About 808 Sunset Avenue
Commanding a distinguished presence on historic Sunset Avenue, Semper Fulgens is a masterwork of early 20th-century residential architecture - its elegance born of F. Manson Gilbert’s fusion of English Tudor gravitas and Italianate refinement. Commissioned in 1912 by developer and hotelier William Sonntag, the residence was the inaugural jewel of Sunset’s envisioned Gold Coast. Its enduring clay tile roof, leaded glass emblazoned with the Sonntag crest Semper Fulgens, and carved stone balustrades testify to an era when craftsmanship was a higher order. Approached through manicured grounds, the home welcomes both park-facing receptions and intimate gatherings in its European villa gardens. Inside, stately proportions and cultivated detail abound. The walnut-paneled den, relocated and preserved from the original dining room, reflects the artistry of the Karges family - renowned furniture makers whose stewardship imbued the estate with Old World opulence and thoughtful innovation. Brunschwig & Fils wallcoverings envelop formal rooms that balance grandeur with intimacy. The main level offers a gracious primary suite as a private sanctuary, complemented by an adjacent guest suite. Formal living and dining rooms, anchored by intricate moldings and period fixtures, invite both ceremonial entertaining and quiet reflection, while a sympathetically renovated kitchen unites modern culinary function with the home's historic narrative. Upstairs, reimagined by the Karges family, the residence reveals its adaptability and grace. Designed to function as a stately double, it offers complete independence while maintaining architectural harmony with the main floor. The great room mirrors its counterpart below, opening to a luminous sunroom positioned above the snug, while a private suite once housed the family's valet, Vittorio. A secondary kitchen underscores the space's versatility, suitable for intergenerational living, a guest retreat, or refined entertaining, alongside three additional bedrooms. Beyond the principal residence, the restored carriage house - originally three horse stalls and a groom's quarters - offers an architectural echo of the estate's pre-automobile past. Renovated by the current owners, it awaits reimagining as a guest retreat, artist's atelier, or private office. In every respect, Semper Fulgens remains true to its name - Always Shining - offering its next custodian not merely a place to reside, but a work of art to inhabit.
