Hollywood icon Diane Keaton passed away a few weeks ago, leaving behind a career spanning over five decades and legions of fans around the world. The Oscar-winning Annie Hall The star's talents extended even beyond her acting career, as her architectural skills led her to become a prolific and design-savvy home renovator and home renovator – particularly in Los Angeles, where her real estate portfolio has included a wealth of notable Spanish-style properties over the years.
Before her death earlier this month at age 79, Keaton lived in a Pinterest-inspired apartment in Brentwood that was for sale in March; However, the property did not come into possession and was delisted before her death. She previously lived in a mid-century Lloyd Wright-designed home in Rustic Canyon that recently came up for sale. She was also the former owner of this striking Spanish Colonial-style home in Beverly Hills, which was just listed for $25 million with Rayni and Branden Williams of Beverly Hills Estates.
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“My feeling is that you find an authentic house and try to restore it authentically,” Keaton said Architectural Digest during a 1999 tour of a Wallace Neff and John Byers-designed home that she owned at the time. “I wanted a Spanish Colonial home because I love California and our history. I see it in a romantic way – the 1920s, indoor-outdoor living, arches, comfort. California has an abundance of beauty. My dream would be to continue buying homes that are representative of California architecture and restoring them.”
Keaton spent $8.1 million on the Ralph C. Flewelling-designed home in the desirable 1920s Flats neighborhood in 2007, then undertook a meticulous renovation with popular designer Stephen Shadley, which was subsequently featured in ADVERTISEMENT. Three years later, she transferred the property to film and television producer Ryan Murphy for $10 million, who sold it in 2021 to the current owners, hedge fund manager Seth Wunder and his designer wife Cailin, for $16.5 million.
Located behind walls and gates on a hillside property that spans nearly half an acre, the celebrity-maintained estate offers a total of six bedrooms and nine bathrooms in approximately 8,400 square feet. An expansive parking lot and towering cactus gardens front the two-story residence, which features a mix of dark wood and glossy terracotta floors, exposed beam ceilings, arched doorways, hand-forged wrought iron accents, and antique light fixtures. French doors open seamlessly to the outdoors.
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A standout feature is a combination foyer and library that features a groin-vaulted ceiling, is draped in bookshelves, and bears the inscription “The Eye Sees What the Mind Knows.” Other highlights include a living room warmed by a stone fireplace with a curved brick surround and a formal dining room that opens to an arched colonnade and a fountain-adorned brick courtyard beyond. A family room and cozy dining area connect to the kitchen, which features a large marble island and stainless steel appliances.
Two guest bedrooms are located on the ground floor, while four additional bedrooms upstairs feature a secluded primary retreat equipped with a fireplace, dressing room and two bathrooms. Two ground floor balconies overlook the picturesque grounds, which include a guest house, a pool and spa, a sports court, and several seating and dining areas. There's also a fitness room, a wine cellar and a two-car garage.
Click here for more photos of the Beverly Hills residence.
Authors
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Wendy Bowman