By Charly SHELTON

The annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design dates back to 1965 when it was established as a fundraiser for The Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee. Since that time, PSHD has become one of the nation’s largest and most successful house and garden tours. Now, for the first time in its 56-year history, guests will be touring the beautifully redesigned home virtually.

The PSHD is an annual event when local designers take over one huge house in the Pasadena area to redesign. It’s a chance for the designers to stretch their legs, take chances and really show what they have while working in a controlled space. Each designer takes on one room or space on the property to reimagine and after they’re done guests can purchase tickets to tour the house and grounds to see the results of the designers. This leads to a fantastic showcase of design (hence the name) from room to room that highlights their individual styles while maintaining a common theme. This year’s theme is sustainability, and many of the designers have not only incorporated the theme into the design of space, but also in the materials they sourced.

But COVID-19 has changed most public interactions and public spaces. With ticketholders being funneled through the hallways and passages of the design house, it is impossible to maintain social distancing unless the parties are spaced far apart. This would result in attendance figures being forced prohibitively low. In lieu of this, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts organization has decided to conduct virtual tours of the house and property. In October, its online portal “Ultimate Viewpoints:56” will open to admit digital guests to a pre-recorded tour of the house. They will move – virtually – from room-to-room to see what the designers have created in each space. This is beneficial in that each designer will have direct input on how to properly present the space and can be assured that it will always be the perfect time of day for the tour.

The property redesigned by the team this year is the Locke House, a 1937 federal country estate designed by “Hollywood society’s architect,” Gerard R. Colcord. The house is nestled among mature oaks and sits on a huge plot with a yard surrounding the mansion in the historic Santa Anita Oaks neighborhood of Arcadia. This property really is breathtaking, and the designers have made it even better with their additions.

The Locke House will be open via “Ultimate Viewpoints:56” next month. More information is forthcoming, so check back with CV Weekly for deeper coverage, an extensive look into the house from a photo press tour and an exact launch date, when available, for the virtual tour.

  Charly Shelton