Under the Tuscan Sun Studio-Style Cottage With Stone Pool in West LA

About Beth Salmon

I'm a creative and mom of two kids. I've been a book publisher, editor in chief of health magazines and even a screenwriter. I love movies, especially "Under the Tuscan Sun," which—truth be told—is what inspired a serious property renovation. Since we couldn't move to Italy, I asked my husband Milo to convert our house into one that made us feel like we were on a vacation there every day. My husband Milo is a mechanical engineer, history/political science buff—and was once the stand-in for Sean Connery on the movie "The Rock." Born in Prague, Milo has toured more than 75 countries. His best souvenirs, though, are the great stories he brings back. Ask him about the time we were stranded on a glacier in Iceland, or the giant sea crocodile he ran into on a lonely stretch of beach on the island of Langkawi (the croc gets bigger every time he tells this story). You may notice a large two-axle military truck in our driveway. We are offering off-road desert tours to Giant Rock, and other hidden gems, including dry lakes and old gold mines. Be sure to check out our Joshua Tree 2-bedroom house vacation rental, Casa Agave, VRBO listing #2069337, for another unique getaway experience!

Why Beth Salmon chose Sawtelle

We chose our home because of its location and its potential to become our dream home. When we renovated the entire property a few years ago, we turned what was a California bungalow into a stone farmhouse that you might see in Italy or France! We even have a chicken that free-ranges in parts of the yard. (She's very friendly!) We also converted our liner pool into an eco-friendly state of the art stone pool and added a 20 foot concrete slide that kids love. We also love this area, which is close to everything the West Side has to offer, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Starbucks, Marshall's, foodie spots on Sawtelle, Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards, and even the beach (it's only four stops west on the Light Rail). And yet, our area still feels like a hidden, diverse enclave in the middle of a very big city. Kids scooter up and down the street here, our local elementary is French Immersion and all the neighbors know each other.

What makes this Guest house unique

There are so many unique touches added to our house that it's hard to name them all. In effort to create our old-world European dreamscape, we've added Mediterranean plants, gravel, arched doorways and stone walkways, patios and facades. The backyard is lush and private with mature orange trees, tea roses and hedge trees. The pool is made of stone and has a lovely slide and cascading waterfall. The hot tub is made of concrete and stone—it's not plastic—and uses an eco-friendly cleaning system (copper and silver ions and an ozonator) which makes the water very healthy for the skin, hair and body. You will feel as if you've escaped the hustle and bustle of the city when you are here. And yet, you can easily access sights or the freeways to conveniently reach them: Disneyland, Universal, The Getty, Staples Center, beaches (Venice, Santa Monica, Malibu), museums, hiking trails and more!