{"id":217917,"date":"2025-09-11T10:20:32","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T10:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/217917\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T10:20:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T10:20:32","slug":"director-rents-a-midcentury-modern-penthouse-by-edward-fickett-in-l-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/217917\/","title":{"rendered":"Director rents a Midcentury Modern penthouse by Edward Fickett in L.A."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Growing up in a small town outside of Cleveland, Tyler Pi\u00f1a<\/a> was fascinated by Los Angeles and the glamour of Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad grew up out here, and it\u2019s where my parents met,\u201d says the 33-year-old screenwriter and Emmy Award-winning director of \u201cNext Level With Lauren Goode.\u201d \u201cI remember looking at old Polaroids of them in the \u201880s and seeing how much fun they had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Not <\/a> <\/p>\n

In this series, we spotlight L.A. rentals with style. From perfect gallery walls to temporary decor hacks, these renters get creative, even in small spaces. And Angelenos need the inspiration: Most are renters.<\/p>\n

His attraction to Los Angeles, however, was more than just nostalgia. \u201cI was mesmerized by the landscapes and architecture,\u201d he says, noting the Santa Monica Mountains that run alongside the Pacific Ocean and glass-and-steel Case Study Houses<\/a> such as the Stahl House<\/a>, perched on a hillside overlooking Los Angeles. <\/p>\n

\u201cI had never seen anything like it in Ohio,\u201d he says. \u201cIt felt like another world, so far from reach. Yet it was a life I aspired to live one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking back, he can\u2019t believe he realized his dream of moving to Los Angeles from San Francisco in 2018 and eventually renting a Midcentury Modern penthouse steps from the Sunset Strip.<\/p>\n

\"A \"A \"Tyler <\/p>\n

\u201cA Midcentury Modern penthouse on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, with a bar in the living room? I mean, does it get more iconic? I am, in no way, cool enough to live here,\u201d says Pi\u00f1a. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little bit of a fishbowl,\u201d Pi\u00f1a says, standing inside his living room with views of a Netflix billboard through the unit\u2019s floor-to-ceiling windows. (It\u2019s an ad for \u201cHappy Gilmore 2\u201d that reads \u201cWhen Life Gives You S\u2014 for Breakfast \u2026 Go to Your Happy Place.\u201d)<\/p>\n

More than once, Pi\u00f1a has been caught sitting on his couch in his underwear, writing scripts on his laptop, as Hollywood tour buses stop at the traffic light outside.<\/p>\n

In other instances, friends have driven by his building and texted him, \u201c\u2018Hey, I just drove by and saw you in your living room,\u2019\u201d he says, laughing.<\/p>\n

\"Tyler <\/p>\n

Although he feels like he is living in a fishbowl at times, Pi\u00f1a draws energy from the city outside his windows. <\/p>\n

The two-story, 22-unit Sunset Lanai apartment complex<\/a>, designed by acclaimed midcentury architect Edward H. Fickett<\/a> and built in 1952 by developer George Alexander, is an oasis in the middle of a bustling part of the city. That is because Fickett designed the West Hollywood apartments to face inward, toward a lush courtyard and swimming pool, avoiding the activity of the Sunset Strip.<\/p>\n

Pi\u00f1a\u2019s penthouse apartment spans almost the entire top floor and boasts many of the architectural touches that Fickett was known for including as an indoor-outdoor floor plan that connects to a lanai, vaulted ceilings, partial walls and lots of glass. <\/p>\n

Over the years, the apartment\u2019s owners and the West Hollywood City Council have debated its relevance as a historic landmark<\/a> that needs preservation. But talk to Pi\u00f1a, and he\u2019ll tell you it\u2019s special.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Sunset Lanai apartments were designed by noted modernist architect Edward Fickett and constructed by George Alexander in 1952.<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked by the apartment every day before I moved in and was always curious what it looked like inside,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen I saw the \u2018for rent\u2019 sign, I immediately went on a tour. But the price was a little high for me, so I waited.\u201d<\/p>\n

His patience paid off as the apartment stood vacant for seven months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following several price reductions, Pi\u00f1a, his boyfriend at that time and a friend of theirs rented the 2,850-square-foot unit for $5,200 a month in 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight away it felt like home,\u201d he says of the first time he stepped inside. \u201cThis was the place I grew up dreaming about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Two <\/p>\n

Pi\u00f1a, right, and his boyfriend, Vittorio Manole, stand in the lanai in front of the apartment.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

