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Fast-forward roughly a decade. The Goldblums, along with their two sons, Charlie Ocean and River Joe, live happily in the hills above West Hollywood, ensconced in the charming 1930s Spanish Revival house that the actor has occupied for more than four decades. The guesthouse/poolhouse on the property, however, was somewhat less winning. “I would describe the style as 1983 janky,” says Barbara Bestor, the architect charged with reimagining the structure as an inviting, multipurpose family playground, performance space, gym, home office, and guest cottage. “The catalyst for the whole project was an upgrade to the laundry room,” Jeff notes wryly. “Then we started to think bigger.”
Shop the colorful look of the star’s home with an editor-curated selection of furniture and decor.
Working within the shell of the existing structure, Bestor raised the ceilings, upgraded the building systems, and completely recast the character of the pavilion by reinterpreting its architectural details in a language more consistent with the main home. “We tried to give it an atmosphere that ties the structure into the larger aesthetic of the property. Call it retroactive historicization,” she says, pointing to signature gestures such as new arched doorways, colorful tile applications, and the pyramidal ceiling above Jeff’s office and cozy snooze-atorium. “Jeff and Emilie have very playful personalities, and then there are the kids. It all had to be fun and relaxed,” she adds.
