By Charly SHELTON

The Pasadena Showcase House of Design has been an annual tradition since 1965, featuring some of the most beautifully designed homes in Southern California. This year’s showcase house is no exception, highlighting the interior design skills of local designers within a historic estate, located in one of Pasadena’s most prestigious neighborhoods.

The Stewart House was originally built in 1933 by famed Pasadena architectural firm Marston & Maybury and has undergone certain design changes since then; however, the airy architecture and sophisticated lifestyle of the home has remained for the last 90 years. Notably, this house was the 19^th Pasadena Showcase House of Design in 1983, and many of the spaces within the home were maintained until this year’s redesign.

As visitors enter the home, they are immediately greeted by a grand entryway that returns them to the year the house was built, and is complete with custom designed furniture, hand-painted Italian plaster walls, a modern take on a gold leaf chandelier and original hardwood floors. From there, guests can explore the many rooms and spaces that make up this incredible estate across 11,000 square feet of living space and two acres of manicured grounds.

One of the most impressive features of the showcase house comes to the outdoor spaces – the view of the San Gabriel Mountains. Twelve of the 27 designed spaces are either partially or entirely outdoors, making an indoor-outdoor lifestyle easy. From vegetable gardens to the rose patio to the upstairs terrace or the garden retreat guesthouse, the outdoors are the places to be. And equally the indoor spaces seem to call the light in and draw the eye out.

One indoor space, the Artist’s Wunderkammer, was designed by local interior designer Christopher Grant Ward of Rosemary Home Design. Ward based his design aesthetic on Ruth Stewart, the original owner of the house who was a sailor and artist, and this room is reflective of her. The furnishings are sourced from all woman-owned businesses and artists, with custom made furniture by Ward using sustainably sourced African mahogany. This blend of artist’s workshop meets cabinet of curiosities meets antiquarian traveler den lends itself to spending an afternoon going over maps or sketching exotic flowers. The back door of this room lets out onto the upper terrace, with its Great Gatsby-meets-Caribbean aesthetic, and this in turn flows into the African safari-inspired primary suite and bathroom, keeping the world traveler feel consistent across the upper level of the back of the house.

As always, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design is more than just an exhibition of great design. The event is also a fundraiser, with proceeds going to support music education programs in Pasadena and the surrounding area. Over the years, the showcase house has become one of Southern California’s premier charitable events, raising more than $25 million for this important cause.

This year’s showcase house is a must-see for anyone with an appreciation for great design and a passion for supporting a good cause. The estate’s incredible architecture and stunning interior design make it a true highlight of the annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Ticketed tours are available now through May 21, as are mimosa brunch options! Visit PasadenaShowcase.org/showcase-house for tickets and more info.