Frank Lloyd Wright’s Iconic Ennis House Is Listed For $23M
Of the many architectural landmarks in Los Angeles, few are as iconic of Hollywood’s film industry as the Ennis House.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built by his son in 1924 for retailer Charles Ennis and his wife, Mabel, the 6,200-square-foot residence has been featured dozens of times in film and television—including Rush Hour, Twin Peaks, Mullholand Drive, and most famously, in the 1982 film Blade Runner.
Set on a 0.3-acre hilltop, the Ennis House perfectly encapsulates Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous quote: "No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other."
Beloved by architects and film buffs alike, the historic home’s striking appearance comes from its Mayan Revival roots, which informed its temple-like appearance. The monumental mass is made all the more dramatic by its Los Feliz hilltop location overlooking cinematic city views.
The home is arguably the nation’s best residential example of Mayan Revival architecture.
When current owner Ron Burkle purchased the property from the Ennis House Foundation in 2011 for just under $4.5 million, the home had fallen into disrepair following severe damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Burkle spent nearly $17 million to stabilize and bring the abode back to its original brilliance.
After being completely restored, the fully furnished, unparalleled property is now listed through Coldwell Banker Global Luxury’s Ron de Salvo for $23,000,000. Keep scrolling to take a peek inside.
The drama of the exterior is matched by a breathtaking interior, where soaring ceilings and large stained-glass windows bring ample natural light and connection to the landscape indoors.
Designed to evoke a Mayan temple, the light-filled monumental home marks a radical departure in style from Wright’s legacy of Prairie Style houses.
This stunning Wisteria glass-mosaic placed above the living room fireplace is one of only four of its kind ever designed by Wright, and is the only extant example.
The living room opens up to a spacious, south-facing terrace.
Shop Frank Lloyd Wright
Considered the largest of Frank Lloyd Wright’s experimental textile-block houses in Los Angeles, the Ennis House comprises over 27,000 concrete blocks stacked atop a concrete platform.
A courtyard separates the main residence from the detached garage, and is topped with guest quarters, which was originally a chauffeur’s apartment.
A small koi pond and broad terrace can be found on the north side.
Each concrete block measures 16 inches square with a 3.5-inch thickness. They were made by hand using aluminum molds.
The rich, ornamental concrete blocks were made from decomposed granite extracted onsite to match the surrounding hills.
Before the $17,000,000 restoration, the property had been severely deteriorated with crumbling walls and foundations, and had been named under the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2005 list for America’s 11 Most Endangered Places.
Ample glazing sweeps the cinematic landscape into the dining room, the largest space in the house.
One of three corner windows in the home frames panoramic views of the Los Angeles Basin.
Concrete blocks were also used to frame the interiors.
A long, low-ceilinged loggia with marble floors leads to the master bedroom.
The 6,200-square-foot property includes three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths.
The home features 27 art-glass windows, which are some of the last examples used by Wright.
Each of the bathrooms features a soaking tub and different patterned tile.
A look inside one of the other bathrooms.
Lovely tilework lines the restored kitchen.
The 800-square-foot swimming pool was added after 1940 when radio announcer and actor John Nesbitt purchased the property.
After Nesbitt's purchase, Wright also converted the basement storage area into a billiard room.
2607 Glendower Ave, Los Angeles, CA is now being listed by Coldwell Banker Global Luxury’s Ron de Salvo for $23,000,000. See the full listing here.
Know of a home for sale or rent that should be featured on Dwell.com? Drop us a line at community@dwell.com.
Stay Here in L.A.
Published
Last Updated
Get the Pro Newsletter
What’s new in the design world? Stay up to date with our essential dispatches for design professionals.