In a heartfelt tribute to his late mother, a man from Los Angeles has embarked on an ambitious restoration project. He is dedicating his time and effort to revive a fairytale-like castle in the Hollywood Hills that his mother left him before succumbing to cancer.
Teva Barnea, known online as @hollywoodhillscastle, has captured the attention of millions on TikTok as he shares the gradual renovation of this unique turreted stone estate. Nestled on Wonderland Avenue in Laurel Canyon, the home stands on a historic street once graced by music legends of the 1960s and ’70s. Today, it’s celebrated as one of the area’s most quirky private properties.
“This home was my mom’s lasting legacy after her cancer battle. Her presence is still felt here, and I am incredibly grateful,” Barnea, 30, expressed in a touching video caption.
Constructed in 1931, the castle-like home features enchanting turrets and stonework, reminiscent of a European storybook cottage. Spanning across four lots, the property has been affectionately compared to Frankenstein’s Castle due to its eccentric architectural design.
The charming three-bedroom residence boasts a Moroccan swag chandelier, vibrant red sconces, illuminated brickwork, and turret lighting. Luxurious amenities include a marble steam shower, three fireplaces, heated bidet toilets, and multiple courtyards graced by ancient oaks and colorful bougainvillea.
It has previously been listed for short term rental at $16,750 a month, marketed as a retreat suited to “artists, musicians, and creatives seeking inspiration and escape.”
For Barnea, the home has become something closer to a shrine.
“I wanted to show you what the house looks like as the sun is down and it is real calm and all the lights in the house are off too. This is the yard, the flowers,” he said in one video, guiding followers through the darkened property.
His TikTok biography reads simply, “This is my journey to honor my mom through the home she left for me.”
In another clip, he described the strange, almost meditative grief rituals the house has given him.
“I can’t quite explain it, but grief turns you into a bit of a bird watcher. Birds often fly right into the house. I feel it is my obligation to help them get out safety,” Barnea said.
“In this particular occasion this humming bird actually hung out from me for a while. It was a bit like it was thanking me. If you pay attention your loved ones will send you signs. I believe birds are one of the ways they communicate with us.”
He has also opened the door to using the castle professionally.
“My mom passed about a year ago and left me this classic Hollywood Hills home. For a while, I didn’t really know how to handle it. Or what to do. Since, I’ve been updating it. I’m open to shoots, productions and so forth. It’s my dream to carry out my mom’s legacy with the home,” he wrote.
Followers have responded with a mix of sympathy and wonder in the comments, several framing the house and its history in near mystical terms.
“She must’ve been magic,” wrote one commenter.
Another wrote, “I can feel her energy through the screen, this is so beautiful.”
One follower cautioned him never to part with the property because “she left you whimsy,” while another insisted “fairies definitely live there.”
Several others offered condolences alongside the awe, with one writing, “truly magical. I got chills watching this. I am so sorry for your loss.”
The home’s past, however, is not entirely whimsical. In 2010, the property, then rented by tattoo artist and television personality Kat Von D, was heavily damaged by a fire that killed her pet cat, Valentine.
Barnea has said in TikTok videos that Von D kept candles throughout the home and that arson investigators ultimately attributed the blaze to a candle fire, adding that only the home’s stone construction kept it standing.
He has said his late mother Deborah Dresbach, later reached a settlement with Von D that included a non-disclosure agreement, one he said he was not bound by given his age at the time.
Von D has publicly disputed that account, saying the fire began in the basement due to faulty wiring she had already raised concerns about, that she was traveling on a book tour when the fire broke out, and that no NDA was forced on the homeowner.
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose a mother that you’re so close with, but at the same time, I didn’t set the house on fire,” she said in her own TikTok response, adding that the fire “was a tragedy and it was out of both of our controls.”