By Roger Grody
Los Angeles, for decades derided as a city without a viable downtown, has recently sprouted a vibrant city center, and no project better reflects the dynamic spirit of “DTLA” than Metropolis, a $1 billion mixed-use complex with hotel, shopping and residences developed by Greenland USA. Recently unveiled was The Penthouse Collection in the first of three planned residential towers, eight units capturing jetliner views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Greenland USA is delighted to unveil The Penthouse Collection, which offers residents the finest in luxury, high-rise living and access to top-tier services and amenities, says Chao Wu, Greenland’s General Manager, of the 39th floor residences. “Metropolis brings the excitement and vibrancy of Downtown Los Angeles right to our residents’ front doors, redefining the standard of luxury urban living,” he adds.
With floorplans ranging from 1,735 to 3,534 square feet, these residences are among the only two-story penthouses in downtown L.A. and enhanced amenities include a dedicated concierge and elaborately appointed clubhouse. The Collection is consistent with the Metropolis project’s chic, modern minimalism, and Penthouse 3906 (3,500-plus square feet, priced at $6.388 million) features the imprint of interior designer Michael Erno of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. He wrapped the rooms in rich textures and a palette of shimmering greys, silvers and earth tones, creating an elegant, clean-lined environment that complements, rather than distracts from, the breathtaking views.
The penthouses, priced from $2.194 million to $6.388 million, are listed by James Harris & David Parnes (familiar faces from Bravo TV’s Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles) and The Agency Development Group, a premier Beverly Hills-based real estate firm. “The Penthouse Collection at Metropolis presents a unique opportunity for those seeking the finest in luxury living high above all Downtown Los Angeles has to offer,” states Harris.
www.metropolislosangeles.com
Photo courtesy of Metropolis
The closet is becoming one of the most important spaces in the house, and creator of LA Closet Design Lisa Adams is transforming closets every day. Luxury closet design company, LA Closet Design, launched in 2007 and intended to revamp the concept of closets. Since then, a lengthy list of celebrities, designers, architects and homeowners seek services to create customized, often high-tech and environmentally friendly, wardrobe spaces that add real value to the home. Adams decided it was time to reinvent the closet into a space that is functional, organized and stunningly chic.
Adams is now a celebrity go-to luxury closet designer, with clients like Khloe Kardashian, Fergie and Christina Aguilera. Recently, she created a carry-on luggage line called LAMove Mobile Closet — a closet on the go — and launched popular lifestyle blog CLOSETPHILE. Her clients reside across the U.S., Europe, Dubai and more. Here are some top closet trends, according to Adams.
Staging Areas
“These are a must in any dressing space today!” said Adams.“Whether it’s as simple as a wall-mounted rod or a freestanding display area, a staging area allows for easy styling and is the perfect spot to snap away and share on social media.”
Shoe Walls
Nothing says #closetgoals like a floor-to-ceiling display showcasing all your shoes. “Increasingly, clients are putting the pumps on display and keeping them styled to perfection,” said Adams. “You can organize by style, color or occasion, and the wall becomes the perfect backdrop for all those enviable Instagram moments!”
Lighting
Luxury closets are taking notes from luxury retail when it comes to lighting, with the addition of backlit shelves and illuminated displays to add a wow-factor to any space.
Multi-Functional Rooms
“As more millennials enter the housing market, spaces will become more flexible and multi-functional, challenging the conventional notion of the closet,” said Adams. “We will continue to see closets, along with every other space in the home, adapt to this more informal lifestyle. You no longer need a whole room dedicated to your desk, while your wardrobe suffers in a crowded walk-in; instead, these spaces become one.”
Photos courtesy of LA Closet Design
Heart-throb actor of screen and television Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl listed their estate in Montecito, California for $47 million in July, and are still awaiting a lucky buyer.
Located in a star-studded neighborhood, whoever buys this home will be living among some of the world’s biggest stars, including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Montecito is a much-favored retreat from the hectic world of TV and film, located 80 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Montecito boasts spectacular hillside views, nearby whale watching and beautiful weather.
Reminiscent of the country estates in Charlottesville, Virginia where he was born, Rob Lowe and his wife recreated a classic East Coast-style estate, a stand-out from the typical Mediterranean architecture of the area, on the market at $47 million. On a little over three acres, the main house of the estate was designed by architect Don Nulty, built in 2009, and is 10,000 square feet.
