Westside DIGS | Digital Edition Online

40 DIGS.NET | 9.28.2018 L ocation, location, location goes the real estate mantra when looking for a home to purchase. In this case, one in the sweet spot of walkabili, with access to everything a family could want—the beach and hiking trails, tennis courts and gyms, small special shops, large supermarkets and a weekly farmers' market, movie theaters and schools, cafes and restaurants, and the spectacular, new Palisades Village. All help to make the beautiful single family home at 825 Alma Real Drive, which has a pool and resides in one of Los Angeles' most coveted neighborhoods, hard to beat— and that's before one steps inside to find a beautiful, well-balanced interior. e home's picture-perfect setting is worthy of a Nancy Myers movie—think dark gray shingles, large white-framed windows and glossy red front door—is encircled by a lush green hedge and punctuated by a matching gray gate between two stacked stone pillars. As much as location is of paramount importance, so too is the visual connection between rooms. It is the elusive element that makes a home inviting. It's not enough that a residence is large and that its rooms are generously proportioned (at 6,300 square feet, the six bedrooms in this well-sized home are quite capacious), it must be able to easily and comfortably contain all the activities of a modern family's busy and varied life: children's pool parties and raucous Super Bowl Sundays, the space in which to host both anksgiving for family and over a dozen friends for a quiet business dinner. And it must support the ebb and flow between solitude and togetherness—pubic and private space—that allows a family to co-exist in peace and harmony. is house has these qualities in spades, beginning with the small den off the front door. A solitary retreat just outside the circle of interconnected rooms that make up the rest of the main floor, it's perfect for a houseguest who can quietly slip in and out without disturbing the other occupants (there's a full bath on this floor for his or her comfort). More importantly, these days, when working at home is more commonplace, its view over the street action as well as its position within earshot of the rest of house makes for an ideal office. Located directly across from the formal living room, one can conduct business meetings without worry of family interference. Should the discussion run through lunch—or dinner—participants can adjourn to the adjacent dining room. While this space is within view of the kitchen, it's not quite open to it, giving it an air of formali, when the occasion calls. e choreography of the first floor, which links individual rooms into a perfect chain of interrelated spaces, also supports the casual rhythm of daily life. ere's the large open plan kitchen that embraces the family room and overlooks the backyard and the pool. With its large central island and state- of-the-art appliances, it easily hosts the numerous tasks a kitchen is called on to perform: the chaos of weekday mornings; the endless parade of teenager trips to and from the refrigerator; the inevitable gathering of friends and family during dinner prep. Its seamless integration with the family room, with its stacked stone fireplace, allows both

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