Born Jon Nelson Burke in Texas, Ellwood wasn’t a licensed architect, nor did he formally study architecture. But that didn’t stop him from designing some of the most iconic homes of his era in Southern California. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Ellwood made his way to L.A. where he worked in construction and general contracting. Along with his brother Cleve and two friends, Ellwood formed his first company. They named the enterprise ‘Craig Ellwood’, inspired in part by the group’s favorite liquor store, Lords and Elwood. The moniker was impactful enough that Jon Burke would go on to legally take the name for himself in 1951.
Ellwood’s Moore House was commissioned by film studio executive Roy Moore and his wife in 1964. A hillside lot in Los Feliz with sweeping views of the Pacific was chosen and construction was completed in 1965. While not a Case-Study house, the home is uniquely Ellwood. A steel frame raised delicately above the ground, with floor-to-ceiling glass and redwood siding floating between exposed I-beams. Yes there is a lot of steel and glass, but the space retains a real sense of warmth. The original Koi pond and swimming pool make excellent use of a small hillside backyard.
After years or rough use (reportedly by LA-based rock band) the home was renovated by Woods + Danagran in 2020. The project included replacing deteriorated redwood siding with natural redwood to match the original design, upgrading single-pane glazing to insulated glass, and reconfiguring interior spaces like the kitchen and bathrooms for improved functionality. Natural materials such as honey-toned teak, earth-toned ceramic tiles, and dark marbles round out a really cohesive refresh. Check out a video about the restoration here.
TLDR: It’s doesn’t get much cooler than Craig Ellwood and Ellwood’s don’t come any cooler than the Moore House.
Pre-renovation photos (likely from 2018 listing):
GEMS FOR SALE THIS WEEK
3016 Rogers St, San Diego, CA 92106
4260 Sea View Ln, Los Angeles, CA 90065
400 Roberts Rd, Colusa, CA 95932
3414 75th Avenue NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
1173 Rock Rimmon Rd, Stamford, CT 06903
47 Crecienta Ln, Sausalito, CA 94965
3650 Chimayo Road, Littleton, CO 80123
2661 Shamrock Dr, Ogden, UT 84403
8 McKelvey Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
1005 E 15th Ave, Winfield, KS 67156
Does that Logan home come with the crescent couch?
I literally took screenshots of this house yesterday after seeing it on social media, it is amazing!