except the rear room, which was enclosed by the prior owner. Even the unusual second story den, with light on all sides, is original.

The current owner has an exceptional interest in the research and restoration of the historical homes in the area. He says that there are a total of 29 Spanish Colonial Revival homes sometimes referred to as "mission", Mediterranean" or "California style", in the Riviera.

This unique home by Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice and associate, Rudolph Schindler, was built in 1932 for Mr. Von Corbin (sic). According to the owner, it was rumored that Mr. Von Corbin, a first generation German-American, used the studio perch as an observation post to sight American Ship movements for the Germans during WWII!

The home gives ample evidence of the Wright/Schindler style, maximizing open space, glass, and light. The home flows from several levels and there are unique touches like built-in wall lighting in the bedrooms. To the untrained eye, it appears to be a 1950's home, so advanced was the architect’s style. The house is basically original, including the small roof studio atop the house with ocean and city views, but not the deck over the garage, which was added in the 1950's.

There is a distinctive 45 degree trim style that carries through the house and accents the plywood ceilings and upper walls in the main living space. Most walls are plaster with rounded door entries. Glass separates the house from outside as well from room to room. Another architectural curiosity is the use of red roof tile in the entry windows, indoor fireplace trim and outdoor fireplace firebrick. Apparently, the Riviera building code required a certain amount of roof tile and this how Schindler got around the requirement to put it all on the roof! Many of the large windows, including floor to ceiling glass in the living room, actually open downward into the floor. The corrugated cooper fireplace facing also can move down to dampen the fire.

The current owners are only the fourth owners of the property and have lived there since 1978.

Certainly one of the first in the Riviera, this classic Spanish home with sweeping views of the shoreline and city lights, was built in 1929, a month before the Great Crash. Built for J.H. Overton, the house has had only four owners. According to the original blueprints, which the current owners still have, the house originally had about 2400 square feet and bedrooms a major two-story addition to the rear by the current owners in 1985 brought the footage of the 4 bedrooms, 4-bath house to about 4,000. A pool has also been added.

The house is simple in design but carries the classic stucco interior, archways and hardwood floors. The massive front door of beams and studs opens into the living room and its great views. Remnants of a by-gone age, such as the octagonal tile bathroom floors, glass doorknobs, a pedestal sink and a unique phone cabinet at the base of the stairs, add to the warmth and ambiance of the home. An enclosed porch on the second floor also takes in the view. The master bedroom has a dressing room, his and her closets, albeit small, typical of the era.

Built in 1929 by C.S. Arganbright of Hollywood for Mr. and Mrs. R.J.Luke, this two-story home has sweeping ocean and city views from most of its rooms. Surprisingly, it has maintained its original coat of paint in all the rooms but two bedrooms, creating over the years an antique yellow patina. The very large living room is highlighted by hand-hewn cross beam ceilings which coat of arms frescoes. There is also a large stone and plaster Spanish fireplace accented by original "candle lights". The main doors are faced with Philippine mahogany. Unlike our more modern homes, there is a full dining room with elliptical ceiling molding and an original chandelier. Of special note is the master bath with features orchid-colored bathtub, sink, toilet and tiles, apparently the color rage of the Twenties! Forced air heat emanates from the original furnace in the basement.

The current owner acquired the home from the first owner in 1934 as a result of a post-depression foreclosure. Among the collection of historical memorabilia is a 1940's Life Magazine article with an aerial photo of a rather vacant Riviera and only 18 Spanish homes, one of which is this one.

This early Riviera home of adobe bricks was built mostly by the hands of the current owners in 1947. Placing about six inches of cement between two vertical layers of wall bricks made this modest home surprisingly well insulated, warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The home typifies local post-war building prior to the housing boom of the 1951-53. It is of moderate size with two bedrooms, one bath and plaster walls. The floor is concrete slab, covered with "magnasite", and unusual finishing that gives the appearance of large tile. Early photographis of the building site reveal only a smattering of homes on the entire hillside... and a spectacular view, now unfortunately obscured by neighbors' trees. The home sits on a spacious double lot, amply planted and cared for.

Unquestionably the most exciting period home in the Riviera…and the first! This stately Italian-Mediterranean mansion was built in 1928 by Beverly Hills architect Mark Daniels for Clifford Reid, the developer of the Riviera.

For those of you who have craned your necks for a better view over the years take another look; the current owner has removed all the shrubbery surrounding the home.

The 6,700 square foot residence was crafted by artisans brought from the world over and most of the work was executed right on the property, including the roof tiles with weigh 34 tons! Carved beams and intricately painted ceiling highlight the main living rooms.

