I think I'm in love...

Updated: I was perusing through the MLS as I normally do,  touring some great neighborhoods known for fantastic architecture (Hancock Park, San Marino/Pasadena, Montecito, etc) and I stumbled upon an awesome home that just went up last year in Pasadena and is on the market for $6.8M. The Wyndhamsmith Residence.

(Source: MLS)


The home was designed by La Jolla-based architect John Barber in 2008 and was completed in 2010.  This home, according to the listing, is "inspired by Wallace Neff" and replaces a 1949 5 bedroom/4bath ranch style home that sits on a great 0.73 acre tree lined lot.

(Source: Google Maps)

(Source: Google Maps)


There is some interesting recent history to the home.  Let's start at the beginning.  The original 1949 home was purchased in the summer of 2004 for $1.6M by a local dentist and his wife.  The owners then proceeded to completely remodel the 3,158sf "mid century" home and completed the remodel in 2006.  After the remodel, it looked like this:

(Source: MLS/Coldwell Banker)


You can even see in the Google StreetView that they updated the garage doors with a more modern/contemporary feel.   The old MLS listing shows many other photos that make it clear that the home was completely and totally remodeled, inside and outside.  It had a new pool, new hardscape, etc. 

Fast forward two years, and in mid 2008, the home owners put the house on the market for $2.8M - $1.2M more than the original purchase price from 2004.   Records indicate that in addition to getting a completely redone home, the new would-be buyer would also get the plans for an Italian estate "inspired by Wallace Neff" as well as a complete project bid from local builder MurSol.  The home sat on the market for a little over a month before the listing was removed.  I'm guessing that the home owners decided it would be easier to sell a new Italian estate rather than a redone mid century in that particular market (or maybe the Global Financial Crisis gave them a scare, and they soon figured out they were ok?).  Seems a shame that they would have wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars (not to mention stress and time associated with a remodel) to rebuild the home only to tear it down shortly thereafter to build a new mansion from scratch!

The 2010 home, which sits on a 110' wide and 289' deep lot, measures 7,000sf and has a pool and motor court.  The windows are in scale and relatively simple.  The facade registers ample whitespace - which would please GW Smith.  The stone surround of the door - perfectly authentic.  The roof pitch, choice of tile all in keeping with homes of the 1920s.  While this home is located near Caltech on a tree-lined street with mixed housing stock, it is almost better suited on Lombardy Road or parts of San Marino with other beautiful 1920s estates.

(Source: MLS)


Overall, this is a gorgeous home that I'd like to see more of - not the usual McMansion fare.  What do you think?

KEY STATS

Location: Pasadena

Style: Italian
Year built: 2010
Architect: John Barber (La Jolla)
Square footage: 7,000
Lot size: 31,790 (110x289)