The 3205 Cornwall residence in Glendale, California, is a rare find. It offers 1.6 acres of privacy and historical charm surrounded by hundreds of acres of dedicated open space. Glendale, a treasure trove of significant properties, is home to this architectural gem. Near Pasadena and Downtown Los Angeles, this oasis is a testament to creativity and the art of living well, crafted by visionary couple Greg Crawford and Julie Markfield. Delve into its captivating story and discover the transformative power of design.

In the serene hills of Glendale, California, amid native oaks and the whispers of wildlife, stands a home that defies convention. The Crawford-Markfield residence, a masterwork of architectural ingenuity and personal expression, stands as a testament to the power of living artfully. Its owners, Greg Crawford and Julie Markfield, have crafted a space that not only reflects their dynamic lives but has morphed into an active participant in their family’s story.

Eyes on, the first thing that struck us was the seamless blending of original and new. The original 1940s French Normandy structure, with its dark green exterior and sloping roof, has been beautifully integrated into the new entity with modern additions of sage green, slump block, and expansive glass. 

The result is a harmonious collage of styles and eras, a physical manifestation of the couple’s belief in embracing life’s contrasts.

Stepping inside, we were immediately drawn into the living room, a striking glass box with soaring ceilings and polished concrete floors. This space, Crawford told us, is all about extroversion and connection to the outdoors. 

“It’s about participating in that exterior space while still being in the living room,” he said. 

The room’s cool tones and hard surfaces create a sense of expansiveness, inviting the eye to wander beyond the walls and into the at-times lush, at-times crisp California landscape just beyond.

As we move deeper into the home, the atmosphere begins to shift. 

“The hallway takes you through a compression space of the pantry and bar,” Crawford described, “and then it opens up into the kitchen.” 

Here, the materials become softer, warmer, and more inviting. The colors deepen, and the view changes from the expansive vistas of the living room to a more intimate, horizontal connection to the terrace just outside. It’s a masterful transition, one that mirrors the ebb and flow of family life.

Markfield, a graphic designer and painter, spoke to us about the influence of her artistic sensibilities on the home’s design. 

“Some of the moves were not planned or obvious,” she said, glancing at the vibrant artwork adorning the walls, much of it her own. “They were more visceral, like my paintings — strong, emotional, gestural.” 

This intuitive approach to design is evident throughout the home, from the riot of color in the daughters’ former bedrooms to the cave-like sanctuary of the couple’s own suite, tucked away beneath the house.

As we toured the property, the couple shared stories of the wildlife that frequents their yard — the resident owls, the occasional bear taking a dip in their pool, the deer that once saw their front yard as a personal salad bar. 

“When we look out our back across the trees, it feels like a Tuscan hillside,” Markfield marveled. “You really feel like you’re all alone. You don’t feel like you’re in Los Angeles.” 

It’s a sentiment that speaks to the home’s ability to transport, to create a world within a world.

Crawford’s firm BiLDEN was instrumental in bringing the couple’s vision to life. 

The firm’s slogan, “To build, to form, to educate,” encapsulates Crawford’s philosophy of inclusive and enlightening design.

 “It’s not about us bringing enlightenment to clients,” he explained, “but the process being enlightening to everyone involved.” This ethos is woven into every aspect of the Crawford-Markfield residence, from the repurposed hospital nurses’ station that now serves as the family’s bar to the cork floors and marble tiles sourced from LA City auctions.

As we delved deeper into the home’s story, it became clear that this was not just a house but very nearly a living entity. 

“We don’t see it just simply as a container for our kids to grow up in,” Crawford said. “This was a dynamic player, an element in our lives.” 

The home has been witness to the family’s joys and sorrows, their triumphs and challenges. It has shaped them as much as they have shaped it, one can believe, a symbiotic relationship that transcends the typical boundaries of brick and mortar and blood and brain.

Markfield spoke passionately about the warmth that sets Crawford’s modern aesthetic apart. 

“The thing that separates Greg’s modern aesthetic from others is just how warm these homes are,” she said. “He has a really interesting touch.” 

This warmth is palpable in every corner of the Crawford-Markfield residence — from the sunlight’s dance across the living room floor to the lovingly curated collection of art and artifacts that adorn the walls.

As our visit drew to a close, the couple shared their hopes for the home’s future. 

“We are hopefully just to some degree the creators, but the caretakers of it,” Crawford mused. “We want to pass it on to people who will be in awe of it on a daily, weekly, and a seasonal basis as the light and the plants and the materials around change.” It’s a beautiful sentiment, one that speaks to the enduring legacy of a home well-loved and well-lived.

Walking away from the Crawford-Markfield residence, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and inspiration. This home, in all its eclectic beauty, stands as a testament to the power of living artfully. It is a reminder that our spaces have the capacity to transform us, to shape our experiences and our memories in profound ways.

In a world where conformity often reigns supreme, the Crawford-Markfield residence emanates individuality. It embodies quirks and contradictions that make us human, the very things that imbue our lives with richness and depth. It is a home that encourages us to embrace the dynamic nature of our existence, to find beauty in the unexpected, and to let our surroundings be a reflection of our truest selves.

As we navigate the complexities of modern life, the lessons of the Crawford-Markfield residence feel more relevant than ever. It reminds us that our homes are not just shelters, but extensions of our beings. They are canvases upon which we can paint the stories of our lives, in all their messy, glorious, imperfect beauty.

In the end, the Crawford-Markfield residence is more than just a house. It is a love letter to the art of living, a masterpiece crafted not with paint and canvas, but with light and shadow, wood and glass, laughter and tears. It is a testament to the transformative power of design, and to the boundless potential that lies within each of us to create something truly extraordinary.

As we step back out into the world, we carry with us a piece of the Crawford-Markfield magic — a renewed sense of possibility, a deeper appreciation for the beauty of imperfection, and a profound respect for the art of living well. For in the end, is there any greater masterpiece than a life well-lived, a home well-loved, and a story well-told?

3205 Cornwall Drive in Glendale is offered for sale at $4.5 million. For more, contact George Penner (DRE #01394929) of DPP | Compass at (626) 807-8558 or by writing  george.penner@compass.com