And The Winner Is...

As you may or may not know the Academy Award Nominations were announced this week. And although there isn't a category for "Best Performance by a House", if there were, the honor would no doubt have to go to John Lautner's Schaffer House used in Tom Ford's A Single Man. Built in 1949 and hidden in a wooded valley at the foot of the Verdugo Mountains near Los Angeles, this redwood, concrete and glass residence opens to the oak-filled forest that influenced the form and orientation of it's design. This architectural gem incorporates an open floor plan with living, dining and den areas, two bedrooms, one & a half baths, laundry and an attached two carport garage. Lucky for you, the home is on the market and it could be yours for a cool 1.5 million dollars.

We couldn't wait to see this movie and when we finally had the opportunity to do so, we recognized the house almost instantly. It's such an iconic piece of architecture and it also happens to be on the cover of a handsome new book we got recently entitled Ranch Houses: Living the California Dream. This magnificent tome is full of rich, colorful photography by Joe Fletcher and a definite must-have for any serious design library. It not only showcases the Schaffer house beautifully but also several other notable homes by legendary architects such as Cliff May, Richard Neutra, and William Turnbull. If you haven't done so already we highly recommend you check out A Single Man, and then run to your nearest book store and award yourself this terrific new book. See you at the Oscars!