The Story Behind
City Panoramas, Private Sanctuary Above the Sunset Strip
There is a particular quality of silence that belongs only to the hills above Los Angeles — the kind that exists in deliberate contrast to the city spread below. At 1380 Summitridge Place, that silence has been shaped into architecture. Recently remodeled and move-in ready, this three-story residence spanning 4,694 square feet occupies one of the most compelling vantage points in the hills north of Sunset, where the skyline from Downtown Los Angeles to Century City unfolds without interruption from virtually every room.
The home's three-story configuration is not merely a structural fact — it is the organizing principle of its lifestyle. Each level establishes its own atmosphere, allowing a gathering to animate the pool terrace while a film plays quietly in the dedicated theater one floor removed, and a bedroom suite remains entirely undisturbed on another. This vertical separation, rare at this scale, transforms the home into something closer to a private compound than a single residence.
Two expansive living rooms anchor the interior, each oriented toward the view. In one, a linear fireplace anchors a wall of glass that opens to a covered balcony furnished for year-round use — heated, sheltered, and framed by the skyline that makes this address what it is. The kitchen catches the afternoon light with particular grace: light blue cabinetry meets neutral stone countertops and a professional-grade range, the large central island positioned for both serious cooking and effortless conversation. Pendant lights warm the space as the day shifts toward evening.
The two primary suites are conceived as destinations in themselves. One is defined by a stone-clad fireplace that rises floor to ceiling, large windows framing the landscape beyond, and a spa-caliber bathroom where a freestanding soaking tub is positioned beneath a generous window — a deliberate invitation to watch the city change color at dusk. A custom walk-in closet finished in rich wood paneling and fitted cabinetry with a central island completes the suite. The second primary suite offers its own considered quietude: dark wood flooring, glass doors to an outdoor space, and a well-appointed bath with a glass-enclosed shower and double vanity.
Beyond the living quarters, the home accommodates pursuits that most residences cannot. A dedicated theater, a professional sound studio, and a private gym each occupy their own defined space — amenities that speak to a life lived fully rather than minimally. Two offices, designed with built-in cabinetry and generous natural light, serve equally as places of focused work or contemplative retreat.
Outside, the architecture extends naturally to its terraces. The pool — sleek, rectangular, set against a glass railing with the city below — anchors the primary outdoor level. A fire pit lounge with wraparound built-in seating and a pergola overhead creates an evening gathering place of considerable warmth. Multiple heated decks, an outdoor kitchen with built-in grill, and layered landscape lighting complete an exterior conceived for both spectacle and intimacy. A private elevator, solar system, and Tesla charger attend to the practical with the same considered attention given to everything else.
The hills that rise just north of Sunset Boulevard have long occupied a particular place in the geography of Los Angeles — elevated in both the literal and cultural sense, defined by winding roads, mature tree canopies, and a proximity to the city that never quite tips into immersion. This is the zone where the urban grid gives way to hillside topography, where the noise of the basin is absorbed by distance and elevation, and where the view becomes the primary amenity.
Summitridge Place sits within the Bird Streets neighborhood, a constellation of winding residential roads — Nightingale, Oriole, Skylark, Thrush — that trace the contours of the Hollywood Hills above the Sunset Strip. The area has been home to architects, artists, and entertainment figures for decades, drawn by the combination of seclusion and access that few Los Angeles neighborhoods can genuinely claim. Despite its quiet character, the Bird Streets sit minutes from some of the city's most active cultural corridors.
Sunset Boulevard below serves as the connective tissue between the neighborhood and the wider city. To the west, the Strip gives way to West Hollywood's dense collection of restaurants, galleries, and nightlife — Nobu, Craig's, Employees Only, and the flagship locations of several internationally recognized design and fashion houses all within a short drive. Farther west, Beverly Hills and its retail and dining corridor along Rodeo Drive and Canon Drive are equally accessible. To the east, the energy of Hollywood and Silver Lake is similarly close.
The cultural infrastructure surrounding this address is substantial. The West Hollywood Design District, centered along Melrose Avenue and the surrounding blocks, represents one of the most concentrated collections of high-end furniture, art, and design showrooms in the country — a resource for those who take the built environment seriously. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Academy Museum of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Hammer Museum at UCLA are all within a reasonable drive, as are the galleries of Culver City and the auction houses that have made Los Angeles a serious player in the international art market.
For those oriented toward the outdoors, the Santa Monica Mountains begin effectively at the neighborhood's edge. Runyon Canyon, one of Los Angeles's most frequented hiking corridors, is accessible from the base of the hills. The more extensive trail networks of Fryman Canyon and Mulholland Drive offer longer routes with views that rival the property's own.
Day-to-day practicality is equally well served. Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, and the specialty markets of West Hollywood are minutes away. The Sunset Plaza strip along Sunset offers neighborhood restaurants and cafes within easy reach, while the Farmers Market on Fairfax — one of Los Angeles's enduring civic institutions — provides a weekly anchor to a more grounded rhythm.
What the Bird Streets offer, ultimately, is a version of Los Angeles that most residents spend years searching for: close enough to participate fully in the life of the city, elevated enough to observe it on your own terms.
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Curated Content • Presented by David Kramer & Leanne Rogan
