Built in 1922, this home was designed by Wallace Neff for Dr. Allan P. Kanavel of Chicago. The residence incorporates a formal center hall floor plan combined with the whimsical Mediterranean details that were so popular during the Golden Age of Southern California architecture. The perfectly symmetrical front exterior is balanced in the classical manner. Palladian French doors flank the recessed entrance which is accented by a grand cast stone surround consisting of Doric half columns that support a wrought iron crowned curved pediment with a central keystone. The exterior stucco façade is capped by a hipped Mediterranean tile roof, completing the classical Italian motif.
The entrance hall is graced by a curved, floating staircase underneath which a glassed sunroom can be accessed. A leaded glass decorative window floods the staircase with light. The formal Living and dining rooms, both highlighted with plaster rope crown moldings, flank the entrance hall. A recently remodeled gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry, granite counters and stainless appliances lies beyond the dining room along with a large laundry room with custom cabinetry and a maid’s room and bath. The Sunroom which spans the rear of the central portion of the home connects the kitchen and the library. Both the library and sunroom are finished with original triple fired Spanish tile floors. There are original hardwood floors throughout the rest of the home. The home offers two fireplaces, one in the living room and one in the library.
Upstairs, a generously sized master bedroom suite is complimented by a contiguous sleeping porch which is used as a ladies’ office and has a private balcony. A guest suite also opens to the office and has a separate entrance via a private back staircase from the library below. The opposing upper wing of the home consists of two large bedrooms, one with a large adjoining sleeping porch and a hall bath all accessed through a private hallway. Two of the upper baths have been recently restored and updated in the original style.
The back garden is an entertainer’s delight, with an original triple fired Spanish tile patio, an adjoining built-in barbeque area. A newer pool and spa, which incorporates the original garden fountain, is surrounded by green lawn, giving the appearance of a reflecting pool. A three car garage with a motor court, storage area, yardman’s half bath and a cabana garden room finish the back yard.
This property feels quintessentially ‘Old Pasadena’ and beautifully blends modern conveniences with period character details, such as original poly-chromed living room sconces, cast stone fireplace surrounds, built-in bookcases and display shelving.
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