A midcentury gem
At this restored 1951 home in Bel Air, modernist architect Rodney Walker built around the landscape instead of paving over it. The result? A sense of privacy and calm only greenery can provide. “Like you’re one with nature,” notes homeowner Ryan Botev. Within this backdrop to our summer collections, discover our latest arrivals – plus, bestsellers in verdant new hues.
Forever modern, always fitting
Aeron Chair
More than 1,500 five-star reviews can’t be wrong: Aeron Chair is the gold standard in ergonomics and comfort thanks to its inclusive size range and state-of-the-art lumbar support. In a lush new hue, it’s a natural fit for the modern workday.
Michel Bed
Flat-packed, easy to assemble, and easy to move when life seasons change – Michel Bed embodies Danish brand ReFramed’s ethos of impeccable craftsmanship and accessibility with its high-grade steel frame and optional headboard.
Womb Chair
When Florence Knoll requested a chair she could curl up in, Eero Saarinen responded with the Womb Chair – its cocooning form creates a sense of privacy. Upon its debut, he said, “Now, more than ever, we need to relax,” and his words have never been truer.
Pepin Sofa
The ultimate destination for leisure, Pepin Sofa’s deep seats and wide arms – roomy enough for a book or beverage – let relaxation take shape naturally. Made from partially recycled plastic with Sunbrella cushions, it’s low-maintenance, too.
NATURAL HABITAT
By Samantha Feden
When Ryan Botev and Elizabeth Baldwin moved from a prewar apartment on New York’s Upper East Side to Los Angeles, they didn’t anticipate living nomadically for over two years while restoring a neglected midcentury modern gem – but such was the sacrifice for love at first sight.
After six months of house-hunting, a 45-minute gap between showings changed everything. Their realtor, on a whim, suggested they see a home designed by modernist architect Rodney Walker. “She opened the door, and we saw that wall of glass and the view,” says Botev. “We both thought, ‘This is it.’”
The 1951 home is part of a small residential enclave Walker built in Bel Air – including one he designed for himself and his wife, Dorothea. Walker was deeply influenced by the Case Study House program, envisioned by Arts & Architecture editor John Entenza as a model for affordable, beautiful postwar living. The program ultimately produced 36 prototype homes united by a common language: steel frames, open floor plans, floor-to-ceiling windows.
Walker designed three of them – Case Study Houses #16, #17, and #18 – and over a career spanning nearly 100 homes, their spirit never left him. Modern, attainable, attuned to the landscape: The same principles that shaped those prototypes found their way into this house on the hill.
Before the move west, Baldwin, a creative director at a marketing and branding agency, frequently traveled to LA for photo shoots. Chief among them was one at the landmark Sheats-Goldstein Residence designed by John Lautner, which ignited her love for midcentury modern architecture. “It’s not the only style in the world, but we feel like it’s one of the most important,” says Baldwin.
After a bidding war, Botev and Baldwin acquired the Walker-designed home – but in poor condition. The previous owners had tried to partition the 60 feet of open living space; they closed off the kitchen with glass bricks and replaced the original fireplace with a closet. They “obliterated” the interior, Baldwin notes. Mercifully, the original structure was still intact. “We spent over a year redoing it and tried to bring it back to what it was – but also the idea of what this kind of house could be at its best,” she says.
Walker’s brilliance as an architect is evident in every detail. For decades, the home has withstood earthquake damage thanks to his ingenuity: The roof is supported by small dowels in posts, creating a flexible structure that “dances around but doesn’t collapse during earthquakes,” notes Botev.
Clerestory windows draw cross-breezes through the house, eliminating the need for central air conditioning. Walker worked with the sun’s cadence to ensure that light filters into each space deliberately – sunrise enters the living room first, while the bedrooms stay sheltered until later in the day. No room sits in direct sunlight, leaving every window bare: no blinds, no curtains, just clean framing.
Despite living behind walls of glass, there’s a welcome sense of privacy. The position of the house and surrounding landscape keep neighbors neatly out of sight – and emphasize the view. “The butterfly ceilings frame the view in the front – and in the back they frame the greenery. So you kind of have this funnel effect when you’re looking at things,” Botev says. “It just feels like opening up. Like you’re one with nature.”
Botev and Baldwin describe the goings-on at their doorstep like something out of National Geographic. Deer, coyotes, foxes, and raccoons frequent the yard; baby hawks train to take flight; herons steal fish from the koi pond. Walker built around nature instead of paving over it, using the property’s existing boulders and foliage to fill in the landscape. “It was like a gift,” Baldwin notes.
“I think that being surrounded by nature is really important – and having sunshine and nature as part of your artwork,” she says. “For a long time, the house didn’t have any art at all, nature was the art – and I just love that.”