This $1.6M Pasadena Midcentury Offers a Tasteful Buffet of Wooden Delights

From redwood posts and beams to plywood walls and combed mahogany ceilings, the 1949 home is filled with well-preserved charm.
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Location: 1475 Scenic Drive, Pasadena, California

Price: $1,640,000

Architect: Lawrence Test, AIA

Year Built: 1949

Footprint: 1,737 square feet (three bedrooms, two baths)

Lot Size: 0.23 acres

From the Agent: "As legendary architectural photographer Julius Shulman captured in his vintage images shortly after construction, this midcentury-modern home was ahead of its time in the sleepy suburbs of 1949 Pasadena. Surrounded by the now-mature landscape, the home follows the contours of the gently sloping site, overlooking an outdoor dining area and expansive pool deck. In keeping with local precedent, the architect celebrated the redwood posts and beams, but expressed the structure visually on the outside of the home, as opposed to the interior, which would have been more common. As dictated by the client, a plywood company executive, the remainder of the home is constructed entirely out of plywood, applied to the inside face of the post-and-beam exoskeleton. Marine-grade Philippine mahogany faces out to the elements, while inside the walls are smooth, with ribbon-grain mahogany defining the public spaces, and elm and birch alternating among the bedrooms, complemented by distinctive combed mahogany ceilings."

Resembling a beach bungalow, the green-painted house sits on a spacious, tree-filled lot.

Resembling a beach bungalow, the green-painted house sits on a spacious, tree-filled lot.

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The front door opens to the wood-encased living room, complete with custom built-ins.

The front door opens to the wood-encased living room, complete with custom built-ins.

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Red cabinets bring an unexpected pop of color to the corner kitchen, set just steps from the dining area.

Red cabinets bring an unexpected pop of color to the corner kitchen, set just steps from the dining area.

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The primary bedroom has large picture windows that frame the home’s lush landscaping.

The primary bedroom has large picture windows that frame the home’s lush landscaping.

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A tall wooden fence surrounds the backyard pool, creating a private retreat.

A tall wooden fence surrounds the backyard pool, creating a private retreat.

Dwell Staff
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