Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Bacon and Sedgwick Snag West Coast Pied a Terre

BUYERS: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick
LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA
PRICE: $2,500,000
SIZE: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: We know we aren't the first property gossip to ride this particular bull at the celebrity real estate rodeo—that honor goes to a long-legged gal at Trulia—but we're giving a go around anyways...

Some of the many high profile people and celebrities who lost their proverbial shirts in the dirty terlit swirl that developed after the implosion of disgraced Wall Streeter Bernie Madoff's pernicious Ponzi scheme were long-married actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick.

Obviously Your Mama ain't privy to the exact amount of dough lost by Mister Bacon and Miz Sedgwick but it was significant enough that she described the pocketbook punishment in 2009 to the people at People as "painful." Miz Sedgwick went on to point out that many "lost a lot more" and acknowledged that despite their losses she and Mister Bacon "have a lot of things to be grateful for." That there, children, is some capital C Celebrity Class for y'all. The lady showed her fans the respect of honesty about her situation and humbly recognized she remains one of the financially and professionally fortunate.

Anyhoo, whatever pecuniary pinch they may have felt due to Old Man Madoff's Machiavellian monetary maneuvers seems to have been rectified as evidenced, perhaps, by the $2,500,000 the East Coast-based couple coughed up in early December (2011) to acquire a very contemporary pied-a-terre in Los Angeles, CA. Certainly the Showbiz veterans have together and separately spent a great deal of time in Los Angeles but this is, as far as Your Mama knows, the first residence Miz Sedgwick and/or Mister Bacon have owned in Tinseltown.

Records we peeped reveal the property, which cleaves a steep hillside and offers a direct view across a wide canyon to the south slope of Mount Hollywood and the gorgeous Griffith Park Observatory, was sold by Lia Vollack, a hard-charging music/film industry executive who showed up in January (2012) at a very respectable number 51 on the Billboard Power 100. Miz Vollack purchased the property, as per Property Shark, in March 2007 for $2,450,000.

Not all online listings for the property indicate the square footage of the two-and-some story hill climber but the Los Angeles County Tax Man puts it at 2,760 square feet, a figure that may or may not be accurate. Trulia shows the house has 2 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms while listing information on Redfin states the updated, upgraded and fully re-worked residence was originally built in 1957 and contains a total of 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, a count we're pretty sure (but not certain) includes the lower level guest suite and separate flex-use space suitable for use as any number of things such as (but far from limited to) an office, gym, Zumba studio or model train making workshop.

A set of concrete steps climb from the street up the lushly landscaped hillside to the front door, an over-sized wood and glass thing that looks to Your Mama like it may have been inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright or some such person. The airy, light-filled lower level through entry has some sort of tile underfoot we suspect is limestone or some other luscious material and not some plain old ceramic stuff. A floating, geometrically-minded switchback staircase dramatically constructed with a glass, wood and steel framework and what may or may not be terrazzo treads connects to the main living/entertaining spaces on the upper level.

The open plan space has an architecturally warm palette of wood and stone and includes a step down "formal" living area with chunky stacked stone fireplace, expensive looking hardwood floors—teak? mahogany? ipe?—the run perpendicular to the wood slats on the high pitched ceiling, and two walls of floor-to-ceiling wood-framed glass sliders that provide tree top, canyon and Griffith Park Observatory views.

For better or worse, a grid of pot lights stand in stead of a proper chandelier or pendant fixture in the terrazzo-floored "formal" dining area that's open to the well-equipped kitchen over a boxcar-sized center work island with breakfast bar. The adjoining family room/den has built-in bookcases along one entire wall and on another a row wood-framed sliders that lead to a terrace tucked into the hillside with built-in barbecue center behind which a cantilevered staircase winds up to a brilliant roof deck with panty-dropping view across the canyon to the Griffith Park Observatory.

The master bedroom itself, in which the previous owner quite curiously installed deep periwinkle wall-to-wall carpeting, isn't particularly large but does includes a variety of choice amenities such as a sky light or two, a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows that slide open to a balance beam-slim balcony with canyon and Griffith Park Observatory views and, as per listing information, his and her closets and bathrooms.

A little known addendum to Your Mama's Big Book of Decorating Do's and Don'ts offers the children additional anecdotal guidance on the mercurial art of harmonious and stylish living. Suggestion 1 says, of course, "A well-stocked booze cabinet is a person's best defense against loneliness and isolation since even the least self-destructive hooch hound will drive ten or maybe even 12 miles out of his or her way for a few free drinks."

Suggestion 7 reads, "Everyone needs their own private Idaho to store their undergarments and outer fashions. If (and always when) space allows, cohabitating couples, those married before God and government and otherwise, ought not share closet space or dresser drawers." Your Mama—who is all but slovenly—and the Dr. Cooter—who is decidedly not—would surely be divorced by now iffin we had to share closets. But we digress.

Both the "formal" living and dining areas open through wide expanses of windows to the adult-oriented outdoor areas that include a small, free-form swimming pool, raised spa set into flagstone terracing and, at the front of the property, a lounging deck eclipsed by a dead-on view of—you got it—the Griffith Park Observatory.

Property records and other online databases show Miz Sedgwick and Mister Bacon also maintain a couple of homes on the east coast that include a roughly 40-acre rural spread in Sharon, CT it appears they scooped up in the late 1990s as well as a sprawling high-floor co-operative apartment in a particularly stunning Beaux Arts building built in 1906 and situated directly across the street from Central Park.

listing photos: The Agency via Trulia

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

love these two. until i remember i'm not as happy or successful. then i hate them.

Anonymous said...

