Lovell Beach House by Schindler Listed in Newport Beach

The Lovell Beach House, an early modernist landmark by R.M. Schindler at 1242 West Ocean Front in Newport Beach, is on the market for the first time since its completion in 1926. The house, which has remained in the Lovell family for a century, is listed at $18.8 million, co-listed by Nate Cole of Modern California House and Todd Bousman of Bouhaus Properties.

Leah and Philip Lovell asked Schindler to design the house, and Richard Neutra was responsible for the outdoor planting and garden layout. Philip Lovell, a naturopathic health advocate and Los Angeles Times columnist, and his wife Leah, an educator, sought a residence that embodied their commitment to healthy living and the open air. Schindler, who had met the couple through his wife Pauline, created a structure that prioritized light, air, and direct access to the outdoors.

The house’s design raised the main living spaces high above the ground on five reinforced concrete frames, shaped like squared figure eights. That allowed for expansive ocean views and privacy above the boardwalk. The original plan included open-air sleeping porches, a rooftop sunbathing terrace, and a shower with five heads for lying beneath running water. While the porches were later enclosed due to the ocean fog, the family retained nearly all of Schindler’s built-in furnishings, including the custom sofa and shelving.

Image: Lovell Beach House

The first floor holds a double-height living room, dining area, kitchen, and breakfast space, all illuminated by ribbons of floor-to-ceiling glazing. Upstairs, four identical bedrooms are reached from a galleried landing, and a private roof deck crowns the house. The ground floor, initially open except for a garage, now contains additional accommodation but preserves the clarity of Schindler’s original structure.

Neutra’s outdoor design included a curving raised flower bed, informal planting, and seating, all viewed from a balcony off the sitting room. The property occupies the final plot before the sand. That gives it direct access to the beach and uninterrupted views of the Pacific. The house was originally conceived to maximize the benefits of the ocean air, with sleeping areas that could be opened to the elements, though these were enclosed by the end of the decade due to the local climate.

According to Wallpaper, Leah Lovell worked at a private school in East Hollywood on land owned by Aline Barnsdall, whose own house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Schindler had worked with Wright on the Hollyhock House before taking on the Lovell commission. The creative circle included Neutra, who later designed the Lovell Health House in Los Angeles for the couple in 1929. Despite the attention that house received, the family preferred the Newport Beach residence for its atmosphere and location.

The property has served as the central gathering place for the Lovell family for generations. Philip and Leah’s youngest son acquired it in the 1970s, and Barbara Lovell, the last resident, lived there until her death in 2025. Leah Lovell once told historian Esther McCoy that the Newport Beach house “just fitted us,” while Philip Lovell described their Los Angeles house by Neutra as feeling like a public museum.

The Lovell Beach House comprises four bedrooms and four baths within 2,741 square feet. Its asking price is $18.8 million. The magazine has also covered the Stahl House’s recent price cut, another Californian modernist icon still seeking a buyer.