One of the most beautiful treasures of the San Fernando Valley is the historic Magnolia House in Sherman Oaks. Designated Los Angeles Cultural Monument number 293, the grand old house was built during the "roaring 20s" and reflects the passion for Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the time. Thanks to the vision of Valley realtor Jerry Berns, the Magnolia House was rescued and restored to some of its original beauty during the 1970s.
Please respect that the home, while a cultural monument, is a private residence and viewable only from the street. 13242 Magnolia Boulevard, Sherman Oaks.
12 comments:
This is the home I grew up in. I am Wendi, Jerry Bern's daughter. We had the most wonderful life in this home. Our house was always full whether it be friends or Realtors that worked for Jerry Bern's & Associates and of course our family and animals. The restoration took a year. Down to the smallest details were chosen by my Mom TJ and Dad. It was so beautiful. My parents would let me come in at night with the artist who did all the paintings on walls , ceiling, etc... I was incredibly inspiring. Jerry Berns (my dad,) I think of you daily and miss you!!!
This is the home I grew up in. I am Wendi, Jerry Bern's daughter. We had the most wonderful life in this home. Our house was always full whether it be friends or Realtors that worked for Jerry Bern's & Associates and of course our family and animals. The restoration took a year. Down to the smallest details were chosen by my Mom TJ and Dad. It was so beautiful. My parents would let me come in at night with the artist who did all the paintings on walls , ceiling, etc... I was incredibly inspiring. Jerry Berns (my dad,) I think of you daily and miss you!!!
Hi!
I grew up down the street from you! I can't remember what year our home was built. We were at 12954 Magnolia Blvd. We were told that May West had lived in the home at one time.
Robin
Hi Robin,
That unfortunately was a rumer. May West did not live in the Magnolia. Although the history of owners prior my family purchasing this home and restoring it were quite unusual:)
Wendi
HI Robin - can you share more about the history prior to your family purchasing the home?
Hi Nikita,
I think that it was built in the 20’s or 30’s but I am checking with my sister to see if she knows. My sister recently sent me a copy of a drawing of the front of the house. It is a colonial style. And we were told that May West had either built it or lived in it.
Why do you ask?
@Robin - I think I mistakenly directed that question to you when i should have asked @Wendy Jewell - based on her comment to you ---
"That unfortunately was a rumer. May West did not live in the Magnolia. Although the history of owners prior my family purchasing this home and restoring it were quite unusual:)
Wendi"
My Mom knows it better than me. I will ask her to email me more details, I will then post it. I can tell you, when my Mom and Dad (Jerry and Teri AKA TJ Berns) purchased the Magnolia, the house was in very poor condition. It truly looked and felt like a haunted mansion. There were even rats everywhere. They had to have the house tented to fumigate, firstly. Then proceeded to restore. I can tell you all the hardware, window closures, doors, etc were all found down in Mexico, along with the furniture. Most of the original murals that were painted on the walls and ceilings were revived by a local artist. Mom and Dad had some amazing parties which would include some very famous people. Mom's philanthropy was the Ronald McDonald house. We would have their Christmas parties at the house, in the backyard primarily every year.
Hi Wendy
I live in the neighborhood. I remember when your house was being restored. I always wondered about the big yellow house that was on the corner.
Ii was in the same class as Brett...
My family purchased “the Magnolia” in t to be mid 50’s. It was a glorious home with stained glass indie at the top of the Spanish revival staircase. There were sleeping porches on both ends of the upstairs the were open when we moved in. There is a small breakfast room that had a gold painted ceiling with peacocks. The upstairs veining above the staircase and above tbd long hallway was painted with Rubinesque figures. It was remarkably beautiful. All that was painted out which was a real shame.
I had read that the house had been owned by PT Barnum who had long since been dead when the house was built. My family name is Barnum, we were related but PT wasn’t ever there. I feel very fortunate to have grown up in that home. It was half acre when we bought it but when the city widened the street and the front yard was dramatically reduced. I lived there twenty years. The house was very elegant.
I lived at The Magnolia for about twenty years starting in the mid 50’s when my parents bought it. It is a grand and stately Spanish Revival home that was situated on a half acre. The city widened the road and greatly reduced the size of the front yard. It is two story with a beautiful entry way, stately living room with a huge fireplace. The other fireplace was in my father’s study which was next to the small circular breakfast room. The cieling in that room was painted gold with peacocks
Sorry I got cut off. There was wrought iron throughout the house, dividing the entry way from the large formal dining room. Upstairs the ceiling was painted with Rubinesque cherubs. It was so beautiful. I don’t think the frescos survived the restoration. There was some talk that PT Barnum had lived in the Magnolia, he was long dead before it was built. My family name is Barnum hence the confusion.
I remember when the pine tree in the front yard was small and there were roses lining the driveway into the back yard. It was truly beautiful.
The reference to rats had to do with tree rats that lived in the spider palm in the back yard, they came into the house on the lines and through the drainage hole on the sleeping porches.
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