German publisher and art collector Benedikt Taschen has listed a midcentury modern residence in Beverly Hills, California, for $25 million, highlighting his dedication to architectural preservation. The property, known as the Adelman residence, was originally built in 1956 by architects Thornton Abell and O’Neil Ford and features a traditional post-and-beam structure emblematic of midcentury California design.
Mr. Taschen acquired the home in 2018 and undertook a meticulous restoration aimed at retaining its original character. He described the project as a labor of love, emphasizing his commitment to preserving the property’s historical integrity in the face of potential demolition threats. Prior to his ownership, the house remained in the Adelman family—descendants of Isadore B. Adelman, a movie theater owner, and his wife Lucy, an artist. The one-acre lot was once part of the Charlie Chaplin estate, and it still includes a restored tennis court from that era.
According to Mr. Taschen, the property attracted interest from buyers who intended to raze the building and erect new developments. He noted that his purchase prevented the loss of a rare architectural gem amid a market dominated by large-scale rebuilds. Drew Fenton, chief executive of Carrollwood Estates, where the house is listed, underscored the rarity of finding a well-preserved midcentury home in Beverly Hills.
The house spans approximately 5,000 square feet across multiple levels, featuring four bedrooms and five bathrooms in the main wing, along with a guest suite in a separate wing. Design elements like clerestory windows, half walls, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors contribute to open sightlines and an airy feel throughout the space. Interior features restored to their original condition include cork flooring, sliding shoji screen dividers, a wood-paneled two-person elevator, and vintage kitchen appliances such as an oven and indoor grill. The kitchen layout allows access to pass-through cabinets from both the kitchen and dining areas.
Listing agent Linda May praised the restoration’s attention to detail, highlighting the preservation of authentic materials and finishes rather than replacing them with modern alternatives. Mr. Taschen and his wife, Lauren, furnished the home with midcentury pieces from their collection along with numerous Taschen publications, creating a cohesive aesthetic consistent with the property’s era.
The landscape includes terraced gardens offering multiple treetop views, punctuated by agave plants and palms. A pool lies behind the house, and a covered three-car carport adheres to the midcentury style. Mr. Taschen remarked that the outdoor spaces, with at least five favorite sitting spots, were among his most cherished aspects of the property.
The Taschens’ connection to the home was personal, as it is located directly across the street from another midcentury residence they own, the David O. Selznick estate. Benedikt Taschen described the Adelman house as a “sleeping beauty” and expressed satisfaction that the restoration preserved a piece of Hollywood’s architectural history. Despite living there only briefly, he hopes future owners will value the home’s heritage and painstakingly restored features.