Arguably, no other series in the history of television celebrates Venice Beach as much as “Californication.” Set and shot on location in Dogtown, the Showtime comedy-drama serves as a virtual love letter to the colorful seaside city, with its leading man, debaucherous bestselling author Hank Moody (David Duchovny), drinking, womanizing and generally pillaging his way through the area’s many bustling streets, restaurants and landmarks. The program, which ended its seven-year run in 2014, also showcases some of the burg’s most fabulous real estate.
And now, fans have the chance to snatch up one of its most well-known locales as the charming Craftsman that Hank’s ex-wife and longtime love interest, Karen van der Beek (Natascha McElhone), called home during seasons six and seven has just hit the market. Offered for a cool $5.5 million, the three-story abode can be found tucked behind a white fence just steps from the sand (and right around the corner from the building that played Hank’s loft on the series) at 16 Park Ave. (Please remember this is a private residence. Do not trespass or bother the occupants or the property in any way.)
Boasting four bedrooms and three bathrooms in a spacious (especially for Venice!) 2,825 square feet, the peaked-roof pad has quite the celebrated pedigree to boot! As the listing reveals, it was originally built in 1906 for none other than Abbot Kinney, the wealthy tobacco company heir who, seeking to create a “Venice of America” in Southern California, was responsible for developing Venice Beach. A Los Angeles Times article published when the home was last on the market in 2017 notes that Kinney had the property constructed as a gift for his eldest child, Thornton. Historic newspaper reports and old building records show that two of his other sons, Sherwood and Innes, also lived on the premises at various times. Karen is certainly in some excellent company!
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty Situated within strolling distance to all of the city’s prominent attractions, including the fashionable Abbot Kinney Blvd. shopping district, the always-humming Boardwalk and the picturesque Venice Canals, the dwelling still manages to offer a measure of privacy thanks to its location on one of the region’s famed Walk Streets, narrow thoroughfares where cars are not permitted. A 1924 newspaper ad deemed Park Ave. the “nicest street in Venice” and it remains a prime location today.
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty Listed by agent/children’s book author/1000 Clowns lead singer Kevin Krakower of Douglas Elliman Realty, the pad is endlessly charming both inside and out. Bright and spacious living areas include a sunroom, a dining room, a family room and a living room, all accented by white walls, oak flooring, handsome moldings, French doors and bow and bay windows.
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty The residence has been reimagined several times since the Kinneys’ tenure, the most recent renovations taking place in 2006 and 2017, with local architect Michael Hricak spearheading the former. Today, the property boasts many modern conveniences, such as central air conditioning (quite an anomaly for a turn-of-the-century L.A. beach house!) but remains teeming with vintage charm. A few of the original details still intact include crystal doorknobs, beveled glass windows and a sweet inglenook fireplace tucked into the living room that is flanked by seating areas resembling the starboard and port sides of a wooden rowboat.
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty The roomy kitchen, which is open to the dining room, has been nicely updated with such creature comforts as Carrara marble counters, glass-fronted cabinets, a farmhouse sink and a stainless steel appliance suite that includes a Sub-Zero fridge and a Dacor range. The space also features an adjacent walk-through butler’s pantry flush with a wide array of storage.
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty Upstairs, you’ll find the three well-appointed guest bedrooms and the two-story owners’ suite, which is made complete by a built-in window seat, a loft area, an adjacent bath with a clawfoot tub and a private balcony.
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty The enclave likewise offers access to the home’s rooftop deck with its serene views of the sand, the scenic smattering of palm trees lining the shore and the bright blue ocean beyond.
And, as if all of that is not enough, the 0.11-acre lot also boasts a rear courtyard with a BBQ, an herb garden, a four-car garage (another unheard of anomaly for a historic L.A. beach house!) and a substantial two-story guest home featuring three bedrooms, three baths and 1,600 square feet of living space! So the sale comes with the potential for rental revenue built right in!
The residence is pretty much the quintessential Venice beach house – and therefore was a shoo-in to appear on “Californication.”
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Image Credit: Google The property first pops up in the show’s season six opener, titled “The Unforgiven,” which sees Karen and her best friend, Marcy (Pamela Adlon), leasing the site together as “a couple of pathetic 40-something roommates,” as Marcy so eloquently puts it. It goes on to appear throughout the rest of the series’ final two seasons, with Karen living there by herself after Marcy remarries her ex, Charlie Runkle (Evan Handler), in the season six closer, “I’ll Lay My Monsters Down.”
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty “Californication” made extensive use of the dwelling, shooting both outside and inside the home, with the front entrance, kitchen, dining room, living room, an upstairs bedroom, rear courtyard and rooftop patio all appearing in various episodes. Thanks to its natural coastal vibe, production designer Ray Yamagata and his team did not have to change much to prepare the place for its close-up as Karen’s rental.
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Image Credit: Douglas Elliman Realty The 2017 renovation occurred several years after the series wrapped and, unfortunately, a few portions of the interior were altered from their onscreen state, namely the kitchen, which during the “Californication” days boasted a much more bohemian feel with red-hued cabinets and accent walls. Otherwise, the residence is still very recognizable from its television stint and remains the perfect spot to pour some whiskey, binge-watch the show and make a slew of bad decisions.