Stunning Hollywood Vistas Persuaded This Homeowner to Buy a Fixer-Upper

Sold by the view of Hollywood Boulevard, this homeowner decided to undertake a major renovation to restore this Spanish-style Hollywood home to its original 1935 charm.

November 04, 2020

By: Kassondra Cloos

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This Spanish Colonial Home Gets Stellar Views of Hollywood Boulevard

When Charles Moreland first toured this 1935 home on Hollyvista Avenue, in Los Angeles, he says he “ran screaming from it.” Previous owners had built additions that didn’t work with the original vibe of the home, and it looked like it hadn’t been updated since the mid-70s — at best. But the views and sunsets won Charles over pretty quickly, and he’s renovated the home into something he imagines the original owner might be proud of.

Reminiscent of Original Spanish Colonial Style

Charles’s vision for this home has always been to “return it to what I thought I should have seen when I opened the door.” Now that it’s finished, the home’s grand features do indeed start right at the front door, which is oversized and opens to a tiled entryway reminiscent of Spanish haciendas.

It Took More Than a Decade to Renovate This 3,600-Square Foot Home

Charles moved into this house in 2002, and spent more than 10 years renovating it while he lived there. The house is now for sale via ACME Real Estate in Los Angeles. This room, what Charles calls the “grand room,” was in the worst shape when he bought it, he says. The house is built on a hillside and needed to be leveled out. After that literal facelift, Charles installed these hardwood floors to match the design of the home.

Charles Gutted This "Grand Room" to Open Up the Space

When Charles first moved into this house, the grand room had a loft built into it, with a staircase right in the middle of the room. He lived there for a while as he worked on the rest of the home, but eventually removed it and played up this room as a bright and airy living space. Throughout the home, Charles wanted to “absolutely maximize the space,” so he installed custom built-ins made by Pasadena craftsman Nick Morales.

Exposed Beams Make the Living Areas Feel Even Grander

Charles and his wife, musician Cindy Alexander, have decorated the home with art they’ve collected from Cindy’s grandparents, who were artists. The charcoal drawing in the back right corner is one of their favorite pieces. Cindy’s grandparents went on an art tour in Italy in the 1960s and saw the artist make a charcoal sketch of a painting he wanted to do, and then move to toss the sketch in the trash. They asked him if they could have it, and got him to sign the sketch he had almost discarded.

The View From the Master Suite

This is the view that made Charles turn around and put an offer on this home before seeing any others, even though he knew it would be a years-long project to renovate it. “I couldn’t peel myself away from the fact that it was sitting in such a great location,” he says. “It was literally the first house I went touring, as well, and I just made an offer.” During the Christmas season, you can see the lights on the Capitol Records building from here, he says, and it’s “pretty spectacular.”

The In-Room Tub Also Takes Advantage of the Hollywood Scenery

Charles turned the wall on the left into three massive glass doors that open out onto a balcony, and installed the tub in the center of the room to be able to enjoy the view of Hollywood Boulevard. The beams were installed to support the lofted ceiling.

This Built-In Headboard Was Custom-Made to Match the Home's Features

This gorgeous built-in headboard was created by the same craftsman who made most of the rest of the cabinets in the home, Nick Morales. You can see the view of Hollywood Boulevard — and its stunning sunsets — from bed.

Colorful Tiles Make for Statement Staircases

This home has seven staircases, and each floor is offset so that there are many different levels. Originally, the home’s staircases were covered in ugly carpeting, Charles says, and he found gorgeous mahogany underneath when he ripped it out. Ultimately they needed to be replaced, and he went with oak treads and wrought iron railings. The tiles were sourced from Mission Tile West in South Pasadena.

The Open-Plan Kitchen Plays With Colors Found Elsewhere in the House

Charles says he’s always loved ocean blues mixed with rich browns, which is why he chose this color palette for the kitchen — even the knobs on the oven match and bring it all together.

This Blue Bathroom Echoes the Kitchen

This bathroom is right off the kitchen, and you can see the blues of one room from the other. Charles says the two rooms are meant to match one another, both with lively powder blue hues and deep brown cabinets. These cabinets were also made by Pasadena craftsman Nick Morales.

A Warm Orange Paint Job Cozies Up This Guest Room

Throughout the house, Charles has installed understated lighting, like this simple but elegant chandelier, to warm up the airiness of the home without distracting from its natural beauty. Peach-toned walls blend well with the dark hardwood floors in this guest bedroom, giving the room a cozy feel.

A Former Storage Space

The mother-in-law unit used to have a large area that was basically just storage, Charles says. He added windows and divided the space into two separate rooms that make cozy bedrooms. Built-in shelving helps maximize the space.

A Work-From-Home Office Alcove

This corner of one of the two bedrooms made from the former bonus room/storage area is a perfect little writing nook or home office space. When Charles bought the house, he decided to put windows in this space to make it more livable.

Sunken Guest Suite Makes Ideal Music Room

Charles and his wife, Cindy, are both musicians. They took advantage of the basement suite —which once served as an apartment for one of the home’s original owners — to make a music room. “The hillside has natural soundproofing qualities,” Charles said, though the couple added additional soundproofing.

This Basement Area Has Been Converted to a Home Recording Studio

This cozy area used to be a mother-in-law unit that was really just a glorified basement, Charles says. He renovated it to make it a much more welcoming and versatile space, with soundproofing that allows it to function as a home recording studio.

Mountain Views Make This Patio Spectacular

Throughout Charles and Cindy’s house, Charles made efforts to bring the outdoors in. With floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors that offer sweeping views of the natural beauty of Los Angeles, you’re never far from a stunning vista. But it’s the balcony and patio areas that really make the space special. How could you ever stay indoors with sunsets like this?

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Photo By: Sam Wadieh

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