Flickers of a bygone era
Location: Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Asking price: $4.55 million
Previously sold: For $40,000 in December 1949; it was listed for sale in September 2005 for $4,595,000.
Size: There are seven bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms in 5,555 square feet. The lot is 29,400 square feet.
About this home: After Gerry Kimbrough moved into the home of her husband, Arthur, in 1976 -- he bought it in 1949 -- she started a remodeling project that she says is remarkable more for what she didn't do than for what she did. Determined to maintain the integrity of the original design, she kept the home's cathedral ceilings and large windows and refurbished the hardwood floors. She augmented the decorative black marble of the living room fireplace and foyer with lighter marble, which she also installed in the grand staircase. She updated the kitchen but kept the original kitchen cabinets and turned the antique icebox in the pantry into a storage unit. The Warners' basement water heater, a permanent fixture, was painted with an "Art Deco feel." The remodeled basement, which today is a bonus room, has marble floors and remnants of Warner's movie projection booth. Kimbrough added decorative touches to the dining room but kept the chandelier her husband installed after he bought the house. She remodeled the pool and deck and added lighting and fountains to the backyard.
Additional features: The home has formal living and dining rooms, a family room and a sitting room in the master suite. The estate has two maids' rooms, a detached guest house with full kitchen and bathroom, and a tennis court.
Around the neighborhood: Twenty-one single-family homes sold in the 90020 ZIP Code through August this year, according to MDA DataQuick. The median price was $2,302,500. From January through December 2007, 30 homes sold and the median price was $1,497,500. There are 18 single-family homes listed for sale in Hancock Park. The least expensive, at $2,348,000, has four bedrooms and four bathrooms in 4,361 square feet. The most expensive, at $17.5 million, has eight bedrooms and 10 1/2 bathrooms in 14,071 square feet.
Listing agent: John Yarborough and Rob Lane, Hilton & Hyland Realty, (310) 345-4121
