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Neutra in La Crescenta.....
The other day I visited one of the few Richard Neutra Houses still in its original setting. Where most of Neutra’s other houses have had to deal with privacy from new houses being constructed around them, the “Serulnic” House, on a hillside in La Crescenta, is surrounded by 6 acres of land.
The house was built in 1952 for Neutra’s secretary Dorothy Serulnic and her husband; a musician with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Los Angeles artists Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell with Olive, the Dachshund, bought the house two years ago from the original owner.
It is a brilliant house, not nostalgic at all, in many ways more modern than houses constructed today.
The original drawings are in the UCLA archives but the new owners have the cost analysis sheet which lists the price of buying the property, engineering the driveway, leveling out the plateau, the materials and the construction of the house. The total cost estimate, written by hand, came to $25,000......... Lari and Olive took me around...... Lari talked about buying the house and how happy they all are living there..... Olive, very possessive of the house, agreed.... In Lari’s words with kk’s photos....
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
We looked and looked and looked, having decided it could be any kind of architecture as long as it was in its original language. Everything we saw had been ruined so when we came up here there was no doubt in our minds.
We also loved the feeling of the desert in the air and have been concentrating on the landscaping which was all English and not at all right for this dry climate.
We were lucky the owner, having turned down several buyers with children, liked us and agreed to sell the house knowing we would take very good care of it.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The main entrance with the reflective pond; a frequent Neutra feature. Neutra, having a sense of humor, placed a red circle to cover an interior bookcase.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
It is a very humble house, only 1,380 square feet, but it was in very good condition and it feels much larger because we always keep it open to nature. We get the breeze from the sea but Neutra situated the house so that it always remains sunny, even in the winter.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
Everything is built in and original.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The Master Bedroom opens up to the terrace and nature. The only thing that needs updating is the bathroom.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The hallway is open allowing for the natural light to enter.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The fireplace is also original.
Photo: Kirsten Kiser
Neutra grated the land creating all the different levels.
We are in the process of building an outdoor living room and kitchen on one plateau. The plans, by young architect Roger White, are being very sensitive to the house.
Eventually we will also have our studios on another plateau as well as a swimming pool.
June 14, 2004