Iconic Brady Bunch House Officially Named Historic Landmark in Los Angeles
The iconic Brady Bunch house in Los Angeles has officially been granted landmark status, providing permanent protections for one of television's most recognizable residential exteriors. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to designate the San Fernando Valley residence as a historic-cultural monument, cementing its place in American pop culture history.
Unanimous Decision Provides Landmark Protections
The unanimous decision by the LA City Council provides landmark protections to the Dilling Avenue property, which has been instantly recognizable for decades as the exterior setting for the beloved 1969-1974 television sitcom. While the home's distinctive facade became a popular photo opportunity for generations of fans, it is important to note that all interior scenes from the original series were filmed on a soundstage, featuring sets that bore no resemblance to the actual house's interior layout.
The shingle-and-stone home with its characteristic peaked roof also appeared prominently in the 1995 big-screen film The Brady Bunch Movie and its subsequent sequel, further cementing its status as an entertainment industry landmark. The show itself, which lived on for decades in syndication, featured the comic travails of a blended family with six siblings, memorably described in the theme song as including "the youngest one in curls."
What Landmark Status Actually Means
The newly granted landmark status protects the home, which was originally built in 1959, from demolition or major renovations without proper review, though it does not completely prohibit such changes. If future owners ever decide to make significant alterations to the property, they would be subject to a comprehensive design review process, and the Cultural Heritage Commission can delay proceedings to find appropriate preservation solutions that maintain the home's historical integrity.
The nonprofit LA Conservancy actively pushed for the landmark designation, and CEO Adrian Scott Fine expressed his delight at the council's approval. "If you watched the 'Brady Bunch,' you knew this house. People make a pilgrimage to see it," Fine said on Wednesday. "To have it designated like this, it makes it all the sweeter." He emphasized that fans of the show have developed a personal connection to the property over the decades, treating it as a cultural touchstone.
Recent History and Renovations
When the house went on the market in 2018, it sparked a competitive bidding war that was ultimately won by the cable network HGTV, which drove the final price up to $3.5 million. This represented a significant premium of $1.6 million over the original listing price for what was then a 2,400-square-foot (223-square-meter) residence.
Following the purchase, HGTV undertook an extensive expansion, remodeling, and redecorating project to give the actual house trademark elements from the television show's set version. This included recreating the wood-paneled living room with its distinctive floating staircase and installing an orange-and-green kitchen that matched the iconic television kitchen. The entire renovation process was documented in a four-part HGTV miniseries titled A Very Brady Renovation, which allowed viewers to follow the transformation from ordinary residence to television recreation.
