I had never heard of such a thing: a Swiss-Chalet style Craftsman. But this one, built by Naldo Francis Stokes in 1908, offers gracious, living in a three-level home. Stokes' work incorporated finishes "of a very high order with handsome mantelpieces, beamed ceilings, built-in buffets, and all the accessories of a comfortable, modern house." In the early 20th century, Stokes made his name by creating stately homes in Normandie-Adams, and thanks to a thoughtful Historic Preservation Plan, this Central Los Angeles neighborhood remains a nearly unmatched repository of exceptional Craftsman architecture.

Wait, Swiss-Chalet-Japanese-Craftsman?

Charming period details include an expansive covered porch, a formal dining room, a library with a ceramic fireplace surround, large living room with fireplace, and expansive kitchen that, in my mind, doesn’t fit the style of the house and should be redone. Upstairs are four bedrooms and three baths upstairs, with two sleeping porches, and one bedroom—for the houseboys?—and two baths downstairs. There is also a California basement—a small, unfinished storage space excavated below the ground floor—and a sunlit attic suitable for use as a studio or office.

Alongside upgraded electrical and plumbing and a fresh California Native and drought-tolerant landscape, this historic property presents a unique opportunity for a new owner to apply for property-tax saving Mills Act designation for the front house and to utilize the advantageous LARD2 zoning to create a multi-family property using the garage structure out back.

I love this house … the history and design … and while it’s way to big for us, I could live in it if I had the $1.2 million—seriously a bargain—and it wasn’t already sold!