A pair of repolished Greene & Greene gems

Charles Greene, the chief designer of the Greene & Greene firm, needed a break. So in 1909 he took his family back to London, where he and his wife had honeymooned, according to “Greene & Greene Masterworks,” by Bruce Smith and Alexander Vertikoff. During his respite, his brother, Henry, stepped in to fill the void.

While Charles visited England, Henry completed the Spinks Craftsman house for retired Judge William Ward Spinks and his wife, Margaret B.S. Clapham Spinks. They had recently moved from Victoria, Canada, because the judge had accepted the presidency of the Pasadena Hotel Co.

The Spinks House cost a princely $11,000 at a time when few homes cost more than $2,000 to build.

As in their other homes, Henry Greene continued to use a variety of woods, such as Port Orford cedar and redwood, to make the Spinks home compatible with nature. Henry -- known for his linear designs -- gave the home a rectangular shape.

The Spinks House sits atop a slope on a nearly 1.5-acre property in the Oak Knoll neighborhood. Its meadow-like setting provides privacy. Isabelle Greene, granddaughter of Henry Greene, restored and redesigned some of the gardens in 1989. It has extensive terraces and porches, as well as a balcony.

About this house: Despite the wear and tear of nearly a century, the house has been maintained over many years.

Asking price: $5.35 million

Size: The house has seven bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms in 5,046 square feet.

Features: Built-ins, hinged skylights and three fireplaces. There is a view of the mountains from the rear of the property.

Where: Pasadena

Listing agents: Peter Martocchio, (626) 792-0086, and David Goldberg, (626) 792-0474, both of Sotheby’s International Realty.

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To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, please send interior and exterior photos on a CD with caption information and a description of the house, including what makes the property unusual, to Ruth Ryon, Real Estate Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; or e-mail homeoftheweek@latimes.com.