Bruce Stuart, entrepreneur and great-grandson of Carnation dairy company founder Elbridge Stuart, is looking to churn up a sale in Beverly Hills. His Tuscan-style farmhouse just hit the market for $19.5 million.
Stuart, who bought the home for $5.9 million in 2005, redesigned the entire place during his stay, transforming it from a single-story French-style space into a two-story farmhouse filled with designer materials. Architects Luis Ortega and Jose Fernandez aided the remodel.
“In L.A., ‘Tuscan farmhouse’ can mean almost anything,” Stuart said, pointing to palatial properties with long, curving driveways leading to 14,000-square-foot mega-mansions. “That’s not a farmhouse. We tried to be more realistic.”
Without changing the footprint of the house, they reimagined the space with a design palette of limestone, wood, marble, glass and a special type of Corten steel known for its eye-catching patina and resistance to weathering.
“If it was regular steel it would’ve started to rust, but this will be solid forever,” Stuart said.
Dramatic arches line the exterior; inside, living spaces carry a more modern feel with clean lines and architectural touches. A stone frame wraps around the kitchen, and a limestone arch leads to the adjacent breakfast room.
Other highlights include a terracotta foyer, wood-paneled billiards room and owner’s suite lined with Venetian plaster. One of three bedrooms, the space boasts walls of glass, vaulted ceilings, dual bathrooms and a sky-lit library.
Upstairs, Stuart added an art studio and gym as well as a third-story observation deck with sweeping views from downtown to the ocean. Olive groves and verandas dot the idyllic grounds outside, complete with a swimming pool, spa and greenhouse. Above the pool, a chic lounge adds built-in seating and a fireplace.
Linda May of Hilton & Hyland holds the listing.