#pasadena modern tour: test house 1952

Our Pasadena Heritage 1940 Forward Modern House Tour continues with the Test House. (You can see all six homes here.) No, this "Test" is not like a Case Study Home.

This ornamental rail design is used throughout the house.

It is a home architected by Lawrence Test for his family in Pasadena.

Now, I must caution you, you are not going blind. I may start calling this the "Blurry Picture Home Tour." I had a mishap with my camera at the start of the tour that has caused most of the pictures to be slightly or very blurry. I continue posting because the homes were, honestly, outstanding. Soldier on we must!

Pretty cool, huh?

Lawrence Test House, Pasadena, Photo by Dennis Hill

The Test House was originally a 757-square-foot-out- building of a large estate. Zillow lists the original year built as 1923. Lawrence Test planned to make the home his own and performed the first series of substantial alterations. The current home is 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, and nearly 3,000 square feet. The last set of remodelers have stayed true to what Test originally constructed with all additions being in synch with his initial vision. It is a real beauty.

Here comes the blurry, special effects picture tour. Awesome, right?

I love a good angle on a mid-century modern.

Bright and airy dining room. Slanted, beam ceiling is at a pleasing angle.

Here are the rails again. Lawrence Test does not have much written about him on the inter-web. However, from the tour brochure we know the following:

Test (1891-1981) was born in Pasadena and attended the University of Pennsylvania. Schooled in the Beaux Arts tradition, his early career was dominated by Period Revival styles, largely Mediterranean. However, he began experimenting with the new materials and construction processes well before World War II. By the end of his career, Test had made a name for himself in modernism, his designs characterized by a sense of rational order, simplicity, and spaciousness. 

Noguchi coffee table. Not to be a mid-century modern snob but you do see these everywhere. The shape is organic and the 3 point wood base is sort of a brain teaser. I kind of want one. Even though they are everywhere.

Here are my blurry kitchen photos. This is a decent little galley kitchen with a simple layout and modern upgrades. Yes, down the right are Christmas lights. Oh what fun.

Blur-tastic.

Charming interior patio. Here is another example of a modern Test on Curbed LA and a not so modern Test on Zillow. 

This bathroom evokes a ship for me. Could be the porthole mirror and the linear tile.

Love this built-in office with the nice sunny corner window.

And the little desk for meetings and what not.

Lovely art deco wine cart. Really nice piece.

I wasn't sure what this room was and didn't ask enough questions. Is it a laundry room, wine storage room or bar? Or all three?

Home had remarkable, notable art throughout.

Another nicely remodeled bathroom.

Blurry furniture. I am not sure how much more of this I can take.

Great master bedroom with a lovely Herman Miller style (or actual) bench at the end of the platform bed.

Another cool bathroom. Right space but the owners made the most of it.

Eames birdie.

Decent workout room. Personally, I am not a fan of the home gyms. Or any gym for that matter. Ha ha.

A remarkably clear photo of the rail.

 Another pretty outdoor entertaining area.

My own picture of the home.

 These cool little cubbies were in the garage.

This built-in furniture is in the garage. I do believe the owners must be using the garage as an office --  because it is just too nice.

In the garage I met some fantastic ladies from Deassy/Penner Real Estate who specialize in "Home as Art." They had cookies for the weary home tourists and I took a picture of their display for the blog. Unfortunately, it was a ridiculously blurry picture. Sorry nice ladies!

Wonderful large outdoor fireplace and seating area. Mammoth fire place.

This is the downstairs room adjacent to the outdoor seating area.

The art and furniture in this home are exquisite.

They had a couple of these little mosaic coffee tables. They were outstanding. Clearly art pieces. Use your imagination.

The bottom level of the house (it is on at least three levels that I counted), is the indoor/outdoor living room. Wonderful space.

Here is a non-blurry picture I lifted from the LATimes.

From the LATiimes.

That wraps up blurry home tour #3. The next 3 house are equally fantastic and the pictures are of equally varying quality. Hang in there with me, it will be worth it. I'll bang them out this week and then we'll be on to new things next week!

Related Posts:

• Pasadena Modern Tour 2013: Tyler House, 1958, Ted Tyler, Builder
• Pasadena Modern Tour 2013: Norton House, 1954, Buff and Hensman, Architects
• Pasadena Modern Tour 2013: Test House, 1952, Lawrence Test, Architect
• Pasadena Modern Tour 2013: Hamlin House, 1983, Buff and Hensman, Architects
• Pasadena Modern Tour 2013: Dorland House, 1950, Lloyd Wright, Architect.
• Pasadena Modern Tour 2013: Zook House, 1951, Harold B. Zook, Architect