The striking postmodern residence of philanthropist Aileen Getty sold this summer for $16 million. Getty had offered the West Coast hideaway in 2019 with an asking price of $11.995 million; the listing reappeared earlier this year with a $16 million ask. A red-hot real estate market brought the journey to a favorable conclusion.

The house is an unusual take on an East Coast farmhouse, painted a dark matte gray and designed with stark, minimal lines. No surprise that Getty is an artist. The interiors are similarly engaging, Spartan but warm, unaffected but subtly rustic, and a touch cerebral. The centerpiece of the shared living area is a freestanding accent wall inset with a wood-burning fireplace and wood storage niches.

Exterior living spaces edge a bit nearer to well-heeled California ebullience, with a long patio capped with vine-covered pergolas, and a large pool situated at a discreet remove from the home. But most of the 1.8 acres of grounds are occupied by tree-bordered lawn, making the backyard a liberating, green expanse that contrasts very well with the strident lines and thunderhead tone of the home itself.