Pasadena Showcase House of Design for 2010 is Craven's Estate - Designers Create Masterpiece

The Craven’s Estate was selected to become The 2010 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. A fundraiser called an “Empty House” party was held to celebrate and allow the public to view the house in its current condition and to raise money towards the transformation. It was an amazing party where guests strolled through the mansion meeting with and speaking to the chosen designers while enjoying wonderful drinks and delicious food spread across various rooms.

 

The idea of a Pasadena Showcase House of Design developed in 1965 and the committee became known as the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts committee. With hard work from the committee, community support and enthusiasm - more than $11,000 was raised the first year. Admission to the first Showcase House was $1.50, which included coffee and cookies, and approximately 7,500 visitors attended. Parking was in the neighborhood and, in some cases, on neighbors' lawns. Today tickets range from $30 - $40 and approximately 40,000 visitors are shuttled from a nearby location.

 

This year the nearly 20,000-square-foot Craven’s Estate, on what was once Pasadena's Millionaire's Row was chosen to be the Showcase House of Design. The Craven’s Estate, built in 1929 & 1930 was headquarters to the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross who is collaborating with the PSHA on the endeavor.

 

Twenty-six interior designers and seven exterior designers will work with a team of experts in historic architecture and preservation to renew and create the Design Showcase House which will be open for viewing from April 18 to May 16, and tickets are currently available.

Benefit chair Beverly Marksbury said in a statement:

"... While we're taking the greatest care to respect the estate's past, our designers will also make use of cutting edge design technology, trends and creativity," she said.

Famous San Francisco architect Lewis P. Hobart designed the French chateau mansion for John and Mildred Cravens. The Grand Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte in France. Inspired the design.

 

“What’s interesting is that Mildred Cravens was a Board member of the American Red Cross," Beverly Marksbury said. "She held many meetings at the estate and, then, as it turned out, the house was sold by its current owner, Simon Zervos, to the Red Cross in 1964. But here's what we didn't know until very recently: The Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte (in France) served as a Red Cross headquarters during World War I and II."

www.pasadenashowcase.org/