Shortly after we moved here 16 years ago, someone suggested, as they often do in L.A., that I see some therapist/career counselor/yenta that she knew and claimed had done wonders for her. My friend told me this person lived in Silver Lake, an area which had not yet come onto my personal radar. With directions (and Thomas Guide) in hand, off I drove. And drove. And drove, thinking, "Oh, God; where am I? This is so funky..." I cannot remember one thing about this woman; not her name, her face or what she told me. All I remember was the Silver Lake of it all.
My second visit to Silver Lake, not long after that first ill-fated one, was when my late sister-in-law was in L.A. directing a project for AFI. She had swapped her New York apartment in Little Italy with a guy who owned an astounding home on the far side of the Silver Lake reservoir. He was only the third owner, the first owner-before 1920-having been some very successful vaudevillian. As we sat on the roof terrace, having drinks at dusk and watching the sun set over reservoir, the lights of the houses surrounding the reservoir began to pop on. I remember thinking "Wow. In 1919 this must have looked like heaven on earth. No wonder they called it Silver Lake."
Cut to 7 or 8 years later when Silver Lake comes onto my real estate radar, as it's starting to take off and become the hippest, or hipsterish, part of town. At this point it also became clear that Silver Lake actually has great housing stock, including numerous mid-century classics. Much of the housing stock had become, over time, very run down. But somehow, what never left Silver Lake was it's very fierce underlying feeling of independent spirit. While it remains home to some of the city's oldest, staunchest lefties, let's not forget it was also the home of Ayn Rand. Most telling, however, is how all of greatest mid-century architects were commissioned for projects there. When I drive through the streets of Silver Lake now, almost daily, what also catches my attention is the original impulse to build homes throughout these hills, which could not have been easy.
The other day, I was dropping my daughter off at her friend's house in Silver Lake, on my way to go see a listing that had just hit the market. She asked me, as we were driving, what my favorite architectural style is. What I didn't tell her is that, when it comes to architectural styles, I'm like a bad boyfriend-I will become infatuated with the next good house I walk into, whatever the style, as long as it is well done. What I did tell her was that if I were to buy a house now in Los Angeles I'd be looking for a great mid-century. Little did I know that's exactly what I was about to walk into:
Sitting just above the reservoir, on one of Silver Lake's best streets, is this 4 bedroom/3 bath 3,000+ square foot classic. From both the street and the rear....
...it's size is deceptive. Built on 3 floors, the layout is a dream come true, with a top floor consisting of a gorgeous master suite, with views of Mister Silver's "Lake".
The main floor contains, besides two more bedrooms with bath, a wonderful, open entertaining area...
..and kitchen, all of which opens to a deck overlooking the yard and the solar heated, salt-water pool.
There's a lower floor with den, laundry and guest suite and the entire house has been impeccably and cleanly renovated-nothing is overdone, everything serves the simple, clean architecture. It is, in short, a find. Asking price is $1,679,000.
I'm not actually looking to move at the moment, so my loss is possibly your gain.If it's of interest, I'd say hurry. This will not sit on the market for long.
Jamie Foreman
