A Look Back at Tim Curry's 1998 Los Angeles Residence

Architectural Digest revisits a 1998 tour of the late British actor Tim Curry's Mediterranean-style home in Los Angeles. The article highlights Curry's passion for gardening, which he considered a natural English trait, and describes the home's simple architecture and eclectic decor, including a portrait of Sarah Siddons and a blue Catalina pottery vase. Curry, who died at 80, was known for roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and other iconic performances.

Curry's horticultural interests extended beyond his own properties; he also tended gardens for friends, including Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. He viewed this passion as inherently British, joking that English people instinctively acquire gardening tools by middle age. His peripatetic childhood as a navy chaplain's son fostered a sharp awareness of place, later refined by art critic Richard Cork, who taught him to distinguish exceptional paintings from lesser works during gallery visits.

The actor's design philosophy favored restraint and honesty, reflecting what he called a Methodist sensibility. He chose simple materials like earthenware and solid oak, furnishing his dining area with seventeenth-century Italian chairs. Before relocating to Hollywood, he had planned to restore an eighteenth-century Dutch bakery near Kew Gardens. His Los Angeles residence featured plain staircases and archways, with eclectic accents including a portrait of actress Sarah Siddons and a blue Catalina pottery vase.