Fun, Family Home Among the Trees in Los Angeles Lists for Nearly $16 Million

When Nick Bell and his wife, Sara, were expecting their first child, they were looking for a Los Angeles property that was both private and convenient. They found it in the upscale neighborhood of Brentwood. 

“I grew up in the middle of the countryside, obviously, and when I was living in L.A., I wanted to try and replicate some of that…not walk out the door and see 10 neighbors,” said Mr. Bell, a tech executive who now works at Google.. “We were drawn to this location that felt really private amongst the trees. We think of [the house] a little like a treehouse…you look out and all you see is the trees.”

The couple bought the property in 2019 for about $4.6 million, according to records from PropertyShark. They took the existing 1990s home “right down to the studs,” Mr. Bell said. They also expanded the footprint to create a 8,647-square-foot residence with three levels, including an open-plan living area on the main floor, bedrooms upstairs and a lower level dedicated to entertainment. 

“We designed it with entertainment in mind,” he said, adding that it’s not a “highly contemporary” home. “We wanted this to feel like somewhere you could live and where people can come in and feel very comfortable.”

Now Mr. Bell and his family are relocating to be closer to the Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, and the home is set to hit the market Friday for nearly $16 million, Mansion Global has learned. Gina Dickerson and Tracy Tutor of Douglas Elliman have the listing. 

“The architecture is beautiful, but even more importantly, I think their interior finishes that they chose to do speak to where design is going,” Ms. Tutor said. “It’s not stuffy, it’s uncomplicated, but it’s of the highest quality. I think that is the direction now for buyers in this price point.”

Although many views from the home are of the trees, there are also canyon views from the home’s floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors, according to the listing. Blues and greens have been used throughout the home to give it a calm, but classic feel, and it boasts a double-height entry, a dining area, an office, a home theater, a craft room, an eat-in kitchen and a family room that opens onto the patio, lawn and pool area. 

There’s also a primary bedroom suite with a sitting area, a private patio, walk-in closets and a bathroom with a steam shower and soaking tub, the listing said. There are four additional bedrooms on the upper level. 

“There’s this whole incredible lower level that has a golf simulator room and a state-of-the-art gym that opens up to a deck,” Ms. Tutor said. “Then there’s this hidden [doorway]…you slide a bookcase back and you walk in and it’s a full bar with a billiard room and a wine cellar and also opens up to the deck. So it’s that lower level is like, ‘we’re still fun…we have two kids in kindergarten, but we still love to entertain our friends and have a great time.’”