Take a Magical Mystery Tour of Beatles Sound Engineer’s Laurel Canyon Hideaway

There must be something about the acoustical vibrations of Laurel Canyon that acts as a siren song to those of a musical bent. As has been much documented in words, songs, feature films, and a recent television series, the rustic and mountainous enclave’s residents have famously included Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Brian Wilson.

Another music industry legend who called the canyon home was Geoff Emerick. While his name might not be as widely recognizable as the aforementioned hit-makers, Emerick, an audio engineer for The Beatles, had a hand in producing some of the biggest albums in rock history, including “Revolver,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and “Abbey Road.” Other artists Emerick worked with include Elvis Costello, Kate Bush, The Zombies, and Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles group Wings.

The Grammy-winning engineer passed away in 2018 at the age of 72. The following year, his longtime Laurel Canyon residence was purchased by Lauren Caris Cohan, a filmmaker and chief creative officer for the fashion brand Reformation. As listing photos from that time reveal, the property, a 1929 Spanish-style bungalow, possessed the proverbial good bones, but had much room for improvement. Along with partner Matt Jacoby of MRJ Studio, Cohan updated and revised the cottage, transforming it into a T magazine-worthy retreat.

Sequestered behind a gated wall and set high above the street, the home is accessed via a quaint stone-and-brick staircase. Its carved-wood front door opens to an impressive living room with cathedral wood-beam ceilings, French windows, original peg-and-groove oak floors, custom built-in seating with velvet mohair upholstery, intricate iron work and a commanding wood-burning fireplace.

A wrought-iron-railed staircase to the right of the fireplace nips up a short flight of steps to the dining room, which is lined along one side with built-in window seating. Next is the kitchen, outfitted handsomely in solid walnut, from the cabinets to the built-in room divider shelving unit, to the center island work-station and breakfast bar. Other kitchen upgrades include Italian terracotta floors, brass fixtures by Waterworks, a Liebehr refrigerator and Bertazzoni appliances.

A compact 1,117 square feet, the cottage contains two bedrooms (though one is about the size of a walk-in closet) and two bathrooms, both of which sport Japanese ceramic tile and Agape sinks and toilets.

Mitigating the home’s lack of interior square footage is its spacious rooftop deck with built-in seating, a wooden pergola and a beehive-style gas fireplace. There’s also a newly built detached casita featuring a built-in desk, sleeping loft, and stained glass casement windows.

With a rambling lot of over half an acre, the property certainly does not lack for outdoor space. Along with a Mediterranean-style garden blooming with roses, lavender, and bougainvillea, its grounds contain several terraced patios for al fresco dining, as well as a private plunge pool and outdoor shower.

Listed with Compass agent Gia Casty, the stylish and storied hideaway is asking $1.8 million.