vintage charm in south pasadena
outh Pasadena is one of our favorite cities. And we just finished staging a gorgeous house perched on a hillside in “South Pas.” It’s a 1923 home with Spanish architecture and tons of natural light. The home also has a glassed-in observation deck on the top floor with insane views as well as park-like grounds with tall palm trees. Watch for the real estate listing coming soon. We’ll post a link to it!
In the living room, we brought in clean-lined furniture with a Mid Century modern feel, which blends perfectly with so many types of architecture. A flax-tone sofa and chair float on a sisal rug, and a West Elm cocktail table serves as a dark anchor. We put a tripod lamp in the corner to amp up the modern factor a little more. Black-framed vintage prints pick up on the dark furniture legs and add just a hint of antiquity. Outside each window, an explosion of green in the lush gardens surrounding the home.
The other side of the living room is cozy and inviting, with a fireplace decked out in original Batchelder tile and built-in wooden bookshelves. Glowing lights brighten shelf molding all around the room, and a small staircase to the right leads to the second story.
We put a tall linen-upholstered chair in the corner for a little touch of traditional style. Wrought iron sconces flank a vintage painting above the mantel. In the background, a peek into the dining room.
The dining room is lit by a vintage crystal chandelier hanging from a beamed ceiling. Richly textured white stucco walls and large windows make this room a real destination.
We used West Elm’s ikat settee as a dining bench, and accented it with gray linen pillows with jute braid detail. Taupe Crate and Barrel chairs finish out the serene scene.
We set the table simply, for a casual brunch or dinner party. Vintage-style crochet-edge napkins add a dainty element while bisque color plates tone it all down. We added more antique art to the walls.
In the office, an original 1923 mural painting by Richard Leroy Corbaley (1882-1960) painted directly onto the stucco above the mantel inspired our eclectic approach to this room. Two linen chairs in different styles share space with a small kilim rug.
Detail of the painting, which depicts a tribe of Native Americans who look like they’re being displaced from their land.
We put a vintage typewriter on a small white lacquer desk and added a few desk accessories like a gooseneck lamp and letter holder. Above the desk, a vintage oil portrait.
We love how this room feels different from the others with its slight eccentricities. French doors, original hardwood floors and lots of natural light. Yes!
In the master bedroom, a calming color scheme of gray, green and brown with bits of orange prevails, echoing the leafy scene outside the windows. With B&W nature photography on the walls and tall lamps with gray lampshades, this bedroom is just begging to be napped in :).
We love how the window above the bed “reads” as art.
We kept our accessorizing to a minimum to amplify the fact that this is a stress-free zone.
The upper deck, as we’ve been calling it (it almost feels like a cruise ship) boasts incredible views seen through wraparound windows that envelop the room in an amazing amount of light. With all this drama, we kept furnishings and accessories to a minimum by positioning four white slipper chairs around a Noguchi-style cocktail table atop a white shag rug. Cozy, inviting and perfect for view-watching.
With polished wood floors, a massive vintage iron chandelier and a herringbone-pattern beamed ceiling, you might enjoy the interior view almost as much!
