Mid-century modern design borrows a lot from modernist design with its tendency towards minimalism and innovation (at least, innovative by the standards of its era). But for all the then-futuristic aspects of mid-century modern architecture, there's a simpler, more organic side to it as well: an emphasis on natural materials, natural light, and the seamless integration of homes into their surrounding environments.
The relative simplicity of their design, along with their integration of natural elements indoors and out, gives some MCM homes a refreshing zen-like quality. You can really feel the zen in this incredible 1949 home from Pasadena, the structure of which is as stylish as it is serene.
The Hernly House in Pasadena, CA, 1949. Also known as The House With the Plywood Skin by Lawrence Test, AIA, Architect. As legendary architectural photographer Julius Shulman captured in his vintage images shortly after construction, this mid-century modern home was ahead of its time in the sleepy suburbs of 1949 Pasadena. In keeping with local precedent, the architect celebrated the redwood posts and beams, but departing from that tradition expressed the structure visually on the outside of the home, as opposed to the interior, which would have been more common. As dictated by the client, a plywood company executive, the remainder of the home is constructed entirely out of plywood, applied to the inside face of the post-and-beam exoskeleton. Marine grade Philippine mahogany faces out to the elements, where inside the walls are smooth, with ribbon grain mahogany defining the public spaces, and elm and birch alternating among the bedrooms, complimented by distinctive combed mahogany ceilings. The use of plywood provided simplicity of construction, effective insulation, and the shear value necessary for widespread use of glass, with large fixed panels streaming sunlight throughout the house. These natural ply faces were sealed but left exposed. Operable ventilators at the top of one wall and the bottom of the opposite wall in the various rooms allowed the occupants to effectively control cross breezes, eliminating the need for air conditioning until the new millennium. Featured on the 1953 AIA Home Tour, and published in Gebhard and Winter's Architectural Guide, the Los Angeles Times, Architectural Forum, and the Pasadena Star-News. Listing agent: Brian Linder at The Value of Architecture . . . . . #losangelesarchitecture #midcenturymodern #midcentury #midcenturyhome #mcm #architecture #architectureoftheday #interiordesign #modernhomes #losangeles #design #modernism #home #coolhouse #dreamhome #pasadena #california #realestate #interior #interiordesign #oldhouselove #vintagehome #archilovers #fy #fypage #tiktok #architecturephotography #juliusshulman
Architecture enthusiast Javier Camorlinga (aka @javi.cam ) brings us this present-day tour of The Hernly House, an early example of mid-century modern architecture from architect Lawrence Test. Though the home was built in the late 1940s, at a time when mid-century modern was just starting to emerge as a cohesive design movement, the house's aesthetics feel far ahead of their time, conforming closer in style to the more established MCM characteristics of homes built in the late 50s and early 60s.
Part of this home's leading-edge aesthetic may have been more coincidental than not. As Javier writes in his caption, the home was commissioned by a plywood company executive, who wanted his home to be constructed from plywood as much as possible. Though the home's post and beam structure was built from redwood, the vast majority of the home's interior and exterior was constructed from a mix of mahogany, elm, and birch plywood.
This unique aspect of its construction lent itself to a kind of earthy, organic simplicity that feels very ahead of its era. Instead of filling the unpainted interior plywood walls with heavy ornamentation, a lot of emphasis is placed on warm interior lighting , large glass windows, and simple, efficient built-in furniture. You can really see a lot of Frank Lloyd Wright's influence at play here with these design elements. Though the interior was smooth and minimalistic, the exterior has these dramatic sloping roofs and additional trim, giving it a visually striking, modern edge.
Javier also highlights one particularly innovative bit of engineering in Lawrence Test's construction. The home's rooms had ventilators at the top of one wall and at the bottom of the opposite wall, which could be operated to admit a cross-breeze in the room. This, Javier says, "eliminat[ed] the need for air conditioning until the new millennium."
The fruits of Test's innovative efforts still look incredible to this day. The rich, simplistic wooden interiors, flooded with natural light and verdant views of the surrounding vegetation, create this airy, serene feeling that permeates the entire home. The separation between indoors and outdoors in every room feels very thin, and it helps that the property's grounds are also beautiful, rich with mature vegetation and greenery surrounding a swimming pool and patio. Lots of mid-century modern architects would play with different ways to integrate natural light and beauty into their constructions, but with his Hernly House, Lawrence Test seemed to have figured it out early into the movement's rise to popularity.
The Hernly House on the Market
The innovative Hernly House, located at 1475 Scenic Drive in Pasadena, is currently on the market. The three-bed, two-bath home is listed for sale at $1,640,000 with real estate agent and architectural broker Brian Linder. Linder can be contacted through the home's Compass listing here , and a public open house is scheduled for this Sunday, July 28, from 2-5 pm. Even if you're not interested in buying, this would be a wonderful opportunity to witness a truly cutting-edge example of early mid-century modern architecture firsthand.
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