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Status
Active
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Bedrooms
6
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Bathrooms
5
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Living Square Feet
4,221
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Year Built
1972
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Lot Size
17,637
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Lot Description
Back Yard, Front Yard
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Days on Market
1
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Property Type
Single Family Residence
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List Price
$2,499,000
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MLS#
PV25259695
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Stories
2.0000
This information is believed to be accurate, but without warranty.
Suspended above the Pacific in Palos Verdes Estates, the Murphy Residence is one of the rare surviving examples of late California Modernism in original condition. Designed in 1971 by the architectural partnership Smith, Heaton & Jones, the nearly 5,000-square-foot home captures a moment when Modernism had matured, when structure became sculpture, and light itself was a design material. Commissioned and still held by the original owner, the residence has remained untouched for more than five decades. Its redwood-lined ceilings, handcrafted decorative tile, and original fixtures remain intact, offering a pure expression of its era. Every surface, angle, and proportion reflects the architect’s intent, preserved rather than reinterpreted. Adding to its architectural significance, the complete original plans and drawings remain in the owner’s possession, providing a rare blueprint for accurate and effortless restoration. For those who value authenticity, this continuity between architect and original owner is extraordinary; offering the next custodian both historical context and design clarity. Influenced by contemporaries such as John Lautner and Quincy Jones, Smith, Heaton & Jones designed the Murphy Residence with commanding geometry and organic flow: cantilevered volumes reaching toward the horizon, walls of glass merging with sea and sky, and a harmonic rhythm of wood, concrete, and light that grounds the home in both landscape and legacy. Perched above a 180-degree panorama of the Pacific, the property remains one of the few untouched works of its kind in Southern California. For the collector who views architecture as art, it represents a singular opportunity to restore and preserve a genuine piece of design history. Located within one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious enclaves, with ample space for a pool or sculptural landscape, the Murphy Residence offers not just privacy and beauty but the chance to carry forward an unbroken architectural story that began in 1971. To own it is to hold a piece of California’s modernist soul, authentic, intact, and waiting to be reawakened.
Listing Agent
Rebecca Chambliss
Listing Brokerage
Carmody Real Estate, Inc.
Listing courtesy of Rebecca Chambliss, [Carmody Real Estate, Inc.].
Based on information from CRMLS as 11/14/2025 9:32:07 AM. The information being provided by CRMLS is for the visitor's personal, noncommercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties visitor may be interested in purchasing. The data contained herein is copyrighted by CRMLS and other Board Associations and is protected by applicable copyright laws. Any property information referenced on this website comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of CRMLS. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.