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They made separate Pinterest boards, compared notes, and discovered that 90 percent of the images matched. Reclaimed wood appears throughout, and the structures sit carefully on the hill so that views open between the buildings instead of being blocked by them.
They told Architectural Digest they wanted “a home, not an estate. Kunis has said they simply wanted a place that felt like home rather than an estate. “When we’re in our home, the world just makes sense,” he said.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis never set out to build another flashy Hollywood mansion. Instead, the couple poured five years into creating a place that felt lived-in, grounded, and a little bit like something that had always belonged on the hillside. Their Los Angeles property, which they call KuKu Farms, sits on six acres and looks for all the world like an old barn that someone simply turned into a house. It is surprisingly pared-back for two of the biggest names in entertainment, and that was exactly the point. Kutcher put it even more clearly: they hoped the house would look “like an old barn, something that had been here for decades, that was then converted into a house. But it also had to feel modern and relevant. The result is a main house linked to an entertainment barn, a barbecue pavilion, and a pool, all built with reclaimed timber, board-formed concrete that echoes wood grain, and walls of glass. It is rustic without being rough, and quiet without being plain. Here are four of the main reasons that shaped the look and feel of the place. Most celebrity homes in the hills shout for attention. Kutcher and Kunis went the other way. The couple started the project while she was pregnant with their first child, and the conversations with architect Howard Backen and designer Vicky Charles kept coming back to family life rather than impressing visitors. Most of those images pointed to Backen’s work, so they hired him. The finished house uses reclaimed oak floors, exposed beams, and concrete walls whose seams line up with the floorboards. Nothing feels overdone. It is the kind of space where kids can run around and adults can sit without worrying about white carpets or fragile antiques. The couple did not just want the house to look like a barn. They wanted it to live like one, too. They dug a well to irrigate the property, planted and harvested corn during the pandemic, and powered the entire place with solar panels that produce more energy than the house needs. Kutcher, who grew up in Iowa, and Kunis, who was born in Ukraine, both carried a quiet respect for land and weather. The design reflects that. The entertainment barn has nineteen-foot sliding glass doors that open to the outdoors. The barbecue pavilion sits near the pool. Everything feels tied to the ground rather than floating above it. Kutcher has spoken about needing order in his surroundings so his mind can settle. That quiet order shows up in the open living and dining spaces, the study off the primary bedroom, and the guest rooms that look across the barn. The architecture keeps the scale human even though the property is large. Courtyards and aligned sight lines make the six acres feel connected instead of sprawling. The couple raised their two children here, and the design never forgets that. Bunk beds appear in one guest room. Everyday materials meet the light and the views. The house does not try to be the most expensive or the most photographed. It tries to be the place where they can close the door and feel like themselves. Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day. Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.
They balanced humble materials with a few pieces of personal history
Kunis has said it “takes the piss out of the property. One of the more charming decisions was what to do with a ten-foot crystal chandelier that had hung in their previous house. Kutcher and Kunis found the thing almost too flashy. Their solution was simple and funny: put a barn around it. The chandelier now hangs in the entertainment barn, where it looks both glamorous and slightly ridiculous, which is exactly what they wanted. A pair of silver throne chairs that Kutcher commissioned in India ended up in the primary bathroom. Designer Vicky Charles worked the rest of the interiors in a cleaner, more contemporary direction so the old pieces would stand out without dominating. The result is a house that feels collected rather than decorated.