Inside notable show homes of America

This Arts and Crafts masterpiece on the edge of San Diego’s Balboa Park was the home of George and Anna Marston and their five children. Marston, a philanthropist, civic leader and owner of the city’s premier department store, commissioned architects William S. Hebbard and Irving Gill to build an English Tudor-style home. Mid-project, Gill visited his old friend Frank Lloyd Wright and was inspired to change the design. The result is this 1905 Craftsman masterpiece. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Sept. 14, 2012 2:31 PM PT

Just as your home speaks volumes about you, the show houses of America -- open to the public for tours -- share the secrets, sometimes unwittingly, of their owners, designers and hometowns. They may reveal personal quirks or preferences, design or otherwise, that tell a story that goes well beyond bricks and mortar.

Flush butterfly joints hold together the old-growth redwood paneling in the living room. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A bust is displayed in one of the home’s 16 rooms. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Inside the library. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Guests tour the kitchen. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A portrait of Mary Marston and period lamp in her room. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A fountain at Marston House. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Travel & Experiences

Inside notable show homes of America

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