Inside a $7.5 Million Midcentury L.A. House Immortalized by Photographer Julius Shulman

Wendy Bowman
·2 min read

Back in 1957, noted Dutch-born architect Josef Van der Kar was hired to craft this midcentury-modern showpiece for economist and military expert Henry S. Rowen and his wife Beverly. Sited in the Los Angeles community of Pacific Palisades and still known as the Rowen House, records show the residence last traded hands in 1996 when the estate of The Munsters producer Irving H. Paley sold it to negotiation specialist Gary Karrass for $1.3 million.

Now, for the first time in almost 20 years, the stylishly sophisticated gem has just popped up on the market for a smidge under $7.5 million. The listing is held by F. Ron Smith and David Berg of the Smith & Berg Property Group at Compass.

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Rowen House LA
The fireside living room opens to the outdoors on two sides via floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors.

Nestled amid a woodsy parcel of land spanning over an acre, off a secluded road in the coveted Rivas Canyon neighborhood near Will Rogers State Historic Park and the Palisades Village shopping center, this thoughtfully preserved and updated structure features four bedrooms and three baths in a little more than 2,600 square feet of single-level living space. Boasting terrazzo floors and skylights throughout, the place was striking enough to be captured by legendary architectural photographer Julius Shulman in the late ’50s and archived in the Getty Library catalog.

A spacious motor court and a two-vehicle carport front the all-white stucco and brick-accented home, which is topped by a flat roof with overhanging eaves and opens into an entry foyer flanked by a floating wood wall. From there, a fireside living room is lined with floor-to-ceiling walls of glass that spill outside, while a combined dining and family room is spotlighted by built-in cabinetry and a fireplace with a raised hearth. An adjacent galley-style kitchen is outfitted with stone countertops, stainless appliances, and an integrated peninsula with chairs for enjoying casual meals.

Rowen House LA
The sunken tub and floor in the primary bath are bathed in crimson-hued terrazzo.

Sequestered down a hallway are the bedrooms, including one that could easily double as an office and a primary suite that comes with a private patio, dual closets and an era-appropriate bath equipped with a sunken terrazzo tub and shower. Elsewhere are grassy, tree-laced grounds, which host a newly installed pool with a spa and a Baja shelf, plus an expansive pergola-shaded terrace ideal for alfresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also an upgraded sprinkler system.

Click here for more photos of the Pacific Palisades home.

Rowen House LA
Rowen House LA

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