Pasadena Showcase House 2020
This year the 2020 Pasadena Showcase House, is a bit different given the current state of affairs. Going on 56 years, the Pasadena Showcase House is the oldest designer showhouse in the country. This year I returned as a 2020 Pasadena Showcase House designer, after taking a hiatus from last year’s house. When I’m not designing or managing the expansion of our showroom, you can find me curled up on my sofa, writing about design. As a member of the media and a designer for this year’s Showcase House, I was able to capture lots of the before images of the house. My design background allows me to provide an educated and informed observation of the spaces I see, while drawing on my experiences of what is trending around the world and how it pertains to the design industry and the Showcase House. I’ve written detailed posts about the Pasadena Showcase House since 2013 so if you want to take a peek into past houses, you can search “Pasadena Showcase House” in the search bar.
This year is the 56th Pasadena Showcase House and this year’s tour and alternative format has been dubbed “Ultimate Viewpoints: 56”, or “UV:56” It offers an interactive experience of the 16 interior spaces and 7 exterior spaces that were transformed as a part of this year’s designer showhouse.
2020 Pasadena Showcase House - Before and After
When attending a showhouse, I have always been fascinated by how the showhouse designers transform their assigned spaces in such a short period of time and to such a high degree of detail. So many people who view the beautiful spaces do not realize the work that goes into doing a designer showhouse, so I wanted to give a glimpse of the before and after. The house was truly transformed from rather ordinary to a home with all the latest greatest in technology and product with over 20 sets of designer eyes.
The Pool - pacific outdoor living
The progress on the pool construction started off slow, but then progressed quickly. Pacific Outdoor Living had such a big crew working on the project that from one day to the next that it seemed as though things appeared to happen overnight!
THE BREAKFAST ROOM - COZY STYLISH CHIC (THAT'S ME!)
This next space is extra special since this is the space that we tackled. This year we took on one of the smallest rooms in the house – one that had more windows and doorways than walls. After the spaces we tackled for Showcase House 2 years ago – the kitchen, butler’s pantry, teen bedroom and bath, we thought small would be the way to go.
We went small in room size, but large in design, color, and style. (I’ll be writing more about this room on a later date with lots of great photography, so stay tuned…or subscribe to the blog to have it delivered to your inbox😉)
THE KITCHEN - 4 POINT DESIGN BUILD
The kitchen took on a BIG transformation. A wall was taken down, joining two smaller spaces to create one larger one. It was given a warm but modern, state of the art kitchen with appliances from Monogram Appliances. Their signature Hearth Oven stole the show. The dome reaches a temperature of 1300 degrees and can pump out the most delicious , crunchy ,thin crust Neopolitan pizza in less than 2 minutes! We’ll be getting hearth oven (in brass) in our showroom once it opens and we’re excited!
Don’t you love the transformation? Notice the Dutch door on the far end. It’s a little detail that makes a big difference. It brings in additional light and a warm and inviting atmosphere.
MIGHTY MUDROOM WITH PET SPA - COURTNEY THOMAS DESIGN
The Pet Spa and Mudroom also underwent a big transformation. From an ordinary spare bedroom to a a multi-function pet oasis, laundry, mudroom, and overflow room that has a state of the art washing machine, dryer, and “Styler”. The room is the perfect balance of form and function. I’ve been eyeing the Styler for a while but this is the first time I’ve seen it installed in a home. I incorporated the Styler into a VERY large Master Closet (as part of the Primary Suite) that I designed for the Seasonal Living Magazine Designer Showhouse, which is currently being built entirely in the virtual world and can be viewed for free starting December 3.
LIVE/WORK STUDIO - STUDIO PALOMINO
Next up is the Live/Work Studio, designed by Studio Palomino. As I observe the photo of the before, this is the perfect example of why you would ALWAYS test the paint color in a room, even if it is white. People don’t realize that color reflecting off of a tree, a brick wall, or even a red carpet can really affect the color on the walls. There is no getting rid of the pink cast on the walls without getting rid of the red carpet!
The transformation of this room became a hip, zen-like live/work space. The calming scent of lavender was pumped into the room at regular intervals through a high-end professional diffuser. The large scale herringbone plank floor left no trace of pink on the walls or ceiling. The Murphy bed at the far end of the room is a perfect way transition the room from day to night.
THE MILLENNIAL SUITE-JANINE GREGORY DESIGNS
The room adjacent to the Live/Work Studio became the Millenial Suite, a hip and moody hang-out pad. I can imagine hanging out here, listening to vinyl while sipping craft cocktails made on the makeshift bar. We love the persimmon colored sleeper sofa and the vibrant coor that it brings to the space!
THE UPSTAIRS LAUNDRY - ILLUSTRACION BY JAKE
One of my favorite spaces in this year’s house was the small upstairs laundry. Jake proved that you can definitely pack a lot into a small space. She attended to every little detail with such precision and perfection – it really was impressive. She turned the door to the linen closet into a built in bookcase and hamper. This bookcase/hamper comb pulls open to reveal a hidden linen closet inside. She was careful to not disrupt the tile work by incorporating Legrand Under-Cabinet Modular Track, which provides electrical outlets without having to ruin the beautiful tilework. The added accessories allow you to listen to music with ease from your iPad or smart device.
THE POOL HOUSE
Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of the Pool House in its “before” state, so I’m posting two “afters”. The Pool House was a collaboration of designers and Industry Partners from the ASID Pasadena Chapter and spearheaded by ASID Pasadena chapter President, Susan Sawasy. It was a true collaboration of artists, trades people, showrooms, designers, and fabricators who put their collective minds and talents together for one common goal – to come up with a space that reflects the talents and aesthetic of the Pasadena Chapter. Cozy Stylish Chic was one of the collaborators! We are an ASID Industry Partner, and CSC provided some pillows and accessories from our showroom for the Pool House.
The Bella Notte Loggia - SHARI TIPICH DECORATIVE DESIGN AND ARTISTRY
Last but not least, the Loggia, which was transfomed into the Bella Notte Loggia. Stepping foot under the Belle Notte Loggia, one is transported to a magical place – an outdoor loggia along the Grand Canal in Venice. Meticulously painted panels and the vignettes below convey romance and tells a story that is rich with culture and history.
2020 Pasadena Showcase House Tickets
The 2020 Pasadena Showcase House virtual tour will be available for current ticket holders starting October 19 and general ticket sales will commence mid-November. For tickets and more information, please go to the 2020 Pasadena Showcase House landing page.
I’ve only included a handful of spaces in this post, but I urge you to check out the virtual tour. This is not your typical real estate virtual tour. The 360 degree virtual tour of each space is interactive. You can rotate, zoom in and out, and move up/down to see the ceiling or floor details. It is more of a 720 degree, as opposed to a 360 degree tour, in that respect. On each designer profile page are high-res vignettes, panorama views, and close-up shots. Also included are a short video with the designer, images of recent work, and designer renderings. What a great way for the viewer to familiarize themselves with the designer and their work. It’s almost like they are there giving the tour. I give it a big thumbs up, so don’t miss this virtual designer showhouse tour! Tickets go on sale next week – if you’d like to take a peek at the show guide, go here.
