Dating back to 1931, this Silver Lake abode has undergone a modern reimagining thanks to L.A.-based architect Barbara Bestor.

Bestor—renowned for her preservation of historic modernist homes and collaborations with high-profile clients like Donald Glover and Michael Govan—completed a comprehensive overhaul of the hillside residence in 2022. She turned it from an unassuming one-story Spanish bungalow into an airy and colorful contemporary residence, from the moss-green cedar and Boral exterior cladding to the cherry-red and bubblegum-blue bathrooms. The roughly 4,500-square-foot home offers three or four (and potentially more) bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus three powder rooms, over three floors.

With landmark views that encompass the Silver Lake Reservoir, the Hollywood sign, and Griffith Observatory in the distance, the house feels intimately connected to the Los Angeles cultural landscape while remaining a calm retreat thanks to its high perch above a quiet street.

Wood cladding defines the elevated entrance, where a solid wood door features a custom handle, a statement textured tile fireplace anchors the living room, and a ribbon of windows wraps around three sides of the nearby dining room. The eat-in chef’s kitchen is a mod affair with a mix of white melamine and unstained plywood cabinets and a cozy eggplant-colored banquette tucked into one corner for casual meals. A small wet bar is tucked into a passageway between a secondary sitting room and a media room with an office alcove.

A custom wood staircase that climbs to the upper level is flooded with light from a massive glass aperture. The primary bedroom is paired with a Zen bathroom—geometric tiles line the floor, and the wooden soaking tub looks out on the greenery outside, courtesy of Kathleen Ferguson Landscapes. The primary suite also comes with dual walk-in closets and a private balcony for grabbing an extra dose of vitamin D in the mornings. 

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Creative types and those who work from home will find much to appreciate about the Silver Lake spread, which is listed with George Penner at Compass at $5.3 million. A sumptuous teal-colored library/salon on the upper floor has a wall of built-in bookshelves, access to a rear balcony, and a private powder room, while the lowest level includes an art studio with outdoor access, plus another half-bath, and a large storage space.

To take advantage of L.A.’s temperate climate, the backyard offers plenty of ways to enjoy an alfresco moment: the outdoor dining spot under a custom trellis, a tiled swimming pool, and a fire pit surrounded by benches that you can curl up on with a blanket when temperatures dip on cool evenings.

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