Benedikt Taschen is well-known for buying and then putting his own stylish touch on architecturally significant homes. In Los Angeles, the contemporary art collector and founder of Taschen Books—the renowned global publisher of coffee table art and design books—owns the spaceship-like Chemosphere in the Hollywood Hills, crafted by John Lautner in 1960. He also lays claim to a 1930s Colonial Revival mansion created by Roland Coate for Gone with the Wind producer David O. Selznick.
While he restored and still owns both those houses, another of his passion projects has just hit the market. Resting directly across the street from the Selznick estate, the Adelman Residence—designed by Thornton Abell and O’Neil Ford in 1956—is now listed for $25 million with Drew Fenton and Linda May of Carolwood Estates.
A fireside living room opens onto an alfresco dining patio.
Nils Timm
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Taschen and his wife, Lauren, purchased the post-and-beam dwelling in 2018 from the daughter of the original owners, independent movie theater owner Isadore B. Adelman and his wife, artist Lucy Adelman. The house had fallen into disrepair, and the couple completely refurbished it, preserving the midcentury design. Set on nearly an acre of land that was once part of the Charlie Chaplin estate, the split-level four-bedroom, five-bathroom dwelling features roughly 5,000 square feet of art-filled living space.
A lengthy gated driveway travels to an attached three-vehicle carport and a motor court with room for up to five more cars. A wide staircase ascends to an entry foyer that connects to a living room via an extended whitewashed brick fireplace. There are also dining and family areas, plus a vintage-style kitchen sporting an indoor grill and pass-through cabinetry. Warm cork flooring, sliding Shoji screens, clerestory windows, and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass anchor the airy interiors, which flow out to expansive terraces.
The family room can be closed off with Shoji-style sliding doors.
Nils Timm
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Elsewhere is a small, wood-paneled elevator and a guest wing with its own bathroom and entrance, as well as a primary suite with a balcony and walk-in closet. In addition to a restored 1928 tennis court that was once part of the Chaplin estate, the terraced grounds, dotted with agave plants, palm trees, and gardens, host a sundeck-encased swimming pool.
Taschen told The New York Times that they hope it finds a buyer who appreciates its history. “It gave us great fun and satisfaction to bring this house back to life and glory for generations to come,” he said.
Click here for more photos of the Beverly Hills residence.
Nils Timm
Authors
Wendy Bowman
