What do 1950s film actress Marlene Dietrich, Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, leading man Cary Grant and British actor James Mason have in common? Fame, yes. But each also lived in this 1920s grand Hollywood estate in Beverly Hills. Originally built in 1926 by an iconic silent film star, the home is situated near the posh Beverly Hills Hotel and boasts a panoramic view of the city from Sunset Boulevard to the palm tree-lined Rodeo Drive.

Thus, the word historic seems an understatement for this Mediterranean manse, whose celebrity pedigree reads like the final credits of a film. The desire to recapture the home’s original golden Hollywood glow would seem a challenge. But not for interior designer Monique Lafia and partner Chris Arvin, who have worked with the present owners on five projects and specialize in historic renovations including a newly finished $20 million brownstone in New York.