The house recently came on the market for $1.85 million.
When the house came out in 1953, people called it the 'House of Imagination' because it had so many features," says listing agent Ashley Novak, who holds the listing for the house with Jonathan Schultz of Compass.
Novak explains that the Dorman's thoughtful design will still resonate with homebuyers in 2023.
The sellers have operated the property since 1967. The buyer will be the third owner of the home and should plan on making some updates.
As a whole, it's definitely a 70-year-old house in need of a revival; but if the right buyer buys it and makes those renovations, it could be one of the coolest houses in Los Angeles, Novak said. In our opinion, this place is already cool.
The 3,375-square-foot home still retains many of its original touches, including birch kitchen cabinets, two wood-burning fireplaces and a few fun surprises.
Novak admits, "One thing I've never seen in any other house is the family room." There is a state-of-the-art entertainment centre ...... which actually folds into the wall. There's also a lift, and the brick floor behind the entry is original.
The three bedrooms are located in one wing and the living space in the other. An enclosed atrium connects the areas, and the now enclosed cantilevered space was once a balcony.
Many floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights bathe the home in natural light.
The front door is one of my favourite features, says Novak. It's on a slide, which is very cool. Initially, you could insert your key into the key slot and it would turn the motor to open automatically. The motor is still there, it just needs to be fixed.
There is also a bedroom and a black and white bathroom downstairs.
Novak explained that the home was originally designed to have a pool in the yard, so the downstairs was originally supposed to be a game room and pool room. But the plans for the pool never materialised, so the current owners converted the space.
"They converted it into an office and bedroom," she says, "and a small studio down there." There's no kitchen, but there's direct access to the backyard.
Novak said there's plenty of room in the backyard if the new homeowners want to build a pool. She noted that the house needs some repairs, including a new roof and an updated electrical system. As for the floor plan, you don't have to make any changes, just redecorate it to bring it up to today's standards.
Novak said several architects have shown interest in the house because of its significance in their field. It definitely needs some updating." But it really could be restored to its 1950s glory days if a Mid-Century Modern aficionado got in and did the right restoration.
