"Inside LA's Most Famous House Built on the Edge of a Cliff" | Architectural Digest

For my recurring series of Famous Homes, I wrote about the Stahl House in a post here, back in 2017 (was it really that long ago?).

The Stahl House--or Case House Study #22--was built in 1959 by Pierre Koenig in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles as part of the Case Study House program sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine (previous prestigious homes in that series include the Charles and Ray Eames House or Case Study House #8, previously here). The Stahl family commissioned Koenig to build their dream house on the lot they had purchased four years earlier.

Recently, Architectural Digest made a short film in which siblings Bruce Stahl and Shari Gronwald share the remarkable story of growing up inside Pierre Koenig's iconic mid-century modern masterpiece, from its ambitious construction and groundbreaking steel design to Julius Shulman's world-famous photograph that helped define California modernism. Take a look!

As Bruce and Shari talk about in the video, the Stahl house has been featured in so many advertisements, films and television shows over the years. Films include "Smog" (1962); "The First Power" (1990); "The Marrying Man" (1991); "Corrina, Corrina" (1994); "Playing by Heart" (1998), where Jon Stewart’s character lived; "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" (1998); "Galaxy Quest" (1999), where Tim Allen's character lived; "The Thirteenth Floor" (1999); "Nurse Betty" (2000); and "Where the Truth Lies" (2005). Television shows include "Adam-12"; "Emergency!"; and "Columbo." The house can also be seen in the music videos for "I Don't Wanna Stop" (2003) by ATB, "Missing Cleveland" by Scott Weiland, and "Release Me" by Wilson Phillips.

Here is a shot from the "Columbo" episode...

...and it even showed up on an episode of "The Simpsons!"

The Stahl House was declared a Historic-Cultural landmark of the City of Los Angeles in 1999. In 2007, the American Institute of Architects listed the Stahl House as one of the top 150 structures on their “America’s Favorite Architecture” list, one of only 11 in Southern California. The house was included in a list of all time top 10 houses in Los Angeles in a Los Angeles Times survey of experts in December 2008. In 2013, the Stahl House became listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

You can visit this historic landmark on guided tours offered by the Stahl House, Inc.
Visit http://stahlhouse.com/ for more information.

Happy designing!

Famous Homes In Art: The Stahl House by Laurence Jones

Since this is "Famous Homes" month (we just took a look at the amazing Habitat 67 last time), I thought I would share some art by Laurence Jones who is clearly enamored--and rightly so--with the Mid-Century Modern masterpiece that is known as The Stahl House. I posted about the history of The Stahl House in an installation of Famous Homes here. And Jones wonderfully captures the angular beauty of the clean lines and stunning view of Los Angeles glittering below.

See more of Jones' odes to Mid-Century architecture at his site here.

And you can visit The Stahl House...more information can be found here.

Happy designing!

STUA at The Stahl

Hot on the heels of last week's post about the iconic Mid-Century Modern home The Stahl House, here is Spanish furniture manufacturer STUA's special line of furniture they created with Design Within Reach...and photographed in The Stahl House itself!

STUA furnishings at The Stahl House

The STUA Costura sofa and Solapa and Marea tables in the living area

The STUA Laclasica dining chair in a black finish

Left, the Deneb table and benches, Onda stools at the bar, and the Globus chair at the rear

The STUA Globus chair and the Deneb table and benches

The STUA Deneb table and benches

The STUA Gas swivel chair with black leather back and seat

The STUA Marea side table

Happy designing!

Famous Homes: The Stahl House

There have always been homes, houses, and residences--sometimes palaces--throughout history that were or became highly influential to architecture and interior design. Let's examine one of these homes...which I'm sure you have seen in magazines, advertisements, or film or television shows.

The Stahl House--or Case House Study #22--was built in 1959 by Pierre Koenig in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles as part of the Case Study House program sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine (previous prestigious homes in that series include the Charles and Ray Eames House or Case Study House #8, previously here). The Stahl family commissioned Koenig to build their dream house on the lot they had purchased four years earlier. And that house was destined to become an icon. In 1960, legendary architectural photographer Julius Shulman took a photo of an image of two women sitting in the cantilevered section of the living room overlooking a night time view of Los Angeles and the rest is history.

The house's entrance guides visitors past a courtyard and pool into a public space area consisting of living room, dining room, and kitchen that is composed of steel and glass.

Of course the main feature of The Stahl House is the view and kitchen cabinetry is hung high and the fireplace is open so nothing impedes sight lines.

Like I mentioned, the Stahl house has been featured in so many advertisements, films and television shows over the years. Films include "Smog" (1962); "The First Power" (1990); "The Marrying Man" (1991); "Corrina, Corrina" (1994); "Playing by Heart" (1998), where Jon Stewart’s character lived; "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" (1998); "Galaxy Quest" (1999), where Tim Allen's character lived; "The Thirteenth Floor" (1999); "Nurse Betty" (2000); and "Where the Truth Lies" (2005). Television shows include "Adam-12"; "Emergency!"; and "Columbo." The house can also be seen in the music videos for "I Don't Wanna Stop" (2003) by ATB, "Missing Cleveland" by Scott Weiland, and "Release Me" by Wilson Phillips.

Here is a shot from the "Columbo" episode...

...and it even showed up on an episode of "The Simpsons!"

The Stahl House was declared a Historic-Cultural landmark of the City of Los Angeles in 1999. In 2007, the American Institute of Architects listed the Stahl House as one of the top 150 structures on their “America’s Favorite Architecture” list, one of only 11 in Southern California. The house was included in a list of all time top 10 houses in Los Angeles in a Los Angeles Times survey of experts in December 2008. In 2013, the Stahl House became listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

You can visit this historic landmark on guided tours offered by the Stahl House, Inc.
Visit http://stahlhouse.com/ for more information.

Happy designing!

The Modern Christmas Tree

Last holiday season, I created a post called "The Non Traditional Holiday Tree" seen here, and the first photo showed a minimal tree made out of rings and ornaments only. I did not have a source for the tree but I have since discovered that it is The Modern Christmas Tree, invented by Bud Stoecker. The official website tells the story:

"In 2011 Matthew Bliss, as an ode to his grandfather, re-created his grandfather’s design of the Modern Christmas Tree and made it available to the public. Originating in the 1960s, Bliss’ grandfather, an Engineer and architect known as Lawrence “Bud” Stoecker, designed the first Modern Christmas Tree from cardboard. Bud loved to build A-Frame modern style homes making the Modern Christmas a natural fit for him. Over the years the trees design was refined, moving from cardboard, to Masonite, to Plexiglas and the ornaments were updated for aesthetic fine turning. Today the trees are designed in a range of acrylics and the ornaments are classic globes and chandelier crystals for sparkle and shine."

The tree is available in classic Pearl, shown above, but also in Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire seen in the following photos.

The tree was photographed in a few Mid-Century and classic Modernist houses including the famous Stahl House in Los Angeles...

...and the Sculptured house or Sleeper House in Colorado.

If you'd like a Modern Christmas Tree for the fast approaching holidays, you can buy one from their website!
http://www.modernchristmastrees.com/

Happy designing!