“MME. NAZIMOVA HAS HANDSOME NEW HOME”

After acquiring a mansion at 8080 Sunset Blvd. (or 8152 Sunset, depending on who’s counting) in 1918, Alla Nazimova spent six years living in the home she somewhat facetiously dubbed “The Garden of Alla” (referring to an enormously popular 1904 novel The Garden of Allah by Robert Smythe Hichens). What is rarely mentioned is that in 1924, she built a second house on the property, immediately behind the main building. This second home only stood for a couple of years and was razed when Nazimova decided to turn her 3.5 acre property into the hotel which became “The Garden of Allah Hotel and Villas.”

Here is the link to the original article:

LAT 19240202 Nazimova builds second home.

But the entire text has been reproduced here:

Los Angeles Times, February 2, 1924

MME. NAZIMOVA HAS HANDSOME NEW HOME

Mme, Nazimova, Orpheum star, is building herself a handsome new residence. The house is a 15-room concrete structure, and is being created immediately in the rear of her old home at 8080 Sunset Blvd. She intends to take possession in about two weeks.

If you think that all Mme. Nazimova can do is act, you have another think coming. For Mme. Nazimova not only drew the plans for her home, but she is actually aiding in its construction, doing some of the painting herself. In order, she says to be sure that the tints are exactly what she wants.

The house is a harmonious compass it of Spanish, Russian and Italian architecture. The first floor is almost entirely given over to garage space, and the entrance to each separate garage is through a Spanish archway, giving it a quaint and cloistered aspect. A guest suite on this floor has a separate entrance and a private garden, so that a visitor may follow his or her own devices in the way of diversion. An immense living room text up a large part of the second floor and divides the bedroom suites. The third floor is given over to servants’ quarters. Pleasing and attractive as the structure is, its main charm lies in the unique and daring color scheme of the interior. Mme. Nazimova’s own suite is in soft Chinese yellow with touches of black and jade-green and opening from her bedroom is a bathroom which reminds one of Arabian Night’s descriptions of magic palaces. This bathroom has a black marble floor, a black marble bathtub, and jade-green walls above black tile. The spacious living room has walls of a neutral, earthy tint, but the furnishings and decorations for this room are all to be in Chinese red lacquer. In fact, the entire interior color scheme is Chinese.

“No other people except the Chinese,” declared Madame Nazimova, “know the occult secret of color combinations. With moderns it is a lost art. Therefore I have gone back to the race which has preserved some of its mystical teachings in its theories of color vibration. For color, you see, has a tremendous effect on our lives and emotions.”

Ample space has been provided also for Mme. Nazimova’s two dogs and her many birds of which she is very fond.

Mme. Nazimova actually aided in building the house.

“The thing I like best about my home, outside of its color,” said Mme. Nazimova,” it is modern look [sic]. I cannot get the carpenters and plasterers to make the rounded lines and give the time-worn look that I wanted. So I just dug into the cement with my own hands, and, much to their dismay, obliterated some of the straight angular lines.”

The star is contemplating taking a rest of several weeks before she considers further professional activities.

The official address of this building was 1438 Havenhurst Drive, West Hollywood.

 

 

  • Martin Turnbull | Oct 11, 2013
  • Section: Blog

3 Responses »

  1. Deviates Inc. November 21, 2013 @ 5:31 pm

    Another new discovery! You guys are amazing. I recently found this news blurb announcing Nazimova’s purchase of 8080: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433036428070;view=2up;seq=8

    And also this article about her other property, Who-Torok in New York: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.l0074894791;view=2up;seq=284 Does anyone know what became of it?

  2. Deviates Inc. November 21, 2013 @ 5:35 pm

    Another, more detailed announcement: http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433036428070;view=2up;seq=62 I hope I’m not being a nuisance with all these comments, but I’m too excited not to share!

  3. Nancy Glass December 28, 2016 @ 4:44 pm

    Nazimova’s estate in New York, Who-Torok, was torn down several years ago and a fire station sits on the property now. Nazimova was my Godmother and my parents and I lived with her on that estate until she sold it and moved to CA.

Leave a Reply