You’d expect the home of a real estate mogul to be impressive, but the property at 2703 Nichols Canyon Road, in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, really is something else. A grand Tuscany-inspired villa, with over 4,000 square metres of land attached isn’t what you’d normally expect when considering the hustle and bustle of L.A. But the 725 square metre house is quite literally ensconced within its own Mediterranean-inspired grounds. As you’d expect, its Lebanese-born owner - Gary Safady, president of O&S Holdings LLC - doesn’t exactly settle for mediocrity.
Exhibiting, perhaps, a flair for an understatement, Safady says, “I bought the house because of its unique curb side appeal and I loved the yard and its park-like unique setting.” Quite. For the record, we’re talking about a property that features a private theatre, an enormous family-sized gym, outdoor pools, terraces, and a tower. Yes, a tower. Therefore Mr. Safady’s rather modest terminology leads us to wonder just how exceptional his other properties are. We can only imagine.
Upon entering the property, you are filled with an immediate sense of separation, almost as though it had been designed with escapism in mind. The entrance hall features a stunning rotunda (modelled on the Pantheon of Rome) and the views show off the verdant hillsides surrounding the house and the gardens. Suffice it to say, it all serves to remove you from the outside world and transport you to somewhere altogether different.
The list of features is impressive, the aforementioned gym and theatre are just the beginning. There’s the bell tower, the two-level library with a mezzanine, the stunning master bedroom, the numerous fireplaces; the list goes on. It’s clearly a very personal house, but one that’s been put together with the utmost care and attention to detail, “A spectacular home like this one is quite unique for Los Angeles and this area of Hollywood Hills. It has an undeniable grandeur all the while designed to feel like a chic contemporary five star resort,” says the equally stunning property agent Mia Trudeau of Mia Trudeau Estates.
The Italian influences are clear to see, as Trudeau points out, the entrance, with its classical Roman influences is the perhaps the most striking example. However, the villa as a whole reminds you of the rolling hillsides of Northern Italy, albeit transported into the environs of the Hollywood Hills. This old world ambience extends outward, over the terraces to the gardens, which given the premium we place these days on exterior space and the importance of relaxation, are surely the high point of the property. Water also features strongly in the overall design of these Romanic verges, with classical fountains, wading pools and even a stream adding serenity to the overall effect. Rounding off the lush, green grounds is an orchard of fruit trees that beautifully complete the feeling that life and vitality prevail in these grounds.
The real estate market in the US has hit hard times yet Safadi’s company O&S, which has been involved in projects all over the US, from Louisiana to Los Angeles is apparently doing particularly well across the south and mid-west as a whole. With experience in all aspects of the real estate market, Safady certainly has an eye for a unique property, “I discover the needle in the haystack and have tremendous perseverance,” he says with a smile on his face and a twinkle in the eye. Describing the house as a “showpiece”, Safady is clearly attached to the property, admitting he feels as if he “is in another place” whenever he walks through the door.
As a man who’s worked as a general contractor on his own sites in the past, Safady’s eye for detail is apparent in this Nichols Canyon property, “the interior was completely redone with my taste in mind.” The chic, comfortable lines of the villa certainly invite lazy days away from the office. Modern, yet homely, the house is at once both a designer’s dream and the site of a spacious family home even though Safady is its sole resident.
When asked about his favourite features, Safady answers, with the relaxed confidence of a man who’s created something quite wonderful, “The movie theatre, because I like movies, the kitchen because I like to cook, and the master bedroom because it’s sexy and has good views.” Succinct, yet all true. That, perhaps, is the clearest indication of the innate luxury of this property. Understated, it is not, elegant, it certainly is.
The sweeping hills around Los Angeles are sure to hide many gems, but 2703 Nichols Canyon Road is a jewel in the crown of the Hollywood Hills neighbourhood. The house is a testament to individuality and modernity while harking back to a bygone era. Touches of classic inspiration allied to a more up-to-the-minute lifestyle have resulted in the creation of an incredible private residence, one that is now on the market.
The sale of 2703 Nichols Canyon Road is being handled by Mia Trudeau Estates, www.miatrudeau.com