The lanai has enough room for a gym, washer and dryer and a lounge. It also has ample built-in storage. <\/p>\n

Inside, the apartment is a treasure trove of unique features. The expansive living room seamlessly connects to a formal dining room, which in turn leads to an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, all with a view of Sunset Boulevard. Two bedrooms and two bathrooms, each with more built-in storage than they can use, sit off an intersecting hallway.<\/p>\n

At the center of the living room, a stylish enclosed wet bar, an original design by Fickett, exudes a \u201cMad Men\u201d vibe<\/a>. On the wall behind the bar, Pi\u00f1a hung a peel-and-stick wallpaper that he found on Etsy, reminiscent of the iconic banana-leaf wallpaper at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and a yellow neon sign that reads \u201cLost in euphoria.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s something really special about a Fickett building,\u201d Pi\u00f1a says. \u201cA Midcentury Modern penthouse on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, with a bar in the living room? I mean, does it get more iconic? I am, in no way, cool enough to live here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Artworks, \"A <\/p>\n

\u201cIn a way, I guess decorating is just another medium for me to express my creativity like I do with film and writing,\u201d Pi\u00f1a says. <\/p>\n

\u201cI tried my best to do this space justice,\u201d Pi\u00f1a says, referring to his frantic two-week effort to decorate the apartment while working on \u201cComeback Coach\u201d and \u201cWomen in Business,\u201d two reality shows sponsored by Verizon. He has also worked on trailers for Amazon, shot and edited commercials for Google, Levi\u2019s and Sephora, edited \u201cMaking Emilia Perez\u201d for Netflix and wrote and directed the award-winning documentary \u201c88 Cents.\u201d <\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cAt my previous place, I slowly decorated over time,\u201d he says. \u201cBy the time it finally felt perfect, it was time to move out. In this space, I wanted it to feel lived in right away so I could enjoy it fully for as long as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working until 3 in the morning, Pi\u00f1a sourced Midcentury-inspired furniture<\/a> from the online retailer All Modern, CB2 and several local vintage shops<\/a>. He also purchased a variety of furnishings, plants and accessories on Etsy and Offer Up as well as artworks by local artists, photographers and friends.<\/p>\n

Inspired by a print on wood by Australian photographer Sarah Bahbah<\/a> in his dining room, Pi\u00f1a decorated the living and dining room in a similar color palette. Similarly, copper-colored bar stools he spotted in a small shop in San Francisco inspired the bar area.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

The bedroom is dark and moody, with windows that look out over the Sunset Strip. <\/p>\n

Explaining his decorating process, Pi\u00f1a says he likes to start with a statement piece such as an artwork, rug or piece of furniture and then build a story around it. \u201cIn a way, I guess decorating is just another medium for me to express my creativity like I do with film and writing,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Adding to the spacious floor plan is a lanai, which has enough room for weights, mats and a Peloton, as well as a lounge area, washer and dryer, sink and a huge walk-in storage space. \u201cI have a projector and have hosted movie nights,\u201d Pi\u00f1a says.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

The formal dining room connects to an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances that faces Sunset Boulevard.<\/p>\n

At night, Pi\u00f1a says his apartment glows from the streetlights and soaks up the energy from the neighborhood. \u201cIt\u2019s the best place to have a good cry,\u201d he says. \u201cBecause you never feel alone. I put so much love into this apartment. And it\u2019s given me so much back in return. And the tears I cried here, the immense struggles that I faced \u2014 a pandemic, losing work from the strikes, multiple relationships that came and went. But even in the hard moments, there was so much beauty. The architecture brings this place to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

But like so many good things that come to an end, Pi\u00f1a recently decided to move out of the apartment after his roommate left. <\/p>\n

\"Tyler <\/p>\n

Pi\u00f1a moves on with nothing but happy memories. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready for the next dream,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Last month, Pi\u00f1a sold and donated all of his furniture. He plans to travel to Europe and Asia and work remotely for a while. \u201cJust me and a suitcase,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

According to the director, he enjoyed selling his furnishings on Facebook Marketplace and plans on using it as a source for his next home. \u201cI met so many cool people from all over the city,\u201d he says. \u201cThe whole concept of passing items down versus buying new just makes the home feel more lively in my opinion, like every item comes with its own story and a bit of love \u2014 not to mention it\u2019s way more cost-effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

He leaves Los Angeles with his Polaroids, just like his parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd all the amazing memories,\u201d he says. \u201cThose are coming with me.\u201d<\/p>\n