Included on the grounds are the two-bedroom guest house, one-bedroom pool house with staff quarters and outdoor kitchen, pool and spa, tennis court with observation areas and lushly landscaped lawns, large enough for team sports with mature trees and a vegetable garden. There are two outside fireplaces and terraces for relaxing or entertaining, a water serenade from fountains, and a koi pond. From most any location, one can enjoy sunsets over the Pacific.
Inside the main house are 20 rooms: a huge family kitchen, separate catering kitchen, eight bedrooms, eleven baths, office, library-music room with bar, family room, various conversation rooms and nooks, movie theater, a well-equipped gym and expansive wine cellar.
Now 54, Lowe had a busy career in both film and television, yet is still lighting up the screens. At age 19, he starred in the hit movie “The Outsiders. Binge-watch him today in “The West Wing” reruns.
Photos courtesy of TopTenRealEstateDeals.com
Offering a one-stop shop for high-end design — architecture, landscape architecture and interior design services under a single roof on Los Angeles’ famed Miracle Mile — is Studio William Hefner.
The office’s location on this stretch of Wilshire Boulevard, lined by Art Deco masterpieces and many of the city’s museums, is clearly inspirational for designers.
Originally from Northern California, Hefner arrived in Los Angeles to earn a graduate degree in architecture from UCLA and founded his current practice in 1989. He oversees a highly collaborative staff of about 35 in L.A. and maintains a smaller office in the idyllic coastal community of Montecito, outside of Santa Barbara.
Hefner, who studied art history in college and appreciates a diversity of design, draws inspiration from landmark residences scattered throughout Southern California. He is appreciative of traditionalists like Wallace Neff and Paul Williams — their Mediterranean estates have long been popular with Hollywood celebrities — as well as Mid-Century Modern masters Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra. As a result, Hefner’s practice encompasses a wide spectrum of architectural styles and his firm adapts to evolving preferences.
“In my practice, I try not to have a ‘signature’ style but strive toward quality design and execution in different genres, from very traditional to contemporary,” says Hefner, who reports about 60 percent of his current commissions are modern, a share that has doubled in the past decade. “Modern residential architecture has come in and out of style over the past 30 years but is finally becoming more of a lifestyle, not just a fashion or trend,” says Hefner, who adds, “I think it’s here to stay.” In Los Angeles — where so many high-end homes are in the hills or along the coast — modern design maximizes views and suits the region’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
Commissioned to design a massive residence on 10 precious acres in L.A.’s opulent Bel-Air neighborhood, Hefner created a formidable French-style estate known as Château des Fleurs. The client’s original inspiration was the majestic Hôtel du Cap on France’s Côte d’Azur, and Hefner conducted extensive research in Paris, Versailles and the Loire Valley to ensure that every detail was authentic. “We wanted to make sure each room was special and unique,” explains Hefner of the house, which has 31 bathrooms. Despite the scale of the project, the architect took care to create intimate, family-friendly spaces throughout the home in addition to grand rooms for entertainment.
When the 60,000-square-foot residence was completed in 2013 after five years of construction, it was the largest home in a city famous for conspicuous consumption. In his lavishly illustrated book Château des Fleurs (Pointed Leaf Press, 2016), Hefner explains a progressive approach to classic French design. “The balance of this house was to create a powerfully simple structure that would feel timeless and not imitative, while inviting an Old World opulence to the fit and finish of the architecture in a way that would be both decorative and something more: modern,” he writes.
Another more classically inspired design from Hefner is an oceanfront home in L.A.’s Pacific Palisades, a celebrity-favored enclave with a rich architectural history. This home features an Italianate design, dazzling spiral staircase and lush landscaping. In the very same community, in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, Hefner authored a sprawling modern residence in which the floorplan was meticulously oriented to ensure optimal views from every room.
An approximately 7,000-square-foot home in Beverly Hills’ coveted Trousdale Estates is one of Studio William Hefner’s most notable expressions of modernism. Reminiscent of L.A.’s influential Case Study Houses from prominent Mid-Century Modern architects, it was commissioned for a client with an extraordinary modern art collection. “Accommodating art is always a challenge in a view house,” says Hefner, who notes the requisite expanses of glass tend to limit available wall space.
In suburban Sierra Madre, a considerably more rustic community than Beverly Hills, Hefner created a thoroughly contemporary residence in an environment where Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes are the prevailing architecture. But through a generous use of stone and wood, he was able to infuse the property with considerable warmth, softening the impact of its modernist theme.
