Swedish-born filmmaker David F. Sandberg had humble beginnings as a no-name director of no-budget horror films, but the surprise viral success of his 2013 short “Lights Out” quickly catapulted him up the slippery ladder of Hollywood success. Starring two lightbulbs and Lotta Losten, Sandberg’s longtime wife and frequent collaborator, that three-minute clip led to a full-length feature film (co-produced by horror king James Wan) that grossed nearly $150 million worldwide.
By 2015, Sandberg had decamped Sweden for Los Angeles, where his directorial success has grown — the “Annabelle: Creation” horror flick grossed over $300 million, as did “Shazam!,” the DC Comics blockbuster.
Tinseltown success begets the need for luxury Tinseltown digs. As such, Sandberg and Losten have selected a charming property in historic Hollywoodland, the hillside neighborhood just below the Hollywood Sign and now part of Beachwood Canyon.
Christened the “Erbes Residence,” the storybook Tudor was built circa 1924. Over the years, French New Wave directors Agnès Varda and Jacques Demy, film producer Gerald Ayres, and prolific television writer Rebecca Kirshner have all owned and/or bunked up in this property, which — unlike many other Hollywoodland Tutors from the same era — remains mostly intact and original.
The formal turret entry features a henna-colored tile floor and short staircase leading to the formal living room, with its ebony-colored vaulted ceiling, large fireplace, Moroccan pendants, and sets of French doors. Beyond those doors lies a slim balcony with lush treetop views down Beachwood Canyon. Hardwood floors flow throughout most of the home’s other rooms, though the somewhat small kitchen has grouted tile (and pistachio-colored cabinetry.)
Packed into the 2,549 square feet of living space are four reasonably spacious bedrooms, with the master suite having its own walk-in closet, fireplace, and a bath with built-in soaking tub. At least one of the bedrooms has direct access to the outdoor balcony, from which a narrow wooden staircase leads down to the home’s cozy lower level. Per the listing, this small space could function as a guest suite, a writer’s studio/office, or as a miscellaneous “creative space.”
Fun outdoor features abound: there’s a gurgling fountain, al fresco dining area, and a fully terraced, partially ivy-covered hillside. Below that, nestled among mature oaks, is a flat pad with a children’s playhouse and space for a swimming pool.
The Beachwood Canyon area is chock-full of successful creatives — many of them still quite youthful. Some of the Losten-Sandbergs’ nearest new neighbors include Halsey, Jason Mantzoukas, Chanel West Coast, G-Eazy, and Adan Canto, just to name a few.
Jacqueline Tager and Tatiana Tensen of Sotheby’s International Realty were both the listing and selling agents.
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