Everyone needs to their own private Idaho

I'm sure that should say, "everyone needs their own private Idaho" I actually only mentioned it because is reminded me of the old line by long-dead comedian Milt Kamen that, "Wyoming is nothing more than the closet space that doesn't exist in New York City". I'm not sure that was worth the effort, but there ya go.

This house really left me rather cold, but it obviously heated up the Bacon, so it's probably just me.

lil' gay boy said...

I must say i did greatly admire the class & restraint the couple displayed when Madoff fleeced them. It is no wonder you never see their names in any tabloids at the supermarket checkout.

Right up against the street, it's all house and no lot; however, the space, which lacks even a driveway, is still cleverly employed to provide the best California can offer, namely views & outdoor living spaces. Fortunately, the street is too narrow and filled with tight turns at this point, which I would assume reduces traffic somewhat.

Rather than an embarrassing "homage" to Wright, the house does offer a few respectful nods instead ––– if it's not a restoration of the definitive article, it's usually an awkward forgery. This reworking of a '57 era hillside home is more or less successful; I would even venture to say the lack of a chandelier in the dining area works here. With those views, I can imagine an elegant dining experience under those pots on dimmers, cocooned in pools of light...

FonHom said...

I like. I would ask David Lynch (the director) to design some furniture for it. He's made some very nice pieces for his films and the style's in sync with this home. He'd laugh at me, they'll probably have better luck.

The classy couple shopped smart - it doesn't look like it takes a village to keep the place up. If money can't buy you peace and privacy what's the point?

Anonymous said...

$2,500,000 is peanuts for a Tinseltown couple to spend on a house. I would say it indicates they have not fully recovered from the Madoff ripoff.PS Mama, why have you made the anti-robot proof thingy so difficult. Often very hard to make out.

Anonymous said...

Lil' gay, please start your own blog if you feel the need to post almost as much as Mama. I don't care about your lengthy opinion.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:27 it may be peanuts and they may not have the financial power to buy more or may be they live a little tighter now. When people lose a bunch of cash they often remain tight even though they have it to spend. Who knows but I like both of them.

Anonymous said...

These two people are very practical classy people. They may have lost some money, but they certainly have plenty more. Both of them have had very successful careers. However, they already have their large property in CT and a co-op in NYC, so maybe they decided they didn't need a huge, ridicious priced home in LA, too. I like the house. Obviously they do, too. I like this couple a lot.

Don Juan's Wreckless Daughter said...

@Anonymous 3:33pm - I rather like lil' gay boy's regular remarks and presence around Mama's blog.

Anywho, 2.5 ain't bad for digs like that high up in the hills of the 90027 (Los Feliz) - it would easily fetch a mill more in the 90046... and even higher the further west you go... blah blah blah.

I'd take it in a heartbeat.

Anonymous said...

3:33, I like LGB's comments. Feel free to leave at anytime if you like.

This is a decent place for a decent price and they really are a good couple.

Anonymous said...

3:33 I like lil gay boy's regular posts. If you don't like them do the smart thing and simply quietly don't read them and move on down the posts.

I like this house, and I like this couple alot. To think they can't afford more is ridicious. They most certainly could, but they just didn't need or want more. Nice comfortable home.

Bill in Michigan said...

Is that a cut out staircase heading down underneath the pool deck? What purpose do you suppose it serves? Is this where we go when the bombs are about to fall? This is rather odd to see, no?

Anonymous said...

I thought LilGayBoy's comments on this home were particularly relevant. I suppose at this point I would wonder why you read the comments if you don't want to see them???

Also, it might be helpful to know that the "captcha" (anti-robot) thingie, in addition to being invented at Carnegie Mellon University in my home town of Pittsburgh, PA, is actually using our inputs to help automate the digitizing of literature. FWIW.

http://simsblog.typepad.com/simsblog/2009/07/every-time-you-type-a-twoword-captcha-you-are-helping-to-digitize-the-worlds-printed-archives.html

Anonymous said...

Who knows what they can afford? None of us. They strike me as a pretty normal couple (again, who really knows?) who just want a low key, low maintenance, LA crash pad. I doubt they need an 8,000 square foot home. Nice house.

Aunt Gina said...

LGB is one of the most articulate and entertaining posters here, and he should take no notice of nasty Anon. 3:33 whatsoever.

As for the house, my first love is Mid-Century Modern, and this one is to swoon.

exciting LA said...

this house is so slick! the clean lines and use of mixed medium really makes the house come together. the house feels sleek and open without being boring! great property!

Anonymous said...

Kevin has worked pretty steady in movies since they lost that money. So has Kyra with The Closer. There is no doubt that the can afford that house. Kevin also just signed on to do a Kevin Williamson tv show for Fox which I am sure he will make a lot of money on if it is succesful and because he has been asked to do to TV roles for years now. They were also able to keep both their homes on the east coast which tells me that they didn't lose that much.

Anonymous said...

Love this place. It was on the market forever and a day & I would ogle when hiking the Observatory trail (no skinny dipping during the day).

I wish she'd keep doing "The Closer." Oh, well.

As for the jerk who doesn't like LGB's comments, ditto what everyone else said.

Lady J

Blondeguy said...

I think that Anon 3:33 has now been properly reprimanded by the children and should think twice about firing any more caustic remarks in LGB's direction.

Like Lady J, I too would ogle this house when hiking the trails. Love,love,love it.

nursedeb said...

I like LGB's comments also. they are to the point and informative.
I like this house also. classy , yet homey. like the couple!

Anonymous said...

Kevin Bacon is the most under rated actor out there, I remember him and Meg Ryan in the Soap opera days, Good for Kevin, come a long way!!

Anonymous said...

2 of the last real people in hollywood who have stayed grounded. sucks they lost alot of dough.. but it's nice to see rich celebs down on our level.. albeit if only for the short term... imo.

love the house- stays true to socali modern w/amazing views.