Songwriter Patrick Leonard Lists Secluded Log Cabin
Not too much chance of the neighbors complaining about the noise here. Not only is the natural soundproofing of a log cabin likely to muffle the most bass-heavy of beats and raucous of guitars, but, perched on a semi-remote clifftop amid boulders and rolling scrublands on the rugged outskirts of the far-flung L.A. suburb of Canoga Park, the closest neighbor is beyond shouting distance.
That seclusion was no doubt appealing — and handy — for songwriter and music producer Patrick Leonard, who made a name for himself in the 1980s and ‘90s co-writing some of fellow Michiganian Madonna’s biggest hits. His four-acre retreat, which includes an attached recording studio, naturally, is now listed at just under $1.4 million, not quite twice the $835,000 the pop music veteran paid for the place about nine years ago.
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Aqua green steps and porch railings jazz up the front of the rustic residence that has four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms throughout its roughly 3,200 square feet. Inside, the home is pretty much as billed in listings held by Alison MacCracken and Leah Regan of Sotheby’s International Realty: a “meticulously rustic,” honest-to-goodness log cabin with exposed timber walls and an open floor plan. It may not be ideal for hanging pictures, but it’s definitely a nice place for relaxed entertaining and low-key hanging out.
The front door opens informally into a sitting room where the floor is partially tile and wood, while a wooden staircase with multicolored risers makes for a whimsical climb to the bedrooms. In the neighboring great room, a lounge area accented with corrugated metal walls is large enough to accommodate a grand piano, and the dining area opens to the up-to-date kitchen that boasts knotty pine cabinets, granite countertops and solid-quality stainless steel appliances. Between the two spaces, a giant wood stove sits on a raised brick platform that’s been painted black.
The upstairs landing hosts a cozy cushioned banquette beneath a couple of windows, and an adjoining lounge with study nook sports wood beams across the angled ceiling. Exposed timber walls and wood-clad vaulted ceilings provide a heavy dose of Alpine charm to the second-floor guest bedrooms, as well as the bathroom they share. The home-on-the-range motif is toned down a bit in the main bedroom where there’s just one accent wall of exposed timbers and a large skylight over the soaking tub that fills the blue-and-white tile bathroom with natural light.
A bonanza of russet-red decking defines the home’s exterior, on which a bean shaped pool, sauna and outdoor shower are located. A concrete path leads to a hot tub and a seating area, perfect for taking in starlit canyon views and dazzling pastel sunrises. The compound also includes equestrian facilities, an archery range and, for the even more adventurous, an axe-throwing area.
Launch Gallery: Inside Songwriter Patrick Leonard’s Clifftop Cabin
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