The 2020 Pasadena Showcase season is upon us. The much anticipated annual event, a staple in our community, draws thousands of design enthusiasts from all over the country to see the latest in home design trends. Whether gleaning ideas for your own home project, looking for an interior designer, or are a curious looky-loo who wants to experience the life of the well to-do, the Showcase will not disappoint.
This year, the 56th Pasadena Showcase House of Design is being held at a 6,700 square foot Federal-country style estate designed by Gerard R. Colcord, known as “Hollywood’s society architect.” Named the Locke House after the original owners, Elizabeth and Edmund Locke, Jr., and their three children, (Edmund’s mother was a founder of the Beverly Hills Women’s Club) the estate is situated on park-like grounds in the historic Santa Anita Oaks neighborhood of Arcadia. This is the third time the Showcase House is being held in Arcadia.
Unchanged from its original design, the two-story, six bed, five bath family home features refined Federal detailing throughout the trim, windows, fireplaces, and hardware. A Georgian-style broken pediment crowns the front door and small dormers dot the second floor.
Reimagined by 17 interior designers and four exterior designers, the house has been ushered into an elegant residence for modern times, including a completely renovated kitchen and butler pantry, a live/work loft space, and a charming pool house designed in partnership with ASID Pasadena that overlooks a remastered pool.
Colors of Showcase
Each year, through an exclusive partnership with Dunn-Edwards Paints, a color palette is chosen to highlight the character of the estate in modern times. This year, visitors will not only experience Dunn-Edwards 2020 Color of the Year, Minty Fresh, a calm, relaxing mentholated pastel, but will also see an array of crisp neutral tones punctuated with water-soft colors, such as Veranda, a green-blue hue. In addition, Black Bay, a charcoal shade, will make its mark as both an exterior and interior color.
2020 Benefit Chair Jill Fosselman, Interior Co-Chair Annelise Dachel, Exterior Advisor Debra Qurtman, PSHA President Vikki Sung, Interior Co-Chair Diane Boysen.
More than Just a Pretty House
“This year, in addition to the house and garden tours, we’re hosting a series of musical performances, underscoring that Showcase is more than just a pretty house,” said 2020 Benefit Chair Jill Fosselman. “We want to emphasize the connection between the beautiful and inspirational design house that people come to see, with the music and arts programs we fund throughout Southern California.”
Along with regularly scheduled house and garden tours, daily entertainment will add to the festivities. Tickets will also be available for special Saturday evening concerts. Additionally, Shops at Showcase will feature approximately 26 vendors. The Restaurant at Showcase and the Pub at Showcase are onsite for drinks and dining, making this an all-day affair!
Proceeds from the Showcase House go to funding arts and music programs through-out Southern California. For more than 67 years, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts has funded and produced programs that have enriched the lives of countless people and brought a lasting legacy to the community, including:
Gifts & Grants: Cumulative donations of more than $23 million have been made in support of outstanding music and arts programs throughout the community. Gifts & Grants are awarded to non-profit organizations for music education, music therapy, underwriting of concerts, etc., as well as continuance of our longstanding support of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
Fourth-graders from across the region attend the annual 2019 Youth Concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
Pasadena Showcase House Youth Concert: Begun in 1953, more than 250,000 fourth grade students have attended this annual free concert designed to weave musical concepts into an appealing program that is presented at the Walt Disney Concert Hall by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
Third-graders participate in Music Mobile™
Pasadena Showcase House Music Mobile™: Created by PSHA in 1971 and now produced in partnership with Pasadena Conservatory of Music, the Music Mobile™ is a hands-on, award-winning program that is presented to third grade students. It provides an introduction to classical music and the opportunity to play a selection of instruments and be part of a simulated orchestra. More than 125,000 students have participated since its inception.
Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition: Since 1984, promising young musicians between the ages of 16-24 have been competing annually for monetary awards in the categories of woodwinds, brass and strings. Nearly $600,000 in prize money has been awarded to assist them in furthering their musical education.
The Pasadena Showcase House of Design is one of the oldest, largest and most successful house and garden tours in the country, with nearly 80 active volunteers at the helm. Each year, about 25,000 guests attend.
Ticket Information
General tickets are $35 – $45, depending on time of day. Includes complimentary off-site parking and shuttle at the Santa Anita Racetrack, Gate 5 and complimentary shuttle service.
New for 2020, guests can take the Metro to Showcase! Showcase shuttles will pick-up/drop-off at the Arcadia Gold Line station every 30 minutes on the hour and half-hour.
Open to the public June 7-28, 2020 (closed Mondays). For more information, visit www.pasadenashowcase.org.
