The Pasadena Showcase House has been held annually for almost six decades. Year after year designers and decorators and crafts people have transformed large old homes into showstoppers, then opened them up to the public–all in the name of fundraising for the arts. This year the beneficiary was the Chamber Orchestra.
And for all those years no photography has been allowed in the featured homes. So I didn’t take photos inside the showhouse this year, but decided to focus on the grounds, including some very large and beautiful garden sculptures made of glass. Sadly, the sun wasn’t shining but even with murky skies these art works were great additions to the garden.
Grand estate or family cottage?
After touring the house my friend Christine and I came to the conclusion that the home was more an oversize family home than one of the grand estates found in Pasadena. Even at 18,000 sq. ft., there was no one single large room in this LaCanada Flintridge home that would accommodate 50 or 75 or 100+ people comfortably.
But then, it was only intended to be a winter home for the original owner when it was built in 1918. It’s unlikely he had great receptions or semi-public events in mind when he commissioned the house. This was his Southern California family getaway ‘cottage’. And I’m fairly certain he would have been shocked by the pale dusty pink walls and silver-patterned wallpaper added in the dining room this year. That wallpaper looked like something right out of the 1980s!
Patio living 1900s style
These days the patio and deck area, a large sprawling space, could easily be used to host of pool party for 100 people or more comfortably. Outdoor entertaining was clearly what the original owner had in mind. And as part of the redo of the house, the kitchen designer added a very upscale ‘caterers kitchen’ in what had previously been a boring semi-finished basement so food for the pool party could be carried quickly to the outside without having to take even one step into the family’s home upstairs.
Here are a few photos of the 2016 Pasadena Showcase home. Exteriors only.
