A Camera-Ready Remodel in Los Angeles Asks $789K

By Jennifer Baum Lagdameo

After a multiphase update and an appearance on HGTV, this Montecito Heights midcentury seeks a new owner.

Designed by architect John Lawrence Pugsley, best known for his midcentury commissions in nearby Pasadena, 3877 Latrobe Street was built in 1964 as part of The Cliffs, a modernist development in Montecito Heights, Los Angeles.

Tucked into the hillside and surrounded by greenery, the 1,426-square-foot residence features three bedrooms and two bathrooms in an open floor plan; multiple skylights and well-placed windows bathe the interior with natural light, and balconies on both levels form an outdoor connection.

It wasn’t, however, always like this. “The house, when we bought it, was so dark and gloomy,” say current homeowners Jeffrey Kleeger, an architectural designer, and Elisa Read, a landscape designer and horticulture specialist. They took on several phases of renovation starting in 2008, when the home received a new roof and skylights. They also opened up the kitchen to create an open-plan great room.

After the windows were updated in 2010, the recession stalled further renovation. Then, in 2011, the couple and the house were chosen to appear on an episode of HGTV’s Room Crashers, allowing them to finally “complete their dream” with architect Don Dimster.

The home is full of bespoke touches—including the bright, whimsical mural called Cachickens adorning the interior stairwell, done by the Guatemalan muralist Caché. The couple became friends with Caché when they saw him cleaning up one of his murals along Sunset Boulevard; after they bought the home in 2008, they commissioned the mural.

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