In The Press

“For the restoration, dozens of paint layers were painstakingly scraped away—in some cases, with a surgical scalpel—and forensics were conducted to identify the original color schemes to reproduce them when necessary. ...it's exemplary of the "Exotic Revival" (or, the inappropriately named "Oriental") style of the mid-1920s.”

“Architect E. M. Erdaly designed this 4-story 44-unit apartment building that features a pagoda roof, a pagoda shaped sign, and hand-carved dragons. Owners promoted its unique look as early as 1926, calling it the “most exclusive apartments in Hollywood” in a Los Angeles Times ad. A 1938 ad stated it displayed “unusual atmosphere” and was “beautifully furnished.”

“The 1920s saw an abundance of themed architecture, such as the Bulldog cafe, giant donut shop, Van de Kamp’s bakeries that looked like windmills, the Aztec Hotel off Route 66 with its fantastic architecture, and the like. The Nirvana Apartments in Hollywood followed this trend.”

“Notice the apartment building with the rather striking design inspired by the Far East to your right? These were once known as the Nirvana Apartments. The building was constructed at the height of the 1920s fascination with themed architecture, and the place was marketed as the “most exclusive apartments in Hollywood”.”