The year before he married two-time bronze medal-winning (and 20 years younger) British Olympic diver and veteran YouTube vlogger Tom Daley, in the spring of 2017 at Bovey Castle in the southwest of the U.K., not far from Daley’s hometown of Plymouth, acclaimed American filmmaker Dustin Lance Black packed up and moved to London where he and Daley set up camp in a converted warehouse just south of London Bridge.
Since then, he’s had his longtime home along a busy street on the edge of L.A.’s historic Sunset Square neighborhood up for rent several times, first in 2016 at $11,000 per month, then again in 2018 at $12,500 a month and now with an even higher rate of $15,500 per month.
The Oscar-winning “Milk” writer and producer, who penned a couple dozen episodes of the HBO series “Big Love” and created the 2017 eight-part docuseries “When We Rise,” purchased the 1924 English Tudor cottage more than ten years ago for $1.455 million.
Set behind a high wall and secured gates among mature specimen trees and verdant, slightly untamed gardens that give it an English garden vibe, the house is being offered fully outfitted with a houseful of inoffensively traditional furnishings. The main house packs in three and potentially four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms in close to 2,900 square feet, while a detached two-car garage has been converted to a poolside guest cottage with another bathroom.
With many of original architectural details intact, such as the Batchelder tile fireplace in the living room, the glossy narrow strip oak floorboards and the simple boiserie on the walls, the home is up to date with a gourmet kitchen and renovated bathrooms that somewhat curiously sport notably similar (though not identical) tile accents of the sort more commonly found in a Mediterranean-style home.
Adjoining living and dining rooms are complemented by an eat-in kitchen that opens to the backyard and main-floor office/library that’s painted battleship grey with a view of the walled courtyard at the front of the house. An attached bathroom allows the room to be used as bedroom for guests or family.
Both guest bedrooms on the upper level include an en suite bathroom where an antique dresser has been recast as a base for the sink, while the main bedroom, also upstairs and painted navy with French doors to a Juliet balcony, includes a large fitted walk-in closet and a roomy bath with jetted tub and steam shower.
Out back, a spacious curtained loggia outside the kitchen and dining room overlooks a grassy, tree-shaded yard. Towering hedges ensure absolute privacy for skinny dipping in the saltwater swimming pool and spa.
The listing is held by Joe Custer at eXp Realty of California.
Black sold a charming Hollywood Hills cottage in early 2018 for $950,000 to two-time Oscar nominated Aussie actress Margot Robbie — she sold it earlier this month for its full asking price of $1.175 million, and his and Daleys’ London digs, an industrial inspired triplex loft on the upper floors of converted hop-processing plant just south of London Bridge, features exposed brick walls, a rooftop hot tub and lots of Union Jack memorabilia.