A Suburban Los Angeles Midcentury With Ample Outdoor Space Asks $1.7 Million
With remote work now the norm for millions, many are leaving city centers in exchange for homes that provide more space inside and out, and grant quick access to nature. Situated roughly 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, this house in Altadena, California, has all the trimmings.
This 1947 midcentury in Altadena, California, features a T-shaped floor plan, a detached garage, and a backyard patio with a pool.
The swimming pool is sheltered by a hillside, providing privacy to the backyard.
Altadena, a suburb just north of Pasadena at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, has seen its real estate values grow as young families leave pricier, hipper northeast L.A. neighborhoods like Highland Park and Eagle Rock in search of more space. "You are typically getting larger lot sizes and you’re just a little bit away from the urban environment," says real estate agent Tracy Do of Compass. "Yet the area still has diversity."
The house is situated on a quiet cul-de-sac, less than a mile from the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
According to the current owners, who purchased the home in 2013, on a clear day one can see the Pacific Ocean in the far distance.
Whether you’re working from home or just want enough space for the family to spread out (or both), this four-bedroom, midcentury modern house is just the start. After all, its 2,118-square-foot plan sits on a 12,798-square-foot lot.
"It has this beautiful garden in the front," the realtor adds. "The house is set back from the street quite a bit, so you have privacy. And then it sits up on the hillside a little bit, so you have wonderful views. The owners say that on a clear day, they can see all the way to the ocean."
At the back of the property, a shaded seating area on a small terraced portion of the backyard offers views out to the horizon.
The front yard is terraced and planted with rose bushes, and features three different seating areas, including a covered porch. But the real attraction is in back, where the house guards a patio with a classic kidney-shaped swimming pool. Yet farther back, another terraced seating area is shaded by mature trees and surrounded by lush flora.
A modest foyer gives way to a simple layout: bedrooms to the left, public areas to the right.
The living room lets in light from two sides, and has a view of the pool area through floor-to-ceiling windows.
The dwelling itself, constructed in 1947, is listed as a midcentury, but it also seems to possess ranch-house DNA. The home is shaped like a T turned on its side: All of its bedrooms are clustered at the top of the T, while public areas take advantage of a long, thin form to draw in sunlight.
"The light in this house is fantastic," says Do. "I give it a ten for natural light."
The dining room is tucked between the kitchen and living room.
In the kitchen, which enjoys unobstructed views from the front of the house, the homeowners updated surfaces while adding bold-patterned wallpaper and flooring.
In ways, the residence feels more contemporary than some midcentury houses. Its original kitchen opens right onto the living room, and the primary bedroom is generously proportioned.
The primary bedroom has its own bathroom and comes with a built-in desk.
A den off the living room makes an ideal home office.
Since buying in 2013, the current owners added a variety of colors and textures, including a bold floral-patterned wallpaper in the kitchen and elegant ceramic tile in the bathroom. "They gave it a nice update that didn't leave behind the period details," explains Do, who participated in that sale too.
While the home has much to offer, so does its location. The trailhead to picturesque Eaton Canyon Falls is only a three-minute drive. Iconic venues like Dodger Stadium, the Hollywood Bowl, and Pasadena’s Rose Bowl beckon from just down the road. If you’re a frequent traveler, Burbank Airport is about 30 minutes away, depending on traffic.
Full of light and designed for indoor/outdoor living, this midcentury goes hand in glove with the desire for a place to live, work, and play all in one spot.
All four bedrooms are placed in a residential wing at one end of the house.
A bathroom features updated ceramic tile flooring that matches the midcentury home.
1815 Alta Crest Drive in Altadena, California is currently listed for $1,689,000 by Ronda Doyle of Tracy Do|Compass.
Know of a home for sale or rent that should be featured on Dwell.com? Find out how to submit to Dwell.
Published
Last Updated
Get the Dwell Newsletter
Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.