Name: Al TeMan, Construction
Location: Silver Lake — Los Angeles, CA
Size: 2,000 + square feet
Years lived in: 13 years — owned
Arriving at Al TeMan's house on the day of our Apartment Therapy shoot can only be described as extraordinary. While, yes, Al's house is ginormous in size, it also bursts with a passion for life that most folks work a lifetime to achieve. Al is a charismatic individual himself and was more than happy to show me around (while giving me a history lesson as we walked the property).
Al stumbled upon the house in 1994--and at the time, it sat condemned by the city following the Northridge earthquake. In the coming years, Al added square footage and created a house that green activists would be proud of. Instead of buying new materials, Al uses found and salvaged pieces--in fact every piece of wood in the house is salvaged. Take for instance the downstairs bathroom's windows (they're from Edgar Rice Burroughs' home). A television show is in the works where camera crews will follow Al around town, showing Angelenos where to look for buried treasures. His coolest finds have to be music sheets written for Frank Sinatra by famed composer Nelson Riddle (Al was able to turn his score into a profit when he sold them to the Library of Congress). But most of the rare finds he holds onto--like the larger than life glass mosaic in the downstairs recording studio. It once sat as a table in Big N Tall Books but when the store closed, everything had to go. Turns out the beautiful piece was created by Karin van Leyden (a German artist who migrated to Brentwood in the 1940s). These large glass murals were coveted at the time and even found their way into the home of Rita Hayworth.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My style: Reclaimed/Recycled Architecture
Inspiration: Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top
Favorite Element: All the old wood and metal
Biggest Challenge: Building a showcase home for next to nothing
What Friends Say: OMG--Your house is amazing!
Biggest Embarrassment: The fact that I'm not done yet
Proudest DIY: The attic conversion into the "Landlords Lair"
Biggest Indulgence: My vast collection of nail guns
Best Advice: Keep your eyes open!
Dream Sources: The street
Thanks, Al!
Images: Beth Zeigler
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this is the kind of place that one might find a map to buried treasure. sigh. i miss LA.
Eclectic and beautiful details. That bright blue couch is gorgeous!
Extraordinary indeed! Love the drapery "tie"-backs.
Do you need a live-in maid? I'll work for cheap. Pleeeaaase? :)
i love the all musician inspired decorations and displays of instruments.
This is so cool and unique. I love mostly everything I see here on AT, but with so much mid-century modern and contemporary (which I do love), it is refreshing to see this truly artistic and eclectic home!
Why the camel caps? Here's more photos from the LAT 2009 story.
http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-teman3-pg,0,5031406.photogallery
Be still my heart. A home with a personality! This was a fantastic house tour. That place is a gem - what a lucky find!
Thanks for all the inspirational goodness, Al. Inside Man, take note: this is how it's done.
I love this! So unique and inviting. Beautiful wood throughout as well. As for the art work....I appreciate any art that is unique and not just bought at Ikea. I think it toatally works with your home. Great job!
Wow, that is one of the coolest houses I've ever seen. I would love to visit! :) And that blue couch is stunning.
Man sometimes the comments around here are as entertaining as the posts themselves :)
Yeah, AT, why don't you hire some better photographers or something, or at least keep them out of the minibar on the AT private plane as they're jetsetting to their next photoshoot?
Also, I LOVE how bursting with personality and life that house is!
@Al Fantastic House!
@Beth Nice post!
@Julian If you so don't like it, start your own site, blog whatever.
The antique trombone in the office made my day. Life needs more trombones...
I love this! Classy yet quirky.
Dear Al,
Please adopt me. I will cause no trouble, you'll hardly notice me at all. Will cook for music.
Al, Al, Al. Do you even know how lucky you are???
This house is truly a gem. Beth mentions the history lesson, but doesn't elaborate. Is it Bernard Maybeck? I'd love to hear more from the owner. Few people have the opportunity to live in such a special home. Al, you did a beautiful job and you have an amazing eye.
Wow.
Excuse me. I think I need to take the tour again.
Dear DrMcFacekick,
Best name ever.
very nice.
But can I ask what happened at the party the night before that left a drum on top of the fridge? Is that on youtube?
Totally creative and unique...with a great eye! Loved the tour!
What an interesting, eclectic home! It really expresses the personality of the owner. It isn't just design for design's sake (not that I'm against that), but rather design to reflect an individual. I love it.
I agree with the earlier (now censored?) comment that the photography quality is lower than usual for A.T., but I suppose that's the nature of a volunteer site: you work with the equipment you have, and sometimes it's going to be an over-exposing camera-phone. The fact that this great home is filled with personality still shines through.
I particularly like the musical elements: not just centred around the drum kit, but sprinkled throughout the home as if the occupants are ready to break into a tune at any moment.
please, please AT more tours like this that show how interesting people live!! Al would be a great contender for the selby contest. such a great home that really showcases someone's life & interests. when it gets to be too much about design that dominates lifestyle, it becomes artificial & idealistic, reminding us of dilemma of unhappy hipsters who live in an artificial uncluttered world ruled by abstract principles of design! as the father of modernist architecture louis sullivan writes "form ever follows function." not the other way around!
I am new to this site, but loving the photographs, I wish i was there.
not my specific taste, but oh-so-drool-worthy nonetheless. maybe I need to re-think my aesthetics. well done!
Wow. Wow. That blue sofa made me squeal with envy. I love your home. So many treasures and surprises! Thanks for giving us a tour.
Carrington--it's not a volunteer site. People get paid, probably not much, but still. This particular post needed better photos and an a real interview with the homeowner.
This is such a personal home. It shows why DIY, by the right person, can never be matched by a hired decorator. I also love to see a house full of books.
Man, this place is awesome! So unique and cool. Love all the art. Love the different drawer pulls on the dresser. Love the drum on the fridge. Love everything!!!!
Great tour!
Just one thing though, it would be even better if the photos has a little description to them, am I looking at a front door, side door, guest cottage?
Eccentric and over-the-top without being garish or tasteless. I am blown away by the awesomeness of this place!
Al Teman rocks! We used to be in a band together, and this was always his style--yet now more focused and defined! It's nice to see people evolve, yet keep their authentic sensibilities...
Wow...Love it! I'm not partial to instruments on display (I prefer them to be safely stored in their protective cases), but I love everything else.
Oh man, the configuration of that hood and the way the wall is built-out. Can you give some more details? that looks like a solution to my current dilemma. I have a very similar vintage range, and craftsman cabs. I'm planning to do tile like that when budget allows. You're my hero.
I'm obsessed with the painting in picture #25. Any info. or details? (It's the one with the nude pin up gal at the beach with red/orange shoes...)
Wow!
Thanks for all the kind words!
I just got back from Burning Man and did not have the chance to respond to many of the wonderful comments here.
Please feel free to email me at: tmanconstruction@yahoo.com
Thanks again!
Al