Villa Cascata’s seven bedrooms and sevenand- a-half baths are tastefully appointed. The main house has a 24-foot entryway with Venetian plaster walls, wood-beam ceilings, scraped-wood floors and sconces that are reproductions from pairs found at Buster Keaton’s home. Many of the doors, like the one that leads to the formal library, are from the turn of the century to the 1930s. Custom ceiling patterns in the formal dining room correspond with the design of the floors; an antique Sohmer piano sits in the living room; Walker Zanger tiles are placed throughout the home and custom finials and fixtures add special touches to the numerous doors. “I like visual texture and details,” says Gregg.
The master bedroom houses an elegant fourposter Ebanista bed, Romeo and Juliet balconies, a marble fireplace and massive walk-in closets. It’s the spacious kitchen, however, that serves as the focal point of the home. With marble counters, a sizable granite island, a bright breakfast nook and a Miele built-in Nespresso coffee system, the kitchen is comfortable and familyoriented. Another building features a spacious family room with a Ping-Pong table, formal bar area and massive flat screen—perfect for watching sports. “This is where my boys will get in a lot of trouble,” says Gregg with a laugh. “This is the last building we did, and it has cleaner lines and a more contemporary décor.” Even though Audrey owned an antiques business, she didn’t want Villa Cascata to be full of them. For the drapes, sofas and other soft furnishings the Ruths enlisted designer Greg Parker at Parker West Interiors.
Out front you will find two miniature horses along with a chicken coop, from which the Ruths get fresh eggs. “Horses were my dream, and I’ve always loved them, so when I saw the property I thought I would have them,” says Audrey, who now shows and breeds miniatures. “I bought two over the Internet, and now I’ve got a show horse and a world champion from last year, so it’s fun. It adds such a dimension when you have animals.” Parked nearby is Gregg’s 1969 red GTO, which he loves to cruise in with his sons.
Recently the Ruths purchased the adjoining 103 acres of land, bringing their total to 1.2 miles in length. Far away from traffic on the PCH and the stresses of daily life, the villa feels like a retreat from reality. It’s no surprise the home has been featured in print ads, magazine editorials and shows such as Californication (a terrace doubled as a rehab center on the Showtime series). “The weather is always so beautiful and everything is geared toward the outdoors,” says Audrey. “I love that you can be close enough to the city to enjoy all that LA has to offer, but it feels like the country. It’s a small town, and you know everyone at the stores.”
