13546 Contour Drive

Phenomenal location. Extraordinary views. Behind iron gates and limestone walls, uniquely elevated off the road, this commanding Spanish Revival residence perches on the hillside like a castle, offering true privacy. Inside, it's beautifully remodeled throughout, with 3,388 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 5 baths. You'll find polished marble and warm hardwood floors, a gourmet chef's kitchen with Jenn-Air appliances, elegantly updated bathrooms, recessed lighting, a drop-down projection screen in the living room, and whole-house water filtration. In the dining room, a banana tree fills the window like living art, and from there the funicular carries you down to the detached guest unit. It adds about 400 square feet (not included in square footage) of fully remodeled, flexible space, ideal for a parent, an office or a studio. Step outside and look up. If you're lucky, you'll see Buteo jamaicensis, the Red-Tailed Hawk, holding the highest perch above this home and surveying the city below. The red-tail isn't passing through. The hawk calls this territory home, and so shall you. Out on the terraces, the red-tail keeps watch with you. Spanish stairs with Saltillo treads and hand-painted Talavera-style tile rise through walled gardens of roses and towering palms. There's a sparkling swimming pool, a Blaze barbecue station that runs on both gas and charcoal, two inviting firepits, and tiered limestone and granite walls. In the Ice Age, the red-tail looked down on dire wolves from this ridge. Today, the hawk looks down on Sherman Oaks south of the Boulevard, one of the most sought-after pockets in the Valley. Contour is set high enough above the street for the views, yet close enough to the Boulevard for morning coffee or school drop-off. And the view... oh my, the view. Watch weather fronts roll in over the San Gabriel Mountains, with hawks riding the wind ahead of them. Take the morning sun with your coffee, and watch colorful sunsets while you follow the seasonal path of the sun and moon. Views like this usually take a far higher address. In this business, "one of a kind" is overused. Here, it's simply accurate. **Square footage DOES NOT include the detached guest unit**