$2.7 Million Homes in California

Los Angeles | $2.695 Million

A renovated 1914 house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot

During a recent renovation, this house was reimagined by the designers at Bowen Architecture and byrdesign, who took the elements commonly found in a late 19th-century home — milk-glass pendant lights, intricate millwork, a library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves — and gave them a modern spin.

The property is in the heart of Silver Lake, a few blocks north of a stretch of Sunset Boulevard where there are coffee shops, at least two ramen restaurants and a handful of taco trucks. Less than a mile away are the Silver Lake Dog Park and the trails that wind around the Silver Lake Reservoir. Dodger Stadium is 10 minutes away by car; driving into downtown Los Angeles takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Size: 2,972 square feet

Price per square foot: $907

Indoors: A paved path leads from the sidewalk to the wide front stoop, where a wood-and-glass door opens into a foyer with a checkerboard floor covered in tile imported from England.

Through an arched doorway on the right is a living room with white-oak herringbone floors, street-facing windows and an ornate cast-iron mantel dating to the 1870s.

Beyond the foyer is a family room with more oak flooring. It connects to a bright kitchen with marble counters and appliances integrated into custom cabinetry. The dining room, off the kitchen, has herringbone-patterned oak floors and a glass door that opens to the backyard.

A short corridor off the foyer leads to a guest room big enough to hold a queen-size bed. Next door is a bathroom with hand-finished plaster walls, hexagonal blue tile and a shower behind an arched doorway.

From the foyer, a wood staircase with hand-turned balusters leads to the second floor. At the top of the stairs is a grand library with floor-to-ceiling bookcases.

At the end of a hall that extends off the library is the primary suite, which has an old-fashioned claw-foot tub in the bedroom, between the bed and the Juliet balcony; a closet with custom-designed storage; and a bathroom with goldtone hardware, a marble vanity and penny-tile floors. Closer to the library are two guest rooms of roughly equal size that share a hallway bathroom with a combination tub and shower.

The staircase continues up to the third floor, where the designers were inspired by the traditional Parisian garret to create a den with built-in reading nooks and an open space large enough to hold a sofa and dining table. Behind a wood door is the home’s fourth bathroom, which has a claw-foot tub and a porcelain pedestal vanity.

A detached studio with wood floors and high ceilings is accessible from the backyard.

Outdoor space: From the dining room, outdoor steps lead down to a large backyard with a wood deck, a paved patio and a central gravel space framed by drought-tolerant plants and mature trees.

Taxes: $33,684 (estimated)

Contact: Jacqueline Cahen, Compass, 310-200-3480; compass.com

San Diego | $2.65 Million

A Spanish-style house built in 1929, with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot

Many of the homes in this neighborhood, known as Kensington, were built in the late 1920s, as this one was. It retains its original facade and many interior details, including tile and woodwork. The property is about a mile from Adams Avenue, where popular spots including a historic movie theater, an organic grocery store and a park that is home to a branch of the public library.

Two college campuses are within easy commuting distance: The University of California San Diego is 20 minutes away, and San Diego State University is about a 15-minute drive. Interstate 8 and Interstate 15 both pass through the neighborhood, and downtown San Diego is a 15-minute drive.

Size: 2,853 square feet

Price per square foot: $929

Indoors: From the sidewalk, a long walkway leads to the front door, flanked by palm trees.

To the left of the entry hall is a living room with a fireplace, exposed ceiling beams and French doors that open to a family room, a space that could also function as a dining room or a playroom.

To the right of the front door is a home office that was once the dining room. The new dining room is at the center of the first floor, with a graphic Spanish-tile floor and folding glass doors that open to the patio; formerly an outdoor porch, it was enclosed by a previous owner.

Off the dining room is an updated kitchen with cherry-wood cabinets and stainless-steel appliances, including a Wolf range. Also off the dining room are a powder room and a closet, both with original crystal doorknobs.

The poured-concrete staircase that rises from the foyer is original, as is the wrought-iron railing. At the top of the stairs is a bedroom with a window overlooking a palm tree in front of the house; next door is a green-and-black-tiled bathroom with a separate tub and shower framed by arches.

To the right of the landing is the primary bedroom, which has a Juliet balcony overlooking the backyard and a walk-in closet with the original stucco walls and new built-in shelving.

At the far end of the hallway is a third bedroom big enough for a full-size bed and a desk. Directly across the hall is the fourth bedroom, which has another Juliet balcony. A black-and-white-tiled bathroom is also on this side of the house.

A long, covered balcony off the hallway offers views of the neighborhood.

Outdoor space: A patio running along the back of the house, paved with Saltillo tile and framed in brick, has space for a dining table and a sofa. A built-in barbecue is off to one side of a large, wooden pergola; a stone fountain is on the other side. A sunken area with a built-in bench provides additional seating, and there are more palm trees on the far side of the grassy backyard. The detached garage has two parking spots, and there is room for three more cars in the driveway.

Taxes: $33,120 (estimated)

Contact: Kate Milke, Coronado Island Realty, 619-933-5319; coronado-realty.com

Corte Madera | $2.695 Million

A 1959 ranch house with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot

Like many towns in the area, Corte Madera was once a hub of lumber industry activity (its name roughly translates to ‘cut wood’ in Spanish). Today, it is popular with Bay Area residents looking for a small-town atmosphere less than an hour from downtown San Francisco.

This house is in the Madera Gardens neighborhood, about half a mile from Neil Cummins Elementary School; a middle school and a high school are also nearby. Corte Madera Town Park, a green space with a children’s playground and a skateboarding area, is about a half mile away, and various shopping and dining options are about five minutes away by car.

Size: 2,150 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,253

Indoors: A low wooden fence divides the yard from the sidewalk, and a paved path leads to the Dutch door in front. From the entry hall, hardwood floors continue into a living area with a fireplace flanked by built-in shelving and cabinetry; sliding-glass doors that open to the backyard; and an adjoining bonus room with heated tile floors. Pocket doors separate the bonus room from a bedroom with access to a side patio.

Through the living room is a dining area that faces a recently renovated kitchen with an oversized center island, custom cabinets with quartz counters and new appliances, including a Wolf range. A hallway off the kitchen leads to a laundry-and-storage room and a door connecting the house to the attached garage.

A powder room off the entry hall has a pedestal sink and wallpaper printed with bluebirds.

A glass door in the living room connects the entertaining spaces to the bedroom wing. To the immediate left is a bedroom with hardwood floors and a mirrored wall closet. A few paces beyond is the primary bedroom, which has access to the back patio and an en suite bathroom with slate-tile floors and a walk-in shower trimmed with white subway tile. Opposite the primary suite is another bedroom; the bathroom next door has a white vanity and a combination tub and shower.

Outdoor space: A brick patio wraps around the house, offering plenty of spaces that could hold dining tables and outdoor cooking equipment. The backyard is flat, with garden boxes and mature trees lining the perimeter and a hot tub in one corner. The garage has two parking spots and room for storage.

Taxes: $33,684 (estimated)

Contact: Jason Lewis, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, 415-971-6868; sothebysrealty.com

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