The Fudger House, the Los Angeles estate where Howard Hughes once hung his hat, popped up for sale this month with a $23 million asking price. The 1926-built Spanish Revival estate occupies a .69-acre corner of Hancock Park; it is situated on the border of the Wilshire Country Club, and overlooks the eighth green of the club golf course.
Even a quick look at the home’s exterior proves it out as a genuinely eclectic Spanish-style, with the ranch elements of Spanish and Mexican Colonial — including arcades, a loggia, and a porte-cochere leading to a combination motor court and courtyard — and the full-width rear balcony of a Monterey Colonial.
In its current iteration, the home begins with a slam-bang foyer where original hardwood door, terra-cotta tile floor, and groin vaulted ceiling are enhanced by a daring prime color treatment. As the house progresses, it becomes clear that the original details prevail throughout, with flooring, fireplaces, staircase risers and ceiling timber all contributing to the effect.
In rooms where updates are considered essential, and if a trifle ostentatious they marry the flash with a tasteful utility. The kitchen’s a good example, balancing out the brassy glare of the backsplash, countertop and pendants with natural materials, the whole given context in a breathtaking sense of space. Nicely done.
Eight bedrooms and ten baths across 10,179 sq. ft. of interior living area. Amenities include a guest unit. And an exterior that’s as asymmetrical and varied as the most delirious and dedicated lover of period L.A. Spanish-style mansions could possibly desire.
