Few names in the architectural world conjure up such vivid images of Modernist design as the American architect A Quincy Jones. Famed for his clean lines and innovative approach to urban planning, in the rare event that an A Quincy Jones property bounds onto the Los Angeles real estate market, Modernist fans hold their breath, in the hope that the new owner is keen on preserving the Jones trademark style.
In the case of this single-storey Bel Air property, they needn't have worried. The purchaser was real estate developer, Robert Maguire: a keen advocate of Modernist design, who was determined to retain the original features through intelligent remodelling and updating. He enlisted the services of architectural firm, Fisher Partners, and Finton Construction, whose sympathetic redesign of the home resulted in a balance of contemporary comfort and authentic pre-war design.
A subtle, unimposing exterior is enlivened by the original 11-foot-high front doors, which have been coated in a high-gloss red automotive paint. This bold primary hue is a constant theme throughout the property, teamed with its other primary playmates, blue and yellow, to create a bold palette, of which even renowned Modernist artist, Piet Mondrian, would have been proud.
Fisher and Finton talk us through the alterations they made: "The biggest change to the house was the client's request for a large family kitchen space in which to live and entertain, as the original kitchen was designed to be used only by staff. Other changes include modernising the bathrooms, installing new fireplaces, new landscaping, a new pool house and new finishes throughout, including hardwood floors instead of the existing parquet."
Replacing the dated oak parquet with planks of rift-sawn white oak complements the newly replastered fireplace surround in bright matt red.
The kitchen is now a veritable art installation in its own right, designed by luxury kitchen manufacturer, Bulthaup. The architect adds: "[The Mondrian colour scheme] creates a ‘collage' appearance that brings life to the room."
A similar colour scheme has also inspired the bathroom of the cabana, where steel-framed fibreglass panels contrast with teak slats set into the concrete floor. Texture plays an important role in the whole property, an example of which is in the bathroom in the main house, where traditional oak flooring sits happily alongside a wenge vanity and smooth granite is used around the large acrylic tub.
When it came to filling the house with furniture, the owner fused his collection of antiques - including a Biedermiester chest and settee, which now sit in the entrance foyer, and the Regency mahogany table on display in the dining room - with instantly recognisable design classics such as surfboard-shaped tables by Charles and Ray Eames, Antonio Citterio dining chairs and sculptural sofas, and chairs by Californian architect Charles Pfister.
Due to the swathes of light emanating from the skylights and side windows, the house is perfect for exhibiting art, and a characteristically bold collection is proudly displayed throughout. A large John Ulbricht oil-on-canvas portrait of the owner's father welcomes visitors in the entrance foyer, while above the Pfister sofa is a large resin and fibreglass triangular installation by John McCracken. A vast 12-foot-long mixed-media piece by Frank Stella in hues of acidic coral and green provides an interesting contrast to the predominantly primary colour scheme.
Set in ten acres of land, this Bel Air gem also makes the most of the striking views of the J Paul Getty Museum and the Pacific Ocean beyond. With such panoramas outside, and the contemporary reinterpretation of Modernism inside, Finton and Fisher have created a home that A Quincy Jones fans can salute.
