Art aficionado and patron Homeira Goldstein’s contemporary California home, perched atop the highest hilltop in a tony Los Angeles beach neighborhood, is more than a residence—it’s an Art Deco–inspired museum. Indeed, from the moment pen hit paper to sketch the home’s architectural plans in 1988, Goldstein, who was born into Iranian royalty, knew she wanted more than just a routine home: She wanted a sophisticated, livable, open-air gallery space where her family could enjoy and exhibit its extensive art collection, and host her many arts-related fund-raisers.

And that’s exactly what she got. Providing a flexible canvas for the family’s vast art collection, the three-story, 10,000-square-foot home revolves around expansive, drapery-free picture windows, stark white walls and clean, sharp lines. Its seamless design flawlessly complements Goldstein’s more than 50 works of art, all of which are by local and international cutting-edge artists. “The house has been a wonderful avenue to express my creativity,” she says.
 

The entry to the home centers on sculptor Simon Ouwerkerk’s “The Tower,” a work inspired by 1930s-era New York City architecture.

Indeed, there’s art in the kitchen. Art in the bathrooms. There’s even art on the ceiling and in the garage. “Every room in our home has art in it—that’s very important to us,” says Goldstein, who shares the grand home with husband Arnold, a successful real-estate entrepreneur, and their 13-year-old son, Joshua. “Art is a unique key to opening an individual’s potential.” After moving to the United States in 1967, she graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in business and accounting. Before becoming heavily involved in the Cultural Art Commission of the City of Manhattan Beach and chairing 13-year-old Arts Manhattan, an organization dedicated to making art accessible to everyone, Goldstein ran her own financial consulting company.
Not surprisingly, the homeowners’ love of all things artistic extends into the residence’s 480-square-foot home theater, which, like the house itself, is an ever-changing work in progress. Before setting to work to convert the space into a private screening room, Goldstein specified several requirements: It had to double as a family room. It had to be clutter-free. Its design had to echo the home’s overall metal-and-stone motif. And because the third-floor space affords spectacular 180-degree views of Catalina Island, the Santa Barbara Islands, Palos Verdes and Santa Monica, the theater had to be framed with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Needless to say, these mandates presented several design challenges for everyone involved. First, there was the matter of materials: While metal and stone used side by side can make for beautiful aesthetics, the materials aren’t conducive to quality theater sound. After working with two architects who urged Goldstein to go with wood, she took an unconventional approach and hired Hollywood set designer Anton Goss. “I showed Anton a number of books and designs I liked,” Goldstein says. “I wanted an Art Deco theater, not just another room. He was able to take what I showed him and run with it.”

To achieve Goldstein’s desired look, Goss custom designed window panels of stainless steel, thick mohair and acoustic material to enhance the room’s audio quality and enable blocking out, or welcoming in, natural light. Additional panels have been incorporated into the cabinetry for glassware and liquor storage, as well as videos, CDs and DVDs.

The curvy corner bar is the same custom panel design and is accompanied by three funky stools crafted of mild steel by artist Simon Ouwerkerk. The bar, which looks as if it’s constructed partially of concrete, bears a finished plaster that resembles smooth, gray cement. This plaster also covers the fireplace wall, which is starkly minimalist, save for a custom niche built to showcase sculpture. The theater’s black granite floor is carpeted with a dark gray wool to further aid sound insulation. French doors lead to the outdoor deck overlooking the Zen-inspired, minimalist backyard and pool.

A CRT-type video projector from Sim2 descends from the ceiling when the home theater system is turned on.

The theater’s grand Art Deco-style proscenium anchors the motorized, 120-inch diagonal Vidikron screen; on either side of the screen stand elaborate cascading fans etched from stainless steel, both of which are covered in Plexiglas to safeguard against shattering. When the screen is retracted, an abstract painting by Adam Sherman comes into view. Panels of black mohair line the stage and surrounding walls, deflecting light while simultaneously disguising the Avlar speakers, which were designed and installed by Jerry Axelrod of Systems Design Group in Redondo Beach, Calif.

The theater employs Avlar speakers, which are offered exclusively through the installer, Systems Design Group. The speakers are concealed in the stage below the screen. (Click image to enlarge)

When a power surge caused the lift for the SIM2 video projector to freeze and ultimately break last year, Goldstein took advantage of the opportunity to add more art to the room. “Initially there was just a steel frame with a plain metal square suspended from the projector. When the projector was lifted, the square appeared as art on the wall. But she wanted something with more finished details,” says Ouwerkerk, who created the new frame. “Now she’s got it.” The result: a custom detail that mirrors the proscenium’s cascading Deco design.
What you won’t find in the Goldstein’s home theater—or in any part of the house—are mass-produced prints or photographs, or manufactured wall pieces and sculptures. “When people tell me the house is decorated beautifully, I actually get offended,” Goldstein says with a laugh. “This is because nothing here was bought to fill a wall space or match a color. We don’t buy things with that idea in mind. We buy what we like and then find a space for it. Everything in our home has meaning.”

This includes the theater’s temporary maroon and gray sofa, a piece designed for Goldstein by architect Rex Beasley. (Goldstein is awaiting a custom Art Deco-style couch in black and stainless steel of her own design.) All of the room’s furnishings, including the bar, sit on wheels, making them easy to move. “We needed flexible furniture because we use the room for all kinds of things,” Goldstein says. “My son and his friends play video games there, and I host movie nights. I invite friends and serve champagne and hors d’oeuvres or dinner.” She also uses the room, which accommodates up to 40 people, to host charity fund-raisers for education foundations, schools and cancer programs. One such soirée included an Academy Awards viewing party for her arts group. “We just moved the couch out and brought in single chairs. It’s very comfortable.”

Adcom amplifiers power several pairs of Bowers & Wilkins in-wall speakers throughout the home. A Mackie mixer lets the homeowner address her guests through the B&W speakers.

Overall, Goldstein is thrilled with the results. “Not only does the room sound spectacular, but I really like the finished look,” she says. “I don’t like to see equipment and tapes out of place. I don’t want interruption in what I’m looking at.”

And even though Goldstein and her family enjoy their theater, it remains a design in progress. “There’s more work to be done,” she adds. “I need to find the right material for the drapes, and I’m not quite happy with the entrance design. Sometimes it takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.”