Commanding a distinguished presence on historic Sunset Avenue, Semper Fulgens is a masterwork of early 20th-century residential architecture—its elegance born of architect F. Manson Gilbert’s fusion of English Tudor gravitas and Italianate refinement. Commissioned in 1912 by real estate developer and hotelier William Sonntag, the home was the inaugural jewel of Sunset’s envisioned “Gold Coast,” its enduring clay tile roof, leaded glass emblazoned with the Sonntag crest Semper Fulgens, and carved stone balustrades all testaments to an era when craftsmanship was a higher order.
Approached through manicured grounds befitting cocktail parties in the park-facing front or the European villa gardens in back, the residence opens to interiors of stately proportion and cultivated detail. The walnut-paneled den, relocated and preserved from the home’s original dining room, speaks to the artistry of the Karges family—renowned furniture makers whose stewardship of the estate brought both Old World opulence and thoughtful innovation. Brunschwig & Fils wallcoverings, delicately refined, envelop formal rooms that balance grandeur with intimacy.
The main level’s gracious primary suite is a private sanctuary, along with an adjacent main level guest suite, while the formal living and dining rooms, anchored by intricate moldings and period fixtures, invite both ceremonial entertaining and quiet reflection. A sympathetically renovated kitchen unites modern culinary function with the home’s historic narrative, retaining the grace of its origins while embracing the demands of contemporary life.
The upper level, reimagined by the Karges family, reflects the home’s adaptability and grace. Designed to function as a stately double, it offers complete independence while maintaining architectural harmony with the main floor. The great room mirrors its counterpart below, opening to a luminous sunroom positioned above the snug, while a private suite once accommodated the family’s personal valet, Vittorio. A secondary kitchen underscores the space’s versatility, whether envisioned for intergenerational living, a guest or entertaining level, or simply as a refined separation between the home’s first two ensuite bedrooms and its additional third, fourth, and fifth chambers.
Beyond the principal residence, the restored carriage house—originally home to three horse stalls and a groom’s quarters—offers an architectural echo of the estate’s pre-automobile past. Completely renovated by the current owners, it stands ready for reimagining as a guest retreat, artist’s atelier, performances space, or private office, its possibilities limited only by vision.
In every respect, Semper Fulgens remains true to its name—Always Shining—offering its next custodian not merely a place to reside, but a work of art to inhabit.
Full Listing for 808 Sunset Ave.
Listed by: Philip R. Hooper
E-mail: phooper@bhhsin.com
Direct: 812-618-5000
Office: 812-474-7000
Website: philiprhooper.bhhsindianarealty
