A stately salute to the past
Pasadena and its stately homes go together like Rose queens and bowl games.
Known for some of Southern California’s oldest and most celebrated architecture, the city also has its share of newer homes that look like they were built in the early decades of the last century. This is one of them.
The builder, John Finton of Finton Construction, spans the globe to find the right stones, tiles and wood for the upscale homes he constructs. One such journey took him to a village in Jordan, where he met with a master stonecutter; he also once visited a Central American tile factory where clay is hauled in on donkeys.
Finton says he prefers “reclaimed materials” for both environmental reasons and their aesthetic appeal. He’s been known to choose a wooden beam from a European chateau rather than trying to replicate one for clients, to save them money and let them enjoy the real thing.
About this house: Completed in 2005 (and designed by Los Angeles-based Giannetti Architects), the Colonial Revival occupies more than an acre and is landscaped with rose bushes, mature trees and trellises. A grand entryway, French doors, mahogany floors and crystal chandeliers recall bygone times when Midwestern magnates wintered in their Pasadena mansions.
The estate’s circular stairway, center hall, formal living and dining rooms and built-in bookcases add to its old-world sensibility, as do the carved fireplaces, hand-painted wallpaper and paneled walls. A separate guesthouse with a kitchen, a three-quarter bathroom and a gym are next to the main house.
Size: The house has five bedrooms and seven bathrooms in about 8,886 square feet. The lot is 44,250 square feet.
Features: Although early last century aesthetically, this home is current as well: The kitchen has double Thermador ovens and a six-burner professional cooktop, Sub-Zero refrigerators and a walk-in pantry. The home has a breakfast area, a family room, a projection theater with surround sound and a wet bar; a master suite with his-and-her marble baths; a paneled library; a saltwater pool with arching water jets, a spa, several outdoor entertainment areas, including a travertine terrace with a fireplace; and a three-car garage.
Asking price: $11 million
Where: Pasadena
Listing agent: The Fairbanks Group, www.thefairbanksgroup.com, (626) 398-9000.
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To submit a candidate for Home of the Week consideration, send high-resolution color photos with caption and credit information on a CD and a description of the house to Diane Wedner, Real Estate Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012. Questions may be sent to homeoftheweek@latimes.com.
