Getty House garden under renovation

On Saturday, November 13, 1994, the Getty House Restoration Foundation held an Open House Preview, a day where the public could visit the house and its expansive garden and see it before the magic of restoration and conservation took place.

For the overhaul, 17 designers were chosen to redesign the house’s 19 rooms and its landscaping. The designers not only worked pro bono, but also procured all the furnishings at no cost. Every detail was meticulously considered, such as the colors of the flowers in the garden being red, yellow, and green – colors of the City of Los Angeles flag.

The first steps were updates to the electrical and plumbing systems. Through a unique partnership between labor, management, and the private sector, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the National Electrical Contractors Association generously donated more than 2,000 hours to the effort. The plumbing work was completed by the city, which had just voted to keep maintenance of Getty House in its annual budget.

Facade under renovation

Earthquake-related structural hurdles still needed to be cleared before the designers could come in. The restoration foundation petitioned for, and was granted, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding. With these funds, the collapsed chimney was rebuilt, mortar was replaced between bricks, and the exterior was repainted.