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In this period of nonstop pivots, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design is adapting. What was founded in 1948 as Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee became the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts organization in 1965, and since that time, funds from its house and garden tours have supported its own local music educational programs and other performing arts organizations. Now, the Showcase House’s 56th annual installation is being experienced by the general public as a 360-degree digital interactive installation dubbed “Ultimate Viewpoints: 56,” along with other online programming. Tickets are currently available for the event that kicks off October 2 and runs through the middle of that month.
This year’s setting is the Federal Revival–style Locke House built in 1937 and designed by noted architect Gerard R. Colcord. It is located just east of Pasadena in the municipality of Arcadia, California. “Once you see it, it’s breathtaking,” says 2020 benefit chair Jill Fosselman of the transformation. The two-story brick-and-wood shingle-clad house contains six bedrooms and five bathrooms in 6,700 square feet. Multiple dormer windows in the front facade face the gracious round driveway and entry, with new landscaping elements by Garden Natives.
The Showcase House came together this year despite challenging circumstances the designers faced when managing shifting supply chains and labor resources. The volunteer team also had to make difficult rescheduling decisions and consider whether or not to physically open the Showcase House to limited numbers of visitors. In the end, “I’m really proud of what we’ve put together,” Fosselman says of the digital event.
Eighteen design firms and other trade entities—approximately two thirds of which previously have been involved with the Pasadena Showcase House—participated in creating the interior spaces. Various shades and hues of green have a strong presence throughout, such as in the live-work studio by Studio Palomino, the flexible entertaining gallery by Parker West Interiors, the sophisticated girl’s room by Stephanie Hatten of SH interiors, and Jhoiey Ramirez of Studio Jhoiey, Inc.’s scheme for the primary suite. Jeanne Chung of Cozy Stylish Chic employed sustainable materials in the eclectic breakfast room, using a wall treatment that is made of recycled newspaper along with other creatively upcycled materials. Four Point Design Build devised a functional plan for the contemporary kitchen and butler’s pantry with a neutral palette and state-of-the-art technology, like a hydroponic urban cultivator and induction appliances. The mudroom by Courtney Thomas Design even boasts a dedicated pet bathing area.
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Because spending time outdoors year-round is part of Southern California living, the extensive grounds feature a renovated pool area by Pacific Outdoor Living with tumbled paving stones, a new spa, and a red brick water feature. The local American Society of Interior Designers chapter took a collaborative approach to the pool house lounge, using an imagined narrative of a “family well traveled” with a collected, global sensibility. Artist Shari Tipich’s cottage imagines and celebrates nature-inspired whimsy. Out on the veranda, Louise O’Malley incorporated Moroccan influences with a range of rich textures and colors ideal for outdoor entertaining.
While most of the designers are based in Pasadena and other nearby communities in the San Gabriel Valley, in recent years the Showcase House has made an effort to broaden its geographical reach to Orange County, the Westside of Los Angeles, and beyond. Seeing their own neighborhoods “resonates with people” who visit from various parts of town, Fosselman notes. But now the tech-forward aspect means wider exposure for the designers since the experience isn’t limited to in-person visits. Dunn-Edwards Paint is the event sponsor, and other brands providing resources include Walker Zanger, California Closets, Ferguson, Lamps Plus, and Custom Comfort Mattress.
The Pasadena House Showcase of Design is already ensuring that its efforts to produce an engaging virtual experience will be useful and rewarding in the long term. “I see this continuing as a complement to what we’re doing,” Fosselman says. “We’re really trying to build a platform that can be added onto in future years.”