“My philosophy, in both traditional and modern homes, is to introduce spaces for indoor-outdoor living, which is a reason we offer landscape architecture among our services,” says Hefner. “In Southern California, the entire site becomes a living space, with large patios, covered outdoor living areas and landscaped courtyards that people can use throughout the year,” he explains. In Hefner-designed landscape design projects, swimming pools often double as reflecting pools, fountain-laden patios assume the serenity of Zen gardens and cacti provide a compelling complement to austere clean-lined structures.
Like New York’s idiosyncratic Peter Marino, a talent he admires, Hefner is an architect who has expanded his practice to incorporate interior design. “I always had a strong interest in interiors and was disappointed when some of my early projects were not finished the way I had envisioned them, so I began designing interiors myself,” recounts Hefner. Now heading up the interior specialty at the firm is his wife, accomplished designer Kazuko Hoshino, and the firm produces custom-made furniture and accessories that enhance the interiors she creates.
Among Studio William Hefner’s custom-made products are the Infinity console, a plane of wood supported by two circular bands of steel, and the strikingly contemporary Halo mirror with its echoes of Mid-Century Modernism. Featuring a modern simplicity are the Capri lounge chair and distinctive Willow nightstand. Even the most contemporary of these pieces can complement vintage architectural settings, as Hefner and Hoshino have demonstrated in their own 1920s residence in L.A.’s fashionable Hancock Park neighborhood.
Before Hefner founded his own company, he worked for Skidmore Owings & Merrill, one of the world’s largest and most influential architecture firms, designing high-rise commercial buildings. “It was difficult to establish a personal connection with the ultimate users of the spaces,” laments Hefner, who appreciates residential design because of the more intimate relationship it forges between architect and client. Hefner encourages clients to fully participate in the design process, stating, “I think we do a better job when they’re more involved.”
The firm’s projects continue to be concentrated in Southern California, where Hefner believes the Mediterranean climate and the indoor-outdoor lifestyle it encourages affords him a genuine freedom of creativity. However, Studio William Hefner has designed residences in countries as disparate as South Korea, Turkey and Israel, and is currently undertaking projects in Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Photos courtesy of Laura Hull, James Ray Spahn, and Tyler William Parker
Capturing the charm of Silver Lake, Vica is a unique mixed-use real estate offering that will be the first new condominium development in the Los Angeles neighborhood in 10 years.
Vica, meaning “the life,” was developed to complement the eclectic vibe of the neighborhood and the community, according to Justin Barth, principal of Los-Angeles based developer Barth Partners. Barth, alongside Ireland’s Barry Leddy Developments, aims to fulfill the housing demands of the community and to create a living experience that articulates the style and personality of Silver Lake.
Vica is prominently located close to Hollywood and Downtown, amidst some of the most spirited coffee shops and contemporary eateries in the area. Designed by Killefer Flammang Architects, the development will boast 31 exquisite residences, as well as five penthouses, which will each feature an interior staircase that leads up to a private rooftop terrace.
Designer Laura Derland and the Loraline Design team have also created interiors that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine and dark and light within the communal spaces and residences.
The development’s amenities include a meditation garden, state-of-the-art fitness studio, The Lounge at Vica, a pool and spa observation deck, and a 3,000-square-foot, ground-floor retail space with unmatched outdoor dining experiences near Sunset Boulevard. Vica’s versatility makes it a standout development for an assortment of buyers, from entrepreneurs and professionals to young singles or couples.
“People longing for more connectivity with one another and the world around them will find Vica unlike any other available new living opportunity within Los Angeles,” Barth affirms. — Kristen Ordonez
Photo courtesy of Vica
Celebrity brokers co-list eight Los Angeles penthouses with The Agency Development Group.
The collection is comprised of four two-bedroom and four three-bedroom residences that range in size from 1,735 square feet to 3,534 square feet with pricing starting at $2.194 million and ranging up to $6.388 million. The residences are well-appointed with expansive floor plans that capture fine sky-high views of LA through floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Greenland USA is delighted to unveil The Penthouse Collection, which will offer residents the finest in luxury, high-rise living and access to top-tier services and amenities,” said Chao Wu, general manager of Greenland USA, Los Angeles. “Located conveniently between Los Angeles’ financial district to the north and the entertainment district to the south, Metropolis brings the excitement and vibrancy of Downtown Los Angeles right to our residents’ front doors, redefining the standard of luxury, urban living.”
