Fans of Ryan Murphy’s creative universe know that the showrunner is an aesthete and an arbiter of good taste. No surprise, then, that his longtime Laguna Beach compound, which recently sold for $10.65 million, is a testament to his eclectic interests, and morphed several times during his ownership.
Situated on 1.25 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Murphy’s former estate comprises two separate properties that are tied together by a pool pavilion and citrus allée. Writing for Architectural Digest in 2017, Murphy explained that the residence, designed by renowned architect Mark Singer, has at different points been “a cream-and-black-leather tribute to Scarface,” “a cozy beach shack inspired by Mildred Pierce,” “a textural Balinese home,” and “a blue-and-white homage to Bel Air.” Presently, the aesthetic is more minimalist, with concrete and glass unifying the one-story main house, the two-story guest house, and the poolside pavilion.
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The main house spans approximately 5,000 square feet and features an open floor plan with numerous skylights throughout. The living room features intricate floor-to-ceiling rosewood built-ins, the main suite still retains original 1960s teakwood paneling, and the kitchen is a sleek modern affair, with marble countertops and slate gray cabinetry. Wraparound patios provide ample outdoor lounging and dining spaces. The two-story guesthouse, meanwhile, has a slightly more traditional beach aesthetic, with a whitewashed beamed ceiling over a stone fireplace.
The poolside pavilion, which adds two bathrooms to the compound’s total count, is largely built of smooth plaster, solid oak beams, and sandblasted concrete, and features an outdoor fireplace, a full kitchen, and a covered dining area overlooking a 43-foot-long swimming pool. “Peaceful, clean-lined, modern, and oddly quirky, my finally finished family home embodies my fantasy of California—glamorous but effortless, a place to dream and retreat—and how I pictured myself living here when I was a kid,” Murphy told AD.
