Pasadena Showcase House

 

Pasadena's Showcase House should not be missed if you enjoy doing house tours and are in the Los Angeles area in the spring. In fact, Pasadena is a must-see city, and I suggest staying for an extra day or two to visit some other attractions while you're there. 

While I was attending graduate school for landscape architecture in the early 2000s, my sister, who is still living in South Pas, relocated there around the same time. So for years, my mom, sister, and I have always made the Pasadena Showcase House a girls' weekend. 

We were happy to return after a two-year absence, and the 2022 display home did not disappoint. 

Pasadena Architecture & Design

Los Angeles, which includes Pasadena, is renowned for chasing the newest, brightest item rather than classic architecture and style. Because of its miles of beautiful historic register neighborhoods and architecturally notable civic and commercial structures, Pasadena is somewhat of an exception to the rule for Los Angeles. Although Pasadena is most known for hosting the Rose Bowl football game and the annual Tournament of Roses parade for much of America.

The Pasadena region, which encompasses San Marino, South Pasadena, and Pasadena, is a treasure trove of early 20th-century buildings. The most notable architectural movements are California Arts & Crafts and Spanish Colonial Revival, but additional movements include Tudor and Norman Revival, which are based on 20th-century interpretations of English historical periods. 

The Greene brothers created the Gamble House. Go to Pasadena

Many business titans from the East Coast and the Midwest who wished to enjoy the results of their labor in a warm environment chose Pasadena as their destination in the early 20th century. This legacy includes the Wrigley Mansion, which serves as the Tournament of Roses parade headquarters and is famous for producing chewing gum, the Langham Huntington Hotel, the Huntington Museum, Library and Gardens (built by the railroad baron), the Gamble House, an Arts & Crafts masterpiece created for the founder of Gamble & Gamble, and the Wrigley House. All of these structures are located in some of the most stunning residential areas you will ever come across.  

Set against the San Gabriel Mountains is the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. Wikipedia

There is a lot to see for a design enthusiast, including campuses like Cal Tech (the setting for the Big Bang Theory TV show) and the ArtCenter College of Design, as well as miles of historic neighborhoods full of endless architectural and garden inspiration like Bungalow Heaven and the Arroyo that surrounds the Rose Bowl, home to the famous Rose Bowl Flea Market.

1905 S. Pasadena Tudor Revival Showcase House

The house this year was Oaklawn, a large Tudor restoration in South Pasadena that was initially constructed in 1905 for Mr. Harry Hawgood, an English civil engineer (and evidently a successful one:). 

It's situated in a neighborhood that Greene & Greene created. (The Greene brothers were a major driving factor behind the California Arts & Crafts movement in the early 20th century.) 

Located in South Pasadena's storied Greene & Greene planned community is Oaklawn Manor, a 1905 Tudor revival building. 

Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of every room because my iPhone's camera occasionally malfunctioned, but I do have more on Instagram.

Here is a glimpse of the living room as seen from the front door: 

Looking into a living area designed by Robert Frank Interiors from the entrance created by Pamela Sandall Design. 

Here is a close-up of the living room fireplace. Some of these sceneries were used by Robert Frank, and I particularly enjoyed them. 

I adored the indoor use of ceramic fireplace balls. They're a terrific look for indoor or outdoor gas fireplaces as well as patio firepits. You can arrange the balls as you choose on a hot pan. A sleek and contemporary substitute for fireplace logs is produced when the gas is lit because the flame shines through the holes in the balls.

Close-up of the fireplace in the living room as designed by Robert Frank Interiors. 

From the living room, we moved into the library. In the generally gloomy and dramatic library, I appreciated this pop of poppy (#sorrynotsorry). Also, pay attention to the ceiling. 

Interior designer Stephanie Hatten created the library.

I couldn't stop snapping photos of this amazing stairway artwork over the library bookshelves. It's uncommon to see black paint paired with lighter blue-green hues, but I thought the effect was stunning—at once calming and dramatic!

