The late architect Bob Ray Offenhauser is most remembered for the opulent SoCal megamansions he designed for some of the region’s wealthiest residents. But when it came to his own home, he went with something a little more intimate.
In 1978, Offenhauser went to work designing a residence for his family: a 2,837-square-foot garden villa in South Pasadena. Modest compared with some of his other commissions, the three-bedroom, three-bath home has a warmth and quiet grandness about it. As the architect behind the Huntington’s Chinese Garden, Offenhauser prioritized elegant landscaping, and the gardens and courtyards are just as important to the home as the interiors.
The kitchen is surrounded by brick walls and minimal wooden cabinetry.
Andrew Bramasco & Melissa Bramasco
Manicured hedges and a courtyard with a fountain frame the entrance to the residence, which is defined by pink walls rising to a scalloped edge. Inside, the living room is anchored by an intricate 18th-century limestone fireplace from a chateau in France’s Loire Valley. Opposite, a 12-foot wall of steel and glass opens directly to the gardens. Additional gathering spaces include a garden room topped by a large, Art Deco–inspired skylight and a more modern kitchen surrounded by brick walls and minimalist wood cabinets.
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The bedrooms and bathrooms are richly designed. One bedroom is wrapped in textured wallpaper, and its adjoining marble-covered bathroom has a vanity framed by old-school Hollywood lighting. Another bedroom is painted a vibrant red, while a separate bathroom features a forest-green wooden trellis along its walls. Out back, a secluded pool and spa complete the property.
The three bedrooms are all richly textured spaces.
Andrew Bramasco & Melissa Bramasco
Offenhauser’s house is now on the market for the first time ever, with Eric Lavey at Eric Lavey and Partners holding the $4.2 million listing. The seller, Offenhauser’s son, has also worked in luxury real estate, representing Madonna when she bought the historic Castillo del Lago estate in the Hollywood Hills back in 1992.
Offenhauser, who died in 2016, designed numerous mansions in Beverly Hills and Bel-Air, including Palazzo di Amore, currently owned by billionaire Jeff Greene. He first listed the property in 2014 for $195 million, then the most expensive residential listing in the United States. After appearing on and off the market several times over the last 12 years, the lavish estate was last publically listed earlier this year at the same price.
Click here to see all the photos of Offenhauser’s South Pasadena home.
Andrew Bramasco & Melissa Bramasco
Authors
Tori Latham
