Hollywood producer and director Lili Fini Zanuck has designed and built a new Los Angeles residence following the 2012 death of her husband and frequent collaborator, Richard Zanuck. Known for producing Academy Award-winning films such as Driving Miss Daisy, Zanuck utilized her decades of experience in architecture and home design to construct the custom property after selling the Beverly Hills Georgian-style manor she shared with her husband for decades.
Architectural Inspiration and Design Principles
Zanuck drew on classical architectural traditions for her new home, focusing heavily on proportion. Having previously studied the work of 20th-century English architect Edwin Lutyens and Palladian design principles while building a home in Beverly Park, she sought a similar sense of spatial harmony for her current residence. According to Zanuck, proportion dictates how a person responds to a room.
For the layout and styling, Zanuck researched Spanish-style architecture long favored in California, noting that traditional Spanish designs often feature small windows and heavy roof overhangs that limit natural light. To maintain bright interiors while honoring regional aesthetics, she incorporated elements from Portuguese architecture and colonial style homes in Argentina. She partnered with Harrison Design during the architectural planning stages, traveling to locations such as the Bicesse factory in Sintra, Portugal, to source specific tiles.
A Lifelong Engagement with Architecture
Zanuck’s hands-on approach to home building began early in her career. In her twenties, she designed a ski house in Sun Valley, Idaho, for Richard Zanuck and his two sons. Rejecting the prevailing East Coast aesthetic of the surrounding neighborhood, she aimed for a structure suited to its local environment with a flow inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Throughout multiple building projects, Zanuck has consistently managed architectural collaborations without the assistance of professional decorators. Her latest Los Angeles home features a double-height library with a dome bringing light into the upper level, furnishings from Dering Hall, and circa-1800 Bayre bronzes on the mantel.
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