Penthouse 3906 was exquisitely envisioned by Michael Erno of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Erno chose pieces that create an elevated sense of calm as one enters the first-floor living area and transitions upstairs to the bedrooms. He used a glamorous palette of shimmery greys, silvers, neutral tones and a myriad of textures to complement the opulent nature of Metropolis while not detracting from the remarkable jetliner views.
Residents will have access to a 24/7 Lobby Attendant and Dedicated Concierge, Met Six Residence Clubhouse with indoor lounge and chef’s kitchen, resort pool with a Jacuzzi, cabanas and lounge, billiard and game rooms, screening room, meditation garden and a dog park with a bathing station.
“It is exciting to see how the Downtown Los Angeles market has grown over the years and how the demand for high-end product is at an all-time high,” adds Parnes. “With unparalleled amenities and services, Metropolis is among the most sought-after properties in Los Angeles, and we are excited to be a part of this new chapter of the Downtown real estate market.”
Metropolis Los Angeles, developed by Greenland USA, has unveiled The Penthouse Collection, listed by Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles’ James Harris and David Parnes and The Agency Development Group. The unveiling of The Penthouse Collection comes on the heels of the sales success at Tower 1 and the launch of sales for Tower 2.
Among the only two-story penthouses in Downtown Los Angeles, The Penthouse Collection is located atop Tower 1 and features eight residences, with one residence envisioned by the award-winning Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams interior design firm.
“The Penthouse Collection at Metropolis presents a unique opportunity for those seeking the finest in luxury living high above all Downtown Los Angeles has to offer,” said Harris. “These penthouses will raise the bar of luxury living in Downtown Los Angeles, and we are honored to be bringing them to market along with The Agency Development Group.”
Tower 2, which will feature an incredible 3.5-acre amenity deck, will soon launch as well.
Photos courtesy of Metropolis
Los Angeles-based real estate development firm, Irongate, announces the debut of Amanvari, a resort that will serve as a peaceful escape and private oasis, nestled between the mountains and sea on the Eastern Cape of the Baja Peninsula in northwestern Mexico.
Irongate, a Los Angeles-based real estate development firm, announced the debut of Amanvari, a peaceful escape and private oasis nestled between the majestic Sierra de la Laguna mountain range and Sea of Cortes on the Eastern Cape of the Baja Peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Aman Resorts International is scheduled to open Amanvari, its new hotel and private residences, in 2020.
Aman is a luxury hotel group with 33 destinations in 21 countries. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit-derived words for “peace” and “water.” Set within Costa Palmas, a private beachfront resort community with three kilometers of swimmable beach, Amanvari is easily accessible from almost every American hub.
“It is an incredible honor and a dream come true for me to have an Aman resort at Costa Palmas,” said Jason Grosfeld, chairman and CEO of Irongate. “It is a testament to the beauty of the East Cape that Aman has selected Costa Palmas to be their first destination in Mexico.”
Irongate, in collaboration with Aman, has commissioned architects Heah & Co. who have approached the design of Amanvari with the overriding objective of allowing the surreal landscape to take center stage. The resort design contemplates 20 bi-level hotel pavilions, each offering a generosity of space both inside and out. The pavilions will be spread across the resort’s bucolic landscape and boast floor to ceiling windows that open onto an outdoor terrace and wraparound sundeck.
The main pavilion at Amanvari will form the heart of the resort. This pavilion will be a destination where guests and residents can enjoy restaurants, a library and lounge, as well as a 30-meter infinity pool incorporating four hot tubs. The Aman Spa pavilion is planned to be steps from the main pavilion along a treed pathway.
For those looking for a more permanent Aman lifestyle, an initial release of only 24 whole-ownership Aman Residences will be offered for sale. Aman Residences will range from four to seven bedrooms spanning from 1,207 to 1,858 square meters of covered indoor-outdoor living.
In addition to Amanvari, the Costa Palmas master plan includes a Robert Trent Jones II golf course, 18-acres of organic farms, the private members-only Costa Palmas Beach and Yacht Club to which residence owners will be invited to join and Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas.
A 45-minute drive from Los Cabos International Airport ventures away from the popular destination of Los Cabos and takes guests to the East Cape, where there are few tourists. Guests can dive with migrant whales, go on sailing and fishing expeditions, visit freshwater ponds with a resident biologist and visit local ranches for horseback riding at Amanvari.
Tucked away in a far corner of the thousand-acre development where the sea, the wild desert and farmland meet, Amanvari is part of Costa Palmas, yet geographically and elementally removed from it. Wild and natural, Amanvari envelopes guests and residents in its own private sanctuary.
Photos courtesy of Aman