Wanna Feel Like It’s 1952 All the Time? Consider Moving Into This Midcentury Time Capsule
A midcentury in the Crestwood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles is now available for the first time in 65 years. Built in 1952 by local architect Willard Hall Francis as his primary residence, the most recent owners purchased the property in 1955 and lovingly preserved it ever since. Of the home's many features, the most alluring is a central atrium, from which light pours in onto shag carpeting, wood-paneled walls, and a collection of vintage furnishings.
The front door opens into an expansive living and dining room. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls looks out onto the atrium while ochre-colored accents complement original wooden built-ins and retro shag carpeting.
Opposite the dining area, the living area is grounded by a brick fireplace, which divides the seating area from a large bookcase. A large picture window looks out onto the patio.
A prolific painter, architect, and all around polymath, Francis studied arts and architecture at UC Berkeley after first graduating with a degree in physics from Caltech. He was also known to collaborate on projects with the renowned landscape architect Garrett Eckbo. Based on artifacts around the home, it is believed that Eckbo designed the original outdoor areas at this property as well.
Completing the living room is another row of bookcases, built to house Dr. and Mrs. Goldberg's extensive book collection. A long row of clerestory windows bring additional natural light into the space.
Most recently, Dr. Alfred Goldberg and his wife, Ruth, enjoyed the home for nearly seven decades. Dr. Goldberg, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 98, was a prominent Freudian psychoanalyst in Los Angeles, nationally recognized as a specialist in Ego Psychology and a teacher in the Advanced Dream Workshop and Continuous Case seminars. Mrs. Goldberg heralded from an intellectual family with ties to Sigmund Freud himself.
The large kitchen features ample cabinetry and countertops. To the right, a passthrough opening provides a connection with the dining room.
The kitchen wraps around to meet a small nook in the corner.
While the existing home most likely qualifies for historic landmark registration and attendant property tax benefits, the large .60-acre lot provides opportunities for further additions as well. Keep scrolling to see more of this midcentury time capsule, currently listed for $1,995,000.
The master bedroom features extensive shelving for displaying artifacts and books. A large window looks out on the wooded lot.
The ensuite bathroom features a playful color scheme, with a large closet and ample cabinetry for storage.
On the opposite side of the home, one of the five bedrooms is currently set up as a reading area.
A glass wall and sliding door span the width of the room, flooding the space with natural light and providing access to the atrium.
A hallway wraps around the atrium and connects the remaining bedrooms with the main part of the home.
Another bedroom offers a built-in desk and cabinetry along one wall.
A look at one of the two secondary bathrooms, this one retaining its original cabinetry, antique hardware, and fixtures.
The open-air atrium provides a quiet refuge.
The atrium also connects to the home's two-car garage. A custom trellis divides the spaces and is mimicked as a window design on the opposite side of the front door.
A peek at the front of the home and large parking area, which sits along a winding street in the hills above Brentwood.
A patio along the back of the home looks out onto the quiet, wooded landscape surrounding the .6-acre lot.
801 Broom Way in Los Angeles, California, is currently listed for $1,995,000 by Brian Linder, AIA, and Rick Grahn of The Value of Architecture.
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