Wood paneling and dark bookcases go well with blue-green hues. Design by Stephanie Hatten.

I adore media/library rooms. These eerie, dramatic settings really seem to appeal to me for some reason. (I really created my own a long back.) However, this one raised the ante by incorporating a lovely bar.

marble-topped library bar with leather trim. Design by Stephanie Hatten.

Vignettes like the one below are kind of my obsession. All you need is a couple of beautiful coffee table books, a vase (found at thrift stores), and some foliage from the backyard. 

In the book, the orb vase with a small amount of asparagus fern looks lovely. Design by Stephanie Hatten.

Every year, the Pasadena Showcase releases an official color palette, and Dunn Edwards provided it this time around. (I'm not sure if it's always Dunn Edwards.) Here is the family room, which, like the library before it, was painted with Dunn Edwards Black Bay. 

I adore this tiny, Asian-inspired, mid-century sofa. I once brought a similar one home from Goodwill to reupholster it. After discovering how costly reupholstering can be, I put it on the curb and posted a "FREE" sign on it. 

The family room was a smooth transition from the library because it was likewise decorated in a chic yet inviting neutrals. Here, I also enjoy the accessories. Finale Tocco

Here is a photo of the sunroom with accents of yellow and blue and neutral white and green. I appreciate how the contemporary, black pendant that is just visible below combines with the natural, organic features. 

The sunroom's ceiling is covered in grass cloth paper and features a scaled-up botanical wallpaper. Interior design firm James Hernandez Inc.

In the sunroom, there is a cheery vignette on a cocktail table. Interior design firm James Hernandez Inc.

The pictures you see below were taken intermittently throughout. Again, I wish I had managed to get images that could be posted for each room, but it's not always easy. Check it out and have fun: 

Here is my attempt to capture a glitzy kids' bathroom. Compared to the grey cabinets and stone, the gold and brass truly stand out. Designed by Ranalli

I was inspired by the marble tile in the Primary Bath to redo my own bathroom. The drain itself is beautiful. I also really like the shells that have a terra cotta appearance. Designed by Ranalli 

With dark cabinets and lovely wallpaper, the laundry room is elegant. It also had the most ingenious ironing board that was concealed in a drawer; you can see a reel of it on my other Instagram account, Scaled Up Studio.

Laundry room by Denise Bosley Interiors

The combination of metal and wood in the kitchen made it roomy yet cozy. On the island, there is a wonderful hand-planed walnut. The Monogram range features a dramatic hood and various metals. Not to mention the dark trim paint.  Stylish yet cozy

Everything about this kitchen corner, including the extra-wide handles, the bronze-trimmed uppers, the dark-veined stone, and the microwave that is positioned low, appeals to me. Stylish yet cozy

I would also be content to relocate to the pool cabana. In contrast to the sage greens and whites, the warm wood (warm wood tones & palettes are back in a big way!) is calming and lovely. Designing a Room as an Art

If you look closely, you can notice that the indigo and sage throw cushions in the preceding photograph pair perfectly with the sage and sage green wallpaper in the pool house dressing room. Designing a Room as an Art

The sage green wallpaper complements the neutral tones of the Chinese credenza in the dressing room beautifully. Designing a Room as an Art

Given the nature of Greenhouse Studio, you anticipated seeing a spectacular plant someplace. We were leaving when I discovered this enormous staghorn fern. I'd be interested in knowing its age. 

At the Pasadena Showcase House, Platycerium bifurcatum, a huge staghorn fern, is thriving outside.

Back picture of the Tudor-style house, which features mullioned windows, a big California oak tree, and a freshwater feature that resembles a pond. Los Angeles Waterscapes

I'm hoping the Pasadena display home this year inspired you. What did you enjoy the most? What are some of your personal go-to resources for fresh architectural and interior design ideas? Post your comment below.