The exterior "tower" dominates the front and proves to be a two story stone like foyer and stairway inside. "Modern" colors turn out to be original Southwest Indian tiles in the entry and mauve tub, toilet, shower and tiles in the master bath. Eccentricities abound: an electric escalator, a dumbwaiter, "phone room", a milk pass-through and a small metal wall receptacle for an iron.

The lot is actually 3 lots wide, measuring 178 x 125 feet. There are wonderful gardens, a 3-car garage and a home that commands ocean views from all the major rooms. The master bedroom is 18 x 37 feet, has a large tiled bath and two dressing rooms. The 16 x 21 foot formal dining room is majestic, with its hardwood floors and frescoed ceilings, spilling into the stone foyer at one end and viewing the gardens at the other. The home still contains many of the original furnishings.

The current owners bought the home from the Reid estate in 1965. The current owners are the first family with children to live in the house. None of the occupants over the years were smokers.

Built in 1931, this classic Mediterranean home is one of the original homes of the Riviera. Locally famous as being built by Louis B. Mayer of M.G.M. Motion Picture Studios, the home sits on about a quarter acre of land with a commanding view of ocean, city and mountains, as well as the expanse of the "triangle park" across the street. Consisting of about 3000 square feet, the home features a large beamed-ceiling living room, formal dining room, library, breakfast room, three bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Considerable remodeling and restoring was done in 1971 when the home was bought. The house was featured in House Beautiful and the Home Magazine Section of the Los Angeles Times during that period. The current owner bought the home in 1987 and recently completed two years of additional renovations. Most notably, the owner incorporated the small maid's quarters on the ground floor into a much-enlarged kitchen, which now boasts a stove island, extensive tiling, a breakfast noon and modern, matching appliances. The hardwood floors are restored and exposed throughout the house. The original massive stucco walls seem to be 2-3 feet thick on the ground floor, emphasizing the type of construction done in that period. Overall, the interior reflects a very contemporary feeling from the modernization over the recent years.

Considerable amounts of patio tiles have been added to both the front and rear yards and there is a fountain being restored in the rear.

 

278 Via Linda Vista

One of the original 12 homes in the Riviera, according to the owners; this spacious Spanish home sits on a broad frontage over two lots wide. Local artist Marie Kendall whose work hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, built the home in 1930-31.

The owners purchased the home in 1973 and remodeled in 1981. They changed the structure from 2,700 square feet to a four bedroom, four-bath house of 3,900 square feet. Included in the remodeling was the addition of a large family room in the rear with two bedrooms above it. A second stairway eased the flow of traffic.

Of special note was the care for architectural blending of during the remodeling. Old roof tiles were meticulously removed and replaced, using the original under tiles on top when more were needed. The old rafters were removed in a similar manor.

The living room drapes have been removed and the spacious room is now light and airy with pastoral views, hand hewn ceiling beams, and thick plaster walls. Unique to the home is the different ceiling design in every major room: recessed concentric squares in the formal dinging room, a "parasol" ceiling in the breakfast nook, etc.

The upstairs master bedroom has a windowed dressing room, enclosed porch and a balcony over the lush garden with sounds of the fountain below. The bath tiles are completely original with surprisingly modern hues.

One of the oldest homes in the Riviera, this fine example of Spanish Colonial architecture was built for his family in 1929 by architect C.S. Argenbright. With massive walls (12" to 30" thick), hardwood floors, arched doorways and windows, and a tiled staircase, this home has retained most of its uniqueness and its original dimensions. It has three bedrooms and four baths, and is more than 3,400 square feet-- none from additions.

Most striking to the visitor are the original fresco ceilings with huge hewn beams found in the living room, dining room and stairwell. There are magnificent coastline views from the major rooms as well as from a glassed-in porch now used as an office.

The home, with lath and plaster walls and ceilings, was in disrepair with the current owners bought it in 1982. It has been carefully restored to its original splendor, most of the labor done by the current owner.

Unique to the home was a room, hidden by a revolving bookcase, that had a stairwell leading to a small cellar. That and a "speak-easy" front door reflect shades of the Prohibition era. Most rooms have heavy plaster ceiling moldings. The master bedroom has a false Spanish fireplace, a balcony and a fabulous view.

This 1939 Spanish home was built in the period after the excesses of the late 1920's and the aftermath of the stock market crash in 1929. As a result, seemingly, the lot is smaller than most of the earlier homes, and the style is only one story rather than two.

This three bedroom, 2 bath home is about 1680 square feet. Only a master bath and a rear stairwell have been added - in 1970- to structurally change the original plan. The current owners have lived here about six years and have lovingly attended to restorations of their home. In the living room and kitchens, three layers of linoleum, each separated by plywood, were removed to discover perfect hardwood floors underneath. All the hardwood floors in the communal areas have been beautifully restored.

