2011 Palos Verdes Home Tour - Part 1

So I was one of the many that attended the annual Palos Verdes Home Tour, organized by the PV Art Center.  Each year, the Art Center picks three homes on the Peninsula to feature in the tour.  Homes in the past have been from various parts of the Peninsula, various architectural styles and various ages - including a few new-ish builds. For 2011, the featured homes were three historic Spanish residences in Palos Verdes Estates.

This year, the Art Center pre-sold over 1,000 tickets and sold quite a bit more during the two days of the tour.   The homes, while all 1920s-era Spanish homes, were actually quite different.  One home had spectacular views. Another was a grand estate (featured previously on this site), and the last was a comfortable home owned by the author of Arcadia Publishing's Palos Verdes Estates book.

So, sit back, relax as I take you through these homes.  Keep in mind that they didn't allow many pictures (none were allowed inside the homes).  So most of the photos I have are exteriors (which is where all the fun is anyway!).

The first stop - the Chadwick House.  Designed by Kirtland Cutter and built by R.R. Sutherland as a spec house in 1927, the home measures 5,941 square feet (per current assessor) and sits on an acre of steeply terraced hillside lot.  Note that the PV Home Tour materials say the house actually measures 10,000 square feet.  In any event, its big!  And although the original 35 acres that the home sat on have been since sold off to others, the grounds still retain their spectacular beauty (landscaping for the home was done by none other than Frederick Olmstead Jr.

(Source: NJC)

While there is a ton of historic info on this home, I'll choose instead to focus on some more modern facts about the home.  The current homeowners bought the home in 2005 for $4.52M and proceeded to restore the home to its former glory.  I have to say, while the home itself has great Spanish character, the most impressive aspect of the estate are the views!!!

(Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)


Those pictures don't even begin to do the actual view justice.  It's just breathtaking - even on a relatively hazy Los Angeles day.  From the home, you can see the PV Country Club, the Valmonte area of PVE, the rest of the South Bay and LA in the distance, as well as the ocean and Malibu.

The home itself features very classic and authentically Spanish features including a correctly pitched tile roof, a number of terraces and patios, wrought iron grill around several of the windows, etc.

(Source: NJC)

 (Source: NJC)

 (Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

You can see how steep the hillside is, as well as the expansive gardens surrounding the home below.

 (Source: Bing Maps)

(Source: Bing Maps)


Overall, a very good example of Spanish architecture.  However, on its own, the home is quite nice - but what makes it truly special are the amazing views afforded by its delicate hilltop location overlooking Valmonte and the rest of the South Bay.

KEY STATS

Location: Valmonte, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built:  1927
Architect: Kirtland Cutter
Square footage: 5,941
Lot size: 40,080 (193x195)

A modest Spanish retreat

Today I thought I'd head back to Valmonte and check out another nice original PV home - one of my Top 10 actually.  The Paull Residence.

(Source: Pritzkat & Johnson)

(Source: PV Library)


Originally designed and built for Robert G. Paull (yes, two "L"s) in 1927 by Kirtland Cutter (of Gard Residence fame) and Francis Schellenberg respectively, the home measures 4,195 square feet and sits on a wedge shaped 13,520 square foot lot .  I have to say I'm a big fan of Cutter's California work.

Quick aside: Kirtland Cutter was a prolific architect in the Pacific Northwest (notably Spokane) and designed a great many structures during his tenure there in a variety of styles (though predominated by Arts & Crafts).  Amid financial problems in the early 1920s, he moved to California at the young age of 63 (!) in 1923 and began exploring his fascination of the Mediterranean style until his death at age 79.  Cutter was an admirer of George Washington Smith, Wallace Neff and others, California contemporaries at the time, who had spearheaded the California interpretation of Spanish/Italian design.  His first design in PV was that of Lunada Bay Plaza (which never came to fruition, see below).

(Source: PV Library)


In total, Cutter designed 16 homes in Palos Verdes.  The Paull residence was actually one of the first "spec" homes (speculative) in PV - funded and built by Schellenberg and later sold to Paull.  It faces the golf course and was one of the first homes to incorporate a large garage on the primary facade.

(Source: PV Library)

(Source: PV Library)


Normally, I'm not a fan of garages facing the street.  In select cases (like the Contratto Residence), the front facing garage actually works very nicely, largely because there are other elements of the facade that distract and overpower the garage door.  Such is the case here.  There are numerous points of interest on the facade.

(Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)

(Source: NJC)


From the 35 degree angled room and covered second-floor porch to the alternating protrusions of the facade, there's so much to visually enjoy.  The vegetation and semi-circular driveway also contribute to the grand yet understated feel of the home.  The current owners purchased the home in 2001 for $1.9M and then hired Pritzkat & Johnson to assist with a remodel and facelift.  Notice subtle changes to the front facade.  No shutters on the first floor window. The addition on the left including a small chimney.  Lights around the front door.  The additional window on the second floor.  New attic/chimney vents on the front. More prominent secondary chimney.  Etc.  And notably, the addition of a semi-circular driveway (which I admit, may have already been added in a 1954 remodel according to public records).

(Source: NJC)


If we go to the rear of the home,  you'll see a very nice terraced courtyard with what looks to be a paved patio with a central fountain and a lower garden that leads to the pool area.

 (Source: Bing Maps)

 (Source: Bing Maps)

(Source: Bing Maps)


Overall, I like the remodel.  Pritzkat kept the essence of the home and highlighted its strongest qualities - Cutter would have been proud! It feels elegant, timeless, and most of all, comfortable.

KEY STATS

Location: Valmonte, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built: 1927 / 1954 / 2000s
Architect: Kirtland Cutter / unknown /  Pritzkat & Johnson
Square footage: 4,195
Lot size: 13,520 (98x184..tapering to width of 57 feet)

A special treat today! Oh what a lucky day...

So I was perusing through some of the architects' websites to see if any new material has been posted and I stumbled upon one of the original PVE homes which I posted on earlier - in fact, it was my very first home post!

The Gard Residence. Recall my original post here - A trip down memory lane .  As a refresher, here's the home (one of my personal favs!)

(Source: Palos Verdes library)

 (Source: Palos Verdes library)

 (Source: Palos Verdes library)




As you'll recall from my earlier post, this home underwent a remodel in 1993 by the owners.  A detailed description of the remodel is contained in that post.  As luck and fate would have it, I came across the architect's website responsible for the remodel - none other than the Ed Beall.  Here are some shots of the newly remodeled home.  Beautiful!

 (Source: ECB & Associates)

(Source: ECB & Associates)


I'm generally not a fan when folks remodel historic homes but in this case, I think Beall did a fantastic job.  The rear facade (first image) looks seamless, including the new addition above the former terrace and the addition of the second floor walkway.  On the front facade (second image), subtle changes have been made including the arching of the windows on the first floor, north side, and the addition of a symmetric set of stairs on the right side of the image.  Other changes include the addition of two windows on the lower right, in place of the previous, large window and the addition of two windows on the second floor (including one on the rotunda).  According to several records I found online, the owners of the home bought the property in 1992 for $2.3M (cash, no mortgage!) then originally planned to spend $1.05M on the remodel.  When all was said and done, the owners spent approximately $2.7M on the remodel - over $5M invested into the home!  Money and time well spent in my opinion.  Kudos!

KEY STATS (REVISED!)

Location: Valmonte, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built: 1927 / 1993
Architect: Kirtland Cutter / Ed Beall
Square footage: 13,041
Lot size: 1.3 acres

A trip down memory lane

For my first actual home post, I thought why not start out with one of the original homes of the Palos Verdes Project - the Gard Residence in PVE.  When the Palos Verdes Project was thrust forward by Vanderlip in the 1920s, the city planners were eager to have a few example homes to attract potential buyers and entice lot sales.  As a result, the PVE Art Jury approved several homes in the mid 1920s, one of the more grand of which is featured below - the Gard residence.

(Source: Palos Verdes library)

Located at 2780 Via Campesina, PVE, the Earl Gard Residence was the first real 'estate' built in Palos Verdes.  It was what Vanderlip and the early architects of the Palos Verdes Project had envisioned to dot the hillside of the grand pensinula. Designed in 1927 by Kirtland Cutter, it won the notable architecture award by the Art Jury that year.  

(Source: Palos Verdes library)

Measuring 13,041 square feet on an estate-sized 1.3 acres, the home has views of the ocean, Malaga Cove, and the Palos Verdes Country Club.  The home today remains largely intact.  Very difficult - nearly impossible actually - to see from the street, guarded from view by tall, dense hedges.  Thanks to the wonders of technology we can see, as of 2008, the current owners have made some modifications to the rear of the home.  The current owners bought the home in 1992 for $2.3M and renovated the home in 1993.

(Source: Bing Maps)

You can notice from this shot, when compared to the first image, that the owners have added an addition over the southern terrace, a second floor walkway above the original arches (including additional windows and doors), and have also added a turret on the northern edge of the home.

(Source: Bing Maps)

(Source: Bing Maps)

 It is an amazing house to be sure - one of my absolute favorites in all of Palos Verdes and a fine example of Spanish Colonial (Revival) architecture.

KEY STATS

Location: Valmonte, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built: 1927 / 1993
Architect: Kirtland Cutter
Square footage: 13,041
Lot size: 1.3 acres