Description:

Franz Lederer Hacienda and Ranch. LA Cultural Historic Monument 204. Quietly, the gate opens to a shaded lane which quickly leads to another time, another setting, a California rancho set apart from the bustle and care of the city below, the Franz Lederer Hacienda. Originally formed from an original Spanish land grant, the estate consisted of 270 acres of fertile farmland near the headwaters of the Los Angeles River. The lane continues up to a flat parking overlook with the West San Fernando Valley below and Santa Monica Mountains in the near distance.Crowning the 6.7 acre knoll is the monastery-mission style home begun by Lederer in 1934. With his designer John R. Litke, Lederer intended the design to mimic the style of California Missions San Luis Rey and Santa Ynez and to house his growing collection of art and furnishings from the 14th to 19th centuries. As a true hacienda, the main house encompasses a brick-paved courtyard with galleries on three sides. This forms the entry and circulation to all the interior rooms which open to it..Pass through the courtyard with its splashing fountain. Let the living room welcome you with its vaulted heavy-beam ceiling and specially made Spanish flooring. Three large arched windows and massive hearth anchor this one-thousand square foot room which flows in two directions to the wings of the residence. To the west enter the generous dining room which Architectural Digest characterized as "rustic splendor" mixing "the ornate with the simple and the rugged with the intricate." The wing continues by accessing the dining terrace, the eat-in kitchen, and two bedrooms with ensuite baths. A magnificent stained-glass window beckons to the east wing with its informal den-pub room replete with banquette & bar. Pass the third bedroom with bath and proceed to the magnificent library with its Gothic fireplace and ancient books, codices and maps.Nearby, on the westerly slope is the two-unit guest house, totally compr