Paneling from the fireplace in the living room was removed and a plaster fascia was restored and enhanced by tiles. An unusual quirk, left by a prior owner, was the removal of an attic access door, replaced by an old bathroom window, and a skylight cut in the roof above. An odd, but effective way of adding light to the dark hallway!

The current residents are only the fourth owners of this wonderful 1937 Spanish home, purchased only a year ago from a long time 30-year resident. In this short period they have worked diligently to restore the luster of this stately house with a sweeping coastal views from both levels.

Removing the carpets, they brought back all the beauty of the hardwood floors, including the living room, which has a false wide-pegged look. Under several coats of paint in the kitchen was revealed a huge solid copper stove hood! Covered with plaster in the bedroom were two porthole-like windows, which were also brought back to life.

This house structure is original except for a second story on the rear portion erected in the 1950's. The house is about 2,370 square feet with four bedrooms, three baths. Each bath has a narrow dressing room and table, common to the period. The colorful garden in the back yard boasts some unique and exotic plants.

Still in place is the original incinerator used for trash burning, apparently a weekly ritual of alternating days for Riviera residents. Another relic of bygone days is a milk receptacle in the outside wall of the rear kitchen with an ordering dial for number of bottles to be deposited when home delivery was still in vogue.

Built in the 1930 by an architect who fancied the California Mission influence, the main walls of the house were two feet thick! All the interior walls are of heavy roughly applied plaster. Common to the time, all the floors are oak, but the living room has a dark inlaid mahogany border strip that is unique. Already the fourth home on the street at the time of its construction, the upper rooms all have great ocean views.

This five bedroom, five-bath home with original red tiled roof has approximately 4,200 square feet and is heated by three original gravity-fed furnaces that still operate with great effectiveness.

Architecturally, there are arches and coves everywhere: the entries to the main rooms, the large picture window in the living room, above the tubs and shower and the phone alcove in the upper hall. All the bedrooms have curved ceilings as well, a very gracious appearance. Each bedroom has its own brown-beamed balcony. All the bedroom doors still have the original glass doorknobs. Some of the windows are steel framed and hard to replace, others are leaded. One window is made from Coke bottle bottoms, the arsenic in the glass now tinted by the sun to lavender.

Lavender and yellow reflects the original tile work in the large bath: a color scheme that could be current. The bath also has a unique screen that rolls up into the header in the wall.

With plans drawn as early as 1928, this could have been one of the earliest Riviera homes. However, final construction seems to have been delayed to 1933, possibly due to the Depression.

This three bedroom, two bath home has its original 1771 square feet, no additions having been added. Heavy machinery was not available to level the lot before construction so the footings meander under the house at varying levels.

Typical of the time, the living room has a large arched window, Spanish fireplace, beamed ceiling and matching alcoves. Also there is an entry hall with a phone alcove. All the flooring is original oak, with the dining room having "quarter sawn" cut strips, a unique cutting method no longer done since the process wastes too much wood.

A delight to the eyes is the exciting and original lavender tiled bathroom with black and light yellow accent trim and design in the floor, walls and arched shower stall.

664 Calle Miramar

Ostensibly the only Mexican hacienda in the original Riviera, this U-shaped "farmhouse" was built in 1938 by W.P. Mathews and occupied by the current owner in 1949. It has two bedrooms, one bath and almost 1,500 square feet on a good-sized lot.

Rising above the street, this charming home is surrounded by eucalyptus trees and has an air of seclusion that led the owner to call it "El Nido", the nest. Most noticeable is the broad veranda in front and the patio in back. Tall doors in the major rooms allow summer air to pass through, per the Mexican style. Inside, dark hewn beam ceiling and Mexican pavers grace the major rooms. The foot-thick walls are redwood 2x4's covered with sheetrock and plaster. Common to many of these old houses, the original gas wall furnace still works.

In addition to a detached garage there is a small wood-paneled guesthouse that has the wonderful smell of an old cabin. The once great views are mostly blocked by trees now, although a glimpse of coast can still be seen.

This grand Spanish home was built in 1929, among the first in the Riviera. With four bedrooms, 21/2 baths and 2,259 square feet, it was large for that era.

Upon passing through the heavy wood entry door with a "speakeasy" opening, you enter the foyer with its grand staircase. The classic Spanish living room overlooks the courtyard garden and is windowed on three sides, has a fireplace and decorated hewn beam ceiling. A large formal dining room with dark, hardwood floors also overlooks the courtyard and the kitchen is a charming breakfast nook positioned to catch the soft morning light.

Also on the main floor is a maid's quarters with full bath. Upstairs, the master bedroom opens to an enclosed porch with a panoramic view of the ocean. The other bedroom, also with an ocean view, adjoins a glassed-in sunroom. The master bath, with typical cove ceilings has retained its original pale green and rose accent tiles and has an adjoining powder room. The last owner recently left after living there for 44 years.

