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A Couple Celebrity Homes in Architectural Digest

When Hollywood celebrities shop for real estate, they seem to congregate in and around Los Angeles, where the famous hillside neighborhoods offer spectacular views of sunny Southern California. Once a big, beautiful house has been purchased, though, everyone likes to put his or her own stamp on the property. That’s when folks like Michael Bay (Transformers, Pearl Harbor) and Brian Grazer (Splash, Apollo 13) call on Rios Clementi Hale Studios.

AD_MichaelBayHomeMichael Bay residence, Los Angeles hills

“Miami architect Chad Oppenheim came up with the original concept for the 30,000-square-foot, three-story dwelling, modeling its sculptural massing of rectilinear forms and astonishing cantilevers after an unrealized proposal he had for a group of Caribbean villas. ‘I wanted the house to have the feel of a resort,’ recalls Bay, who is based in Miami but uses the residence for parties and relaxation during trips to L.A. ‘I looked at the first sketch Chad showed me and said, ‘That’s the house I want!” Architect Mark Rios of the L.A. firm Rios Clementi Hale Studios, in turn, translated that vision into nuts-and-bolts reality, collaborating closely with decorator Lorraine Letendre, who created the main living and bedroom spaces. Designer Lynda Murray, meanwhile, tackled the spa, gym, and lower-level guest quarters. Add to this formidable roster of talent a battalion of contractors, engineers, artisans, and consultants, and one 
begins to fully grasp the ambition of the undertaking.” Excerpt from AD.com; read full article here.

AD_BrianGrazerHomeBrian Grazer residence, Pacific Palisades neighborhood

‘A 12,000-square-foot behemoth in Santa Monica initially seemed anything but promising… Grazer’s friend Brad Grey, chairman of Paramount Pictures, introduced him to architect Mark Rios, founding principal of the L.A. firm Rios Clementi Hale Studios, who saw in the long, central volume at the heart of the existing hodgepodge the makings of a sleek contemporary barn. That design conceit, however, wasn’t an easy sell. ‘To Brian, the word barn wasn’t positive,’ Rios recalls. ‘It sounded too country. Then I showed him some Swiss houses that are tied to that vernacular but are very modern, and gradually he came around.’ Rios streamlined the main body of the house, removing a number of unnecessary and visually disruptive architectural protuberances, skimming dormers and clerestories, and staining the cedar façade a color that matched the slate roof to achieve a crisp, harmonious whole. “I wanted the house to have a tailored quality,” says the architect. ‘Self-assured without being grand.’ Excerpt from AD.com; read full article here.

Pick up the Celebrity Homes edition of Architectural Digest next month to read the full profiles of these two gorgeous projects. Congratulations to Mark Rios on this success!

Shout-out Credit:

Alicia K. Igram, AAI, VP & Branch Rep
Design & Consulting Liability Specialist
IOA Insurance Services – Aliso Viejo, CA
Email: Alicia.Igram@ioausa.com / Phone: 949-680-1789