SOUTH BAY DIGS | Digital Edition Online

68 DIGS.NET | 3.25.2022 S W E E T D I G S | 1 W A G O N L A N E M A R K E T "What makes Rolling Hills special is its history and rural feel, which we've done much to preserve," describes Leslie Stetson. A real estate agent, and active member of this private community for over 25 years, Stetson and her partner Clint Patterson specialize in spacious properties within this gated enclave, which was incorporated as its own city back in the late-1950s. Decades later Rolling Hills remains a place where sunlit ranch homes and scenic horseback and hiking trails offer a respite for those seeking a Southern California lifestyle that's more closely attuned to nature. Enter the city's main gate—there are three, all manned around the clock—and drive a mile and a half along scenic Portuguese Bend Road to reach 1 Wagon Lane. Approximately 2.5 acres in total, this corner property is a secluded retreat that includes a home surrounded by lush green landscaping and a standout panorama of views, ranging from verdant hills and glittering cityscapes to craggy mountains and even the Santa Monica Bay. "Because the home sits up high on Wagon Lane, the views are incredible," Clint Patterson says of the residence, a one-level contemporary ranch with 3 bedrooms and 3 bath- rooms that spans approximately 2,889 square feet. Standalone guest quarters linked to the main house by a matter of a few steps, create additional room for guests or family. The sunny getaway, measuring about 400 square feet, bumps the total living area to about 3,289 square feet, and maintains a comfortable separation of space within the home, originally custom designed for a South Bay aerospace executive by archi- tect firm Roy Sayer Associates. "The main house was designed for gracious entertaining," Leslie explains. "If they had guests, they had their own space—and it's flexible." The bright guest annex has a Jack and Jill style bathroom and can be configured either as an additional two-bedroom space, or as a one-bedroom suite with a living room. Sliding glass doors open onto a charm- ing patio where you can take in the glorious outdoors. Speaking of, the unruffled calm and sunlit green lands that immediately surround the home have been accentuated with meticulous landscaping—from stately, old-growth Melaleuca trees to colorful vegetation in varied shades of green, accented with shades of white and lavender. "She has spent years figuring out what grows best and where," Leslie says of landscape architect Robin Benezra, whose namesake local studio designed the proper- ty's eye-catching water sculpture, along with the peaceful walking paths leading the way around the property. For the gardener, there are raised rose garden beds and a dedicated potting area. The property also includes one undeveloped acre, located directly across the street. "It's what we call 'the barn set-aside,' although there's never been a barn there," describes Clint. This open land is a natural habitat, untamed and free-flowing, that adds to the feeling of seclusion and space at this address. So too, does the home's location on an undisturbed cul-de-sac; Wagon Lane is one of the oldest streets in the Rolling Hills community. Making the most of the charmed environment is a spacious brick-paved patio at the home that's ideal for year-round lounging and dining. An al fresco space where you can ponder the electric hues of sunset and the warm luminescence of the morning hours and dusk that's due, Leslie points out, to the way the sun reflects on the buildings of Downtown LA (DTLA) and Century City during these times. "Every room in the front of the house—the living room,

• Cover