Sleek Midcentury Modern by Buff & Hensman Up for Grabs in Glendale

Given their prestigious reputation and prodigious output during their many decades of practice, one would expect the Pasadena-based firm of Buff & Hensman to have produced a fair number of commissions in neighboring Glendale. But as it turns out, there is only one residence designed by the acclaimed duo known to exist in the Jewel City — the Hovaguimian House.

Located in the bucolic Glenoaks Canyon neighborhood, the home was built for L.A. Department of Water and Power employee Diran Hovaguimian and his wife Ellena in 1954, two years after the California modernists graduated from USC’s vaunted architecture school. Prior to commissioning the home, the Hovaguimians had been renting the guest house Conrad Buff had designed for his parents’ Eagle Rock residence in 1948.

With its sharp, aerodynamic roofline, the post and beam cuts a dashing figure against the backdrop of its hillside lot. A pathway made of reclaimed railroad ties flanked by black Japanese river stones ascends from the street to the front entry. On the other side of the frosted-glass door, the two-bedroom home unfolds as a series of spaces that alternate between open and intimate. Anchored by a slumpstone fireplace with floating hearth, the living room flows into the open-plan dining area and kitchen, which is equipped with Corian countertops, stainless appliances and a cook’s island. Signature mid-mod elements include tongue-and-groove beamed ceilings, clerestory windows, and walls of glass to bring the outdoors in. There are two bathrooms, both of which been updated “while retaining some original fixtures and finishes.”

A compact 1,232 square feet, the house isn’t well-suited for packrats, maximalists, or large families, but could be ideal for a couple of DINKWADs. (If you haven’t yet been confronted by this “lifestyle” trend on TikTok, the acronym stands for “Double Income No Kids With A Dog.”) Along with a two-car carport, a pair of patios shaded by mature oaks and other greenery, and a new hot tub, the slender lot contains a detached office/studio, making dual WFH scenarios more palatable. Mitigating the home’s limited outdoor space is its proximity to several very nice parks, including the lovely Lower Scholl Canyon Park. Further sweetening the deal, the architecturally significant residence is listed on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources and benefits from Mills Act tax breaks.

Listed with Compass agent Melodie Hart, the property is asking $1.495 million.