A Laguna Beach home once owned by Virginia Woolley, the late artist who co-founded the annual juried Festival of Arts, recently relisted for $3.825 million.
The two-story cottage, located on a cozy lot in the sought-after Village neighborhood near downtown galleries, shops, restaurants and beaches, features 1,353 square feet of living space. It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and an open floor plan with original stained-glass windows.
Records indicate that the owners are a husband and wife who purchased the property for $2.075 million in August 2022.
They restored and fully renovated the property, which surfaced on the market for $4.35 million in October 2023. It remained until March 2024. In May 2024, they leased it.
The house relisted on June 12.
Custom hickory floors, intricate brickwork, bay windows and beamed ceilings enhance the vintage 1930s charm, while the house also offers modern comforts courtesy of Gregg Abel Design and Construction. A new roof and HVAC system are among the improvements.
Natural light pours into the main living room through large windows, which frame the garden—a bricked patio surrounded by mature landscaping and enclosed by tall hedges with a gated entrance.
A fireplace with brick details anchors the living area.
The kitchen features marble countertops and top-tier Thermador and Viking appliances.
A Jack and Jill bathroom connects the two downstairs bedrooms, while the upstairs primary suite—a 1990s addition—features ample closet space, a clawfoot tub, a shower and a double-sink vanity in the tiled bathroom, along with an attached ocean-view deck.
Meital Taub of Livel Real Estate holds the listing.
The property is on the city’s historic registry and benefits from the Mills Act, which provides annual property tax savings in return for preserving the property’s historical significance.
According to the Festival of Arts website, Woolley hailed from the American South and studied art in both Chicago and Paris.
In 1923, she settled in Laguna Beach. She served as the curator at the Art Gallery and taught classes to adults and children. She also played a role in establishing the annual Festival of Arts in 1932 and continued to participate in it until her death in February 1971 at 86.
The Festival of Arts permanent collection includes Woolley’s painting, “Flower Stalls,” which the website notes “is recognized as the first artwork sold” at the juried fine art show in 1932.
