Designed by Landry Design Group

From the architects:

The elegant aesthetics of a 1858m² home in Beverly Hills designed by Landry Design Group (LDG) are inspired by elements of classic French châteaux and modern architecture, both styles the firm’s homeowner is passionate about.

The result is a unique hybrid that successfully demonstrates how seamlessly disparate architectural concepts can be unified in a single structure.

“Our homeowner, a hospitality industry entrepreneur, came to us with the challenge of creating a ‘forever home’ by marrying his love of both formal French châteaux – the iconic Hotel Du Cap on the Côte d’Azur is among his favourites – and contemporary design,” says Mark Savary, associate at Los Angeles-based LDG.

Set on a 0.4ha lot, the home possesses the grace of an exclusive small hotel, making it ideal for the philanthropic owner’s large-scale entertaining events, while also offering the intimacy of a family home.

“For our architectural thesis we created a hybrid language by taking elements from traditional French architecture and simplifying them to their purest forms,” says the architect.

He says the front façade was conceived to evoke the symmetry and balance of the classical style, with a prominent central focus flanked by vertical ‘bookends’.

The home is clad in Indiana silver buff limestone, and LDG infused the façade with warmth and textural intrigue by using both honed and split-face finishes.

“Our design began with the geometry and proportions of a formal, traditional château, taking traditional details and reinventing them in contemporary ways,” says Savary.

“On the exterior, openings are surrounded by slots of light, replacing the more expected decorative mouldings.

“The cobblestone driveway recalls old streets in Europe, while maintaining a more refined appearance.

“And the hybrid theme is also carried into the home, where simple light coves border the ceiling in place of traditional crown mouldings.”

Savary says that the interplay between solids and voids contributes to a design that honours historic precedents while being thoroughly modern in style.

“Inside, we adopted a concept of axial circulation around a central core that serves as the foyer and primary vertical circulation – the foyer’s glass-topped rotunda is carved out of a simple block form and surrounded by a void that creates the main circulation for the house, with twin curvilinear staircases adding additional drama.”

Given his background, the Las Vegas-based owner sought a layout evocative of a grand hotel, with expansive common areas that transition to a symmetry of private spaces that are refined yet intimate.

The main circulation flows directly through the centre of the house to the rear yard where the traditional ‘grand lawn’ is recreated, and an uninterrupted line of sight enhances the concept.

However, the formal living spaces of historic châteaux have been replaced with rooms that reflect the owner’s 21st century lifestyle, which prioritises space for an office and theatre on the first floor, as well as entertainment-oriented venues such as a luxurious bar and seductively illuminated wine cellar/tasting room that accommodates over 5,000 bottles.

Like most LDG designs, the home provides exceptional connectivity to the natural environment, including a retractable 15.2m wall of glass in the great room, enhancing an indoor-outdoor lifestyle reminiscent of a resort hotel.

“Lush landscaping and gardens surround the home with modern interpretations of traditional French topiaries and espalier walls, reinforcing the contemporary château theme,” says Savary.

On the main level, water and fire features are integrated into expansive terraces, while an upstairs deck provides generous outdoor living spaces adjoining the primary suite.

The homeowner refers to his home as ‘Papillon’ (butterfly in French) and a 2.7m-high butterfly sculpture called ‘Dream Machine’, by prominent artist Rubem Robierb, strategically positioned in the rear of the home, reinforces the title.

Among other similarly themed pieces throughout the property is a spectacular chandelier consisting of 350 hand-blown glass butterflies suspended from the glass rotunda in the soaring foyer, designed by interior designer Philip Nimmo and Windfall Contemporary Crystal Lighting, as well as striking butterfly door handles from Savoy Studios, also in the foyer.

Some of the home’s walls are clad in black glass, with Nimmo saying, “The reflective material works in contrast to the limestone and stirs up a sexy, mysterious and dramatic energy.”

The designer curated a sophisticated collection of modern, theatrical furnishings that includes sleek chrome end tables from J. Wade Beam and a Dakota Jackson coffee table in the lounge, and various pieces from Fendi Casa throughout the house.

Several modern pieces, such as an impressive 6.7m dining table, were custom-made in the designer’s own studio, Philip Nimmo Ironworks, while the futuristic Prestige B-262 grand piano from Hungarian virtuoso Gergely Bogányi is a focal point in the great room.

An eclectic, museum-quality art collection is showcased throughout the home, including works from world-renowned artists like Damien Hirst, whose massive ‘Cantor’ is another butterfly-themed piece, and ‘In The Garden’, by photographer Helmut Newton.

Other prominent artists represented include Olivia Steele, Steven Wilson and Philippe Shangti.

When night falls, the setting and home itself transform with the addition of specialty lighting and fire features.

Concealed LED strip lights bring the two-storey water walls to life, while also accentuating the surrounds of each of the openings.

At the smooth stone, a slot of light creates a more linear border, where at the rough stone, the surrounds project forward and are backlit, washing the textured surface of the walls.

These elements create a genuine sense of drama throughout this truly unique property.