The 56th Annual Holiday Look In Home Tour features the heritage and timelessness of Pasadena’s architecture, complemented by some of the most talented and innovative florists and musicians in the area. Join us for this time-honored Pasadena holiday tradition, as you step into each of our four festively decorated homes and gardens.
1923 English Revival Cottage
This beautifully landscaped English Revival Cottage in the Prospect Historic District was built in 1923 by Pasadena-based builder Fred Petrequin for Fred Estabrooks Simpson, a local interior designer, and his family.
The home retains a number of original and period features from the 1920s, including original diamond-pane windows, the fireplace with a tiled surround, and original flooring. The breathtaking wood-paneled barrel ceiling adds an expansive quality to this cozy cottage.
Charming nooks and arched doorways echo the shape and style of the front entry and retain the home’s character and charm.
In the backyard, one finds a tranquil oasis with beautiful foliage, three-tiered pool, spa, waterfall, trellised patio, and landscaped putting green, celebrating the best of California living in a European-inspired home. The home is approximately 3,500 square feet and sits on one-third acre of beautifully landscaped grounds.
1951 Mid-Century Modern
This exquisite home is located near the Langham Hotel in an oak strewn mecca surrounded by wooded canyons. The original owners, Glen and Mabel Swanson, commissioned architects Whitney Smith and Wayne Williams to design a contemporary home for them.
Williams liked vertical lines and Smith preferred horizontal ones. The result is a wonderful example of a unique, midcentury modern home. This expansive 6,400 square foot abode features beautiful front doors leading to a landscaped glass-enclosed lanai which connects to many of the interior rooms. The floor to ceiling windows in every room give one the feeling of true indoor/outdoor living. The original Interior decoration was provided by the firm of Cannel and Chaffin.
Lawrence Halpren designed the original landscape for the expansive 1.6 acres of parklike grounds. It’s not surprising then that this home was featured on the cover of a 1951 Architectural Digest and in a 1961 issue of the Ladies Home Journal.
1892 American Foursquare
The Post Family, early settlers in Pasadena, built their lovely home in 1892. This Eastlake style home was designed by Thomas William Parkes, a native of Cheshire, England. Family members have lived in what is now called The Post House for 49 years.
This warm and welcoming home blends the past and present seamlessly. Large covered porches at the front and back of the home invite guests to sit and visit. The floor plan, typical of the time, includes two rooms that were originally called parlors and are now often referred to as the music room and living room. Original light fixtures, pocket doors and hardware are found in the older portions of the home. Added in 1992, a new kitchen and family room increased the total square footage of the home to 4,400. This new addition flows beautifully, while providing a more modern and open space.
The current homeowners chose their home for its beauty, location, history and comfortable floor plan. A sense of history from the beginning of Pasadena to the present is represented in this beautiful family home.
1925 Stately Mediterranean
This stately 4,600 square foot Mediterranean home was reportedly built in 1925 for a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Gamble; it has been lovingly remodeled by the current owners. There are intriguing original details such as a keystone set into the wall above the front door, which has its own little peekaboo door.
In the living room, a limestone fireplace bears a crest. A pointed arch over the window to the side of the fireplace is typical of Italian villas. Columns topped with capitals frame entrances to graciously appointed rooms. This home is ideal for entertaining, with its many seating areas.
The refurbished kitchen includes a row of French doors opening to a back courtyard and garden. The floor is covered with 250-year-old pavers removed from a chateau in the south of France. The oak floor in the entry hall is embellished with decorative painting by local artist Daniel Conejo. The backyard features a huge chessboard painted on an exterior wall of the home, a copy of one the husband designed and built for the Santa Monica Beach.