This splendid 1,030 "Spanish farmhouse" mini-estate of over 2,000 square feet sits on two lots, a classic home of red tile roof over white stucco. There are three bedrooms and four baths on two levels.

One is impressed by the heavy dark wooden garage doors against the white stucco. Then passing through a small stone courtyard, through a heavy wooden door into the foyer of the home, the large living room opens up with its panoramic views and large hand-hewn ceiling cross beams. Hardwood floors and a great fireplace with huge4 iron tools and grating accent the rooms.

The full dining room has glass doors leading to a Spanish balcony overlooking the large yard and distant view. There is also a quaint breakfast nook that catches the morning sun.

The lot is 140 feet at its deepest point and contains a large detached "party room" with a stone fireplace, grill and patio where the current owners did much of their entertaining.

This is a large home for the period at 2,864 square feet, although it has had additions over the years. Owned since 1985 by the current owners, little is known of the early history of this 1936 Mediterranean style home.

Typical of the era, the home has a large living room with beamed ceiling, a formal dining room, a spiral staircase to the second floor and a tiled balcony opening to the rear yard with some ocean view. The kitchen was remodeled in the 1970’s and the current owners will be updating it again. This is a five bedroom, four-bath home with one of the upstairs bedrooms converted into a very large family room with fireplace. The original maid’s quarters is now a guest room.

Some of the original items remain. The gravity gas furnace still functions well and some of the registers have been bronzed. The toilets, looking surprisingly modern, still bear the "1936" stamp on the covers. And there is a milk deposit box built in the wall at the side door from the days of home delivery. All the upstairs bedrooms have rough stucco arched ceilings.

On a large 61’ x 124’ lot, the spacious yard is dominated by a large pool and lanai surrounded by slate. The well thought-out landscaping and night lighting is a wonderful extension of the Mediterranean feeling of the home’s architectural style.

One of the first homes in the Riviera, this 1929 Spanish originally sat on five acres of land. The sprawling 3,500 square feet contains four bedrooms and four and a half baths, now sits on a 60’ x 130’ lot.

The exterior is classic Spanish with a red tile roof. When the roof to the family room addition was replaced two years ago, the red tiles from the former Malaga Cove gas station were used to retain authenticity.

The son of the original owner, the contractor who first paved the Riviera streets, recently visited the current owners and disclosed many of the details of his parent’s home. For example, the small front room with fireplace and private entry to the front door was a business office and had a telephone closet that was not painted for 40 years because the family phone numbers were all on the walls! The former maid’s room off the foyer is now an office.

The original stenciling of the open beams in the large living room were stained over by a previous owner but still visible. The dining room best reflects the 1920’s flavor with its dark Spanish furniture, a table that seats eight, all on hardwood floors.

This classic 1928 Spanish home exudes the charm of its past with rough stucco interior walls covered in original paint and frescoed scenes. Hand-hewn beamed ceilings with original stencils adorn the lower floor rooms: living room, dining room and sunroom. This 3,083 square foot home has ocean views from the upstairs but the lower floor views have been blocked as nearby homes were built.

The dining room has hand-rubbed paneling on the ceiling and walls. One wall segment contains a secret panel that ostensibly held a booze cache during Prohibition. Rumor has it that the owner was in collaboration with J.J. Haggerty, the department store magnate, alleged bootlegger, and owner of the estate that is now the Neighborhood Church in Palos Verdes. Another secret place is a false step upstairs.

The entire house seems original with only the kitchen being remodeled in the 1950’s as a modern necessity. One original kitchen section contains a niche for the milkman who cam to the rear of the home, observed a dial with the items requested that day, and left milk in the exterior opening of the wall.

144 Camino De Las Colinas

This 1929 classic Spanish home was built in the very first year of development in the Riviera. Not much has been passed on about its history but it certainly has one of the best "curb appeal" facades.

Its sprawling 3,000 square feel includes three bedrooms, study and maids quarters plus four and one-half baths. Unlike other homes of the period it lacks balconies, although two of the now-enclosed rooms may have been a balcony.

Views of the ocean can be seen from the upstairs bedrooms, all of which have coved ceilings. Although the kitchen and most of the baths have been modernized over the years, the master still maintains the arched shower entrance and the original lime green tiles. One wall of another bath has lavender tiles, typical of the era. One of the two gravity feed furnaces is still in use in the cellar. The wiring (even the fuse box) is original as is the plumbing that still has great pressure.

The stunning living room is large and full of light with hewn beams in the ceiling. The stairwell ceiling beams have original stencils. Two large stained glass windows also appear to be original. Unique to the home is a curved frieze or molding in the formal dining room made entirely of plaster.