LUXE Magazine

Beverly Crest is the dream house of architect/designer Michael Mueller-well, one of them, at least.

The versatile designer divides his allegiance equally among contemporary, mid-century modern and Old World décor. In fact, he has homes in each style in the three cities where he has an office—Los Angeles, New York and Palm Springs.

“I’m not just a one-note architect and designer,” Mueller muses. “I like to live different ways. I think it’s romantic. It keeps me on my toes, and I never get bored with it.”

Beverly Crest was commissioned by three real-estate speculators who had commandeered a prime piece of hillside land with outstanding views. When Mueller saw the Beverly Hills site, he agreed to design the contemporary home on three conditions: The project had to be high end, he has to have a blank check for materials, and he has to be able to furnish the 8,500-square-foot home completely, “down to the vases and silverware.”

“A lot of these rooms are big, and people generally don’t know how to live in a big space unless it’s furnished,” Mueller points out. “They think, ‘How am I going to live in that and warm it up?’ I’m trying to hit on the fact that there doesn’t need to be a sterile environment in these homes.”

Indeed, Mueller’s lush, grand and masculine aesthetic and his design scheme for the home are inviting, providing plenty of dramatic backdrops for entertaining. The combination turned out to be ideal for one wealthy habitué of the young Hollywood circuit who dropped $9.8 million on the five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home. “It was just really clean and beautiful.” Says an associate of the owner. “With his sort of thing, you either hit or miss with people, and it was a hit with him.”

Beverly Crest’s most majestic assets is its 220-degree view, which takes in a broad sweep of Los Angeles, from downtown to Santa Monica. The three-story house is built into the hillside and features a cantilevered infinity pool and garden that seem to float in midair. Inside, Mueller alternated among variations on a textural theme, transposing juxtapositions of ribbon mahogany, stainless steel and glass panels against Lagos Azul limestone floors.

The first blend of elements hits visitors as soon as they reach the entry, where the view is adorned by two artworks having sensual curves—a glass sunburst by Dale Chihuly and a Tom Corbin bronze statue of a woman holding a bird. At one end, a hallway leads to the master bedroom, warmed by one of four fireplaces. The one here is framed in stainless steel and set in a concave wall that is covered in green Venetian plaster, picking up the hue of distant pine trees. Several white pieces, including a leather-covered Barcelona lounge and oval ottoman designed by Mueller, pop against the room’s earth tones.

At the other end of the entry, a double staircase made of stainless steel and bent-glass panels descends into a sprawling living room. Mueller carved out intimate seating areas using a palette of chocolate brown and white with cinnamon accents, inspired by a painting of Mexican hat dancers by San Francisco artist Frank Toia that hangs over the bar. Mueller designed the curved, nine-foot-long bar ribbon mahogany with a steel inlay and a floating glass countertop, and he accented it with white-suede and Lucite stools shaped like decanter tops.

The heart of the home is the downstairs media room, containing the sound system’s brain center. The designer envisioned it as a casual party space with a killer view and soaring 16-foot ceilings that make any gathering a momentous occasion. Mueller loves its “sense of grandeur.