The Cedars: A Timeless Gem and Landmark Edifice Restored to Glory by Sue Wong Goes on the Market!
The Magnificent Cedars
Nestled in the heart of Los Feliz, the historic mansion known as The Cedars stands as a testament to opulence, creativity, and Old Hollywood glamour. Originally built in the 1920s for French film director Maurice Tourneur, The Cedars isn’t just a house, it’s a glorious palazzo which also serves as both a temple and a museum celebrating the golden Hollywood Babylon.
Indeed, this imposing 10,000 square foot structure was designed in the style of the Duke of Alba’s palazzo in Spain and has a spectacular view of the Hollywood it celebrates. The Cedars belongs to Sue Wong, its loving and devoted mistress for over 20 years, who has painstaking restored it to its epic glory and maintained its lofty station. After many years of stewardship, Ms Wong has decided to put The Cedars on the market for $32,000,000, and it is a rare and exceptional offering indeed!
The Architectural Splendor
As you approach the wrought-iron gates of The Cedars, you’re greeted by lush gardens and towering cedars—the very trees that inspired its name. The interior, adorned with gold-leaf detailing and gilded columns, exudes elegance and truly captivates the essence of legendary Hollywood glamour.
Continuing to explore the extraordinary interiors, you’ll find yourself amidst hand-painted frescoes, intricate bas-relief ceilings, Ionic columns, dramatic beaded and gold-embroidered drapes designed by Wong, and French, Empire, Baroque, and Moroccan-themed bedrooms.
The 48-foot long ballroom, with its beamed ceilings, has hosted countless memorable soirées, replete with gaiety and music. The room also features authentic baroque Bavarian throne chairs that exude regal grandeur.
Furthermore, each room tells a story — a tale of Hollywood’s golden era as expressed and interpreted through Sue Wong’s artistic vision.
Sue Wong’s Restoration Journey
When Sue Wong acquired The Cedars in 2004, she embarked on a three-year all-encompassing restoration journey. Her commitment to preserving every detail was unwavering and uncompromising. European artisans and craftspeople under the direction of restoration expert Zoltan Papp collaborated with Sue, ensuring that no nuance escaped their joint attention.
The gilded emblematic lions—a nod to MGM Studios—sit atop three of the estate’s six fireplaces. The frescoes, once faded through time and neglect, now bloom with vibrant colors. The period ironwork, meticulously restored, adds an enchanting nostalgic touch. Wong’s reverence for history and artistry shines through every brushstroke and chisel mark.
A Tribute to Old Hollywood
The Cedars isn’t just a house, it’s a living iconic vortex. Madge Bellamy, the 1920’s movie star who once owned it, would likely marvel at its revival. The palazzo’s illustrious Hollywood history includes former inhabitants such as Jimi Hendrix, Bela Lugosi, Bob Dylan, Howard Hughes, Errol Flynn, Brian Jones and The Rolling Stones, and Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. As you wander through the sunlit corridors, you can almost hear the echoes of Hendrix’s guitars and sense the presence, aura, and energy of its previous illustrious occupants. Indeed, the spirit of creativity, resilience, and beauty lingers, inviting us to celebrate both the past and the present.
Wong’s decision to sell was very difficult for her but reflects her desire to pursue other artistic endeavors, and most certainly her legacy will remain intricately woven into the fabric of the Cedars.
I especially love being on the premises around the Golden Hour, when the sun shines through the stained glass window in the shower which is a part of the Jimi Hendrix Room and throws a red hue over the bathroom.
Another delight is sunrise in the solarium when luminescent rays passing through the palm trees and the French windows throw a bright glow over the green velvet chairs acquired from the SS Normandy. One is also treated to the melodious sounds of a lotus fountain right outside the ballroom’s doors.
A refreshing swim in the elegant 1920’s pool of The Cedars, to the accompaniment of the soothing sounds of one of the estate’s picturesque fountains, is a most peaceful experience, though it might possibly remind one of that famous opening pool scene from the film “Sunset Boulevard,” and it is rumored that a vignette of that famous film noir was indeed shot at The Cedars. It is a fact that a scene from the movie “Easy Rider” was shot at this royal palace, as were scenes from many other movies seeking the ambience of The Cedars.
Conclusion
Wong’s mantra of beauty, magic, and transformation has transfigured the estate and restored it to its previous legendary stature. The Cedars stands as a beacon of Sue Wong’s passion, an architectural and creative ode which preserves the allure of a bygone era of glamour. As the sun sets over its golden façade, we’re reminded that beauty, once restored, becomes timeless.
Sue Wong is an icon in the fashion world. A renowned fashion designer for over forty years, she is known as the egalitarian couturier who brought high fashion to the everywoman through her elegant but affordable evening gowns and dresses. Her creations can be seen on the likes of Taylor Swift, Anne Hathaway, Tyra Banks, Minnie Driver, and Kim Kardashian, to name a few.
As an ongoing practicing artist, Sue Wong continues to be an alchemist, having expanded her artistic vision to her legacy projects. “I still have many dreams to realize, including the building of the future Sue Wong Fashion Museum; a 90 minute feature documentary on my life story; the Sue Wong fashion IMMERSIVE show; my biopic, RED LOTUS; my various book projects including a coffee table Sue Wong fashion book; the writing my autobiography; and the designing of a future spectacular tropical retreat on my ocean front land on the island of Maui in Hawaii. As Napoleon Hill once said, ‘Cherish your visions and your dreams. They are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.’”
Listing agent for The Cedars:
Christophe Choo – Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Real Estate
310 488-3044
Posted in Lifestyle Tagged Anne Hathaway, Easy Rider, Golden Age Hollywood, old hollywood estates