The LA Times reported that tattoo artist and television personality Kat Von D has bought the historic Van Nuys home in Windsor Square. The 12,500 square-foot, eleven bedroom Victorian home reportedly sold for $6.5 million, according to the LA Times. It was last sold in 1998 for $1.3 million.
The stately Victorian mansion was built in 1890 for Isaac Newton Van Nuys, the prominent landholder for which the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Van Nuys is named. The home originally sat on a corner in Westlake, but was moved to its current location in 1914 by his son, J. Benton Van Nuys.
The home has many spectacular features including a grand foyer entry, a wood-paneled sitting room, a library, a den and a ballroom/living room. Like many homes in the neighborhood, there’s a hidden speakeasy left from the Prohibition Era, which features hand-carved walls and a secret door to the outside. There’s even a stage/theater room, with original footlights, on the third floor. A swimming pool, various patios, lawns, and landscaping fill out the more than half-acre setting.
Now sited on a prominent corner of Fourth Street and Lorraine Blvd, the home also features a turntable driveway, extensive brickwork, decorative trim and stained glass windows in the Victorian style. The steep cross-gabled roof and domed turret invite your imagination to conjure what life could be like in such a special house.
The Larchmont Chronicle’s history of the house offers more details to fuel your imagination. Also, including a carriage house above the two-car garage, there are a total of 12 bedrooms and 9.5 bathrooms.
According to the LA Times, Katherine von Drachenberg, 34, appeared on the reality series “LA Ink” from 2007 to 2011, following a stint on “Miami Ink.” This year, she appeared on the CBS series “Life in Pieces.” She also has a well-known cosmetics line. The home was prominently featured in the 2003 film, “Cheaper by the Dozen.”
Curbed LA’s feature has more photos of the house, including the one below, which includes a picture of the home in its original location.
