Like something out of a Slim Aarons photograph, the pool lures you in for a quick dip after yoga, while its contoured patio calls for sunset cocktails with friends.

Flight of Fancy

Perched in one of Los Angeles’ most lavish neighborhoods, this modern nest is simultaneously a low-key escape and in the thick of it all.

Words: Shaun Courtney
Images: Matthew Williams andAdrian Anz

Nestled just above the Sunset Strip, the Bird Streets’ avian-themed avenues — Blue Jay Way and Skylark Lane among them — have become synonymous with Hollywood heavyweights who seek refuge but demand access to all LA has to offer. But 9237 Warbler Way, built in 1961 and modernized in 2009, maintains its unruffled composure amid the bustling neighborhood.

Valued for their city and ocean views and proximity to downtown, “the Bird Streets are like a gated community in the Hollywood Hills,” says Jeeb O’Reilly, Estate Director with Compass. O’Reilly would know; she’s made a career of catering to the needs of the area’s A-listers. And an address in the Bird Streets puts its owner in the company of long-time film executives and actors as well as newer arrivals including professional athletes and celebrity DJs.

The sun-drenched study benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows and nonchalant white-oak floors.

“At some point everyone has had a stay in the Bird Streets,” notes O’Reilly, ticking off names like Elton John and George Harrison, among others.
This thoughtfully renovated roost strikes a balance between privacy and connectivity, sand and city.

Verdant landscaping affords both privacy and beautiful views from within the home.

Boasting a significant setback from the street and landscaping lush with succulents, “it tells two stories,” explains O’Reilly. “You get both the zen serenity of the desert and the engaged movement of the metropolis below.”

“It tells two stories. You get both the zen serenity of the desert and the engaged movement of the metropolis below.” — Jeeb O’Reilly

The inviting pool and patio area is ensconced by foliage-canvassed fencing.

Walls of floor-to-ceiling glass frame both levels of the two-story, three-bedroom home and create a natural indoor-outdoor fluidity, from the main living area to the sun-kissed pool, from the bedroom to a cedar perch overlooking sloping treetops and the cityscape. “It’s like a translucent tree house,” O’Reilly continues.

Framed by glass, the airy kitchen and dining area features retro lacquer finishes and maple cabinetry that wink at the home’s 1961 completion.

A spa-like bathroom lets you soak in the deep tub while meditating on the desert vista just outside.

This nod to natural materials continues from the first-story’s gray quarried stone floors to the white-oak second-level floors to the shimmering, mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Together, they lend this home an air of simple elegance. In essence, 9237 Warbler Way has the Bird Streets’ necessities and none of their excesses. It keeps you grounded while aloft in the Hollywood Hills.

Continue touring this Angeleno aerie at Compass.com.