Showcase House: A Fun Fantasy for a Good Cause
By Terry Miller
Published: Friday, April 30th, 2010
By Susan Motander
The Pasadena Showcase House of Design is now open. The home this year is the headquarters of the Pomona San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. When it was built in 1930 it was the stately French Chateau estate of John and Mildred Cravens. There is a certain irony in this as Mildred Cravens was a tobacco heiress.
It is rather a delight to wander through the elegant home and fantasize about living in the opulence of such an estate. Very few of us will ever live in such a manner, but for a while it is fun to revel in the elegance and the creativity of the designers. This year those designers had a real challenge as the estate has historic designation which means that major structural changes could not be made.
Since the building will return to being the offices of the Red Cross after showcase closes, it is especially interesting to note the work done on the walls of the house. Parts of the house will remain as elegant meeting rooms as the house is also used as a venue for weddings and community events.
Upon arriving at the house, visitors are immediately reminded of the use of the estate. Set in the tumbled paving stones which designers from Pacific Outdoor Living used to replace the former blacktop in front of the house is a large red cross, the International Symbol for the Organization which will soon call the home its headquarters again. But there are also reminders of the original owners. Set in the wrought iron entrance the initials MC are entwined and stand for Mildred Cravens, the original mistress of the home.
One enters first the Grand Gallery which features gouache murals which were original to the house. They depict the views from the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte which the inspiration for the estate. Dolores Kroop, the designer challenged with this long hallway entry darkened the walls to enhance the gentle pastels of the murals.
Off the Gallery is the Morning Room and Garden. The light colors and use of multiple mirrors brings the light from the garden into the house. And the colors in the garden prove that a drought tolerance garden need not be dull and faded. Using bright succulents and weaving them together into a know garden (another nod the French styling of the estate) Carson-Magness Landscaping created a whimsical yet function little gem of a garden.
This is true of room after room in the house. There are touches of whimsy throughout the stately home without making a mockery of the elegance of this historic home. Whenever necessary, the designers honored the original features of the house so as not to destroy its historic elements, but instead worked to enhance and emphasize these features.
It is important that visitors check out not just the furnishings, but also the wall and ceiling decor. For example, the ceiling in the Sitting Room Hallway is a spectacular mural. The Grand Stairway is another spot where looking up and not just around is worth it. Here mirrors were added to increase the drama of the original skylight. It is dramatic and breathtaking.
Showcase House is open now through May 16. Tickets can be purchased in advance by going to the group’s web site: www.pasadenashowcase.org and range from $30 to $35 dollars in advance and from $35 to $40 at the door subject to availability. The house is open Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday from 9:00 am until 3:45 pm and on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am until 7:45 pm. Showcase is closed on Mondays.
The designers are all volunteers who not only give their time, but supply all the materials used at the house and in the gardens. Proceeds from the house are used by the organization to support music programs through various competitions and grants. The House provides for a music mobile which visits third grade classrooms throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
The group also supports a youth concert and instrumental competition. In addition more than 40 grants this year totaling $554,000, from the proceeds of last year’s showcase house.
Photographs by Terry Miller
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