A Striking Midcentury Time Capsule Is Up for Grabs in Pasadena at $1.6 Million

This one-of-a-kind gem designed by noted modernist architect Lawrence Test is now on the market in Pasadena’s affluent Linda Vista neighborhood, asking a speck over $1.6 million. The listing is held by Brian Linder with The Value Of Architecture at Compass.

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Built for plywood industry executive C.H. “Henry” Hernly way back in the late 1940s and thoughtfully maintained by its second owners for the past 58 years, the single-level residence is essentially original throughout. Think authentic details ranging from oak parquet floors and decorative linoleum paired with oversized metal-framed windows and antique hardware, just for starters.

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Fittingly dubbed the Hernly House after its original keeper—and also known as the House With the Plywood Skin—the midcentury modern is spotlighted by exposed mahogany, elm, and birch plywood walls, along with a wealth of built-in furnishings. Now up for historic landmark status, the house was photographed by Julius Shulman shortly after it was completed in 1949 and has been featured in Architectural Forum magazine. The place also was a stop on the L.A. County chapter of the American Institute of Architects tour in 1953.

Nestled into the side of a gently sloping hill, amid a heavily wooded parcel spanning almost a quarter of an acre of land, the flat-roofed structure boasts a striking, green-painted exterior clad in redwood and marked by a post-and-beam exoskeleton and louvered ventilators for prime air flow. An attached single-vehicle carport and a tandem one-car garage sit out front; and inside, a little more than 1,700 square feet of living space includes two bedrooms and and a trio of bathrooms.

A bright orange-red front door opens to a sun-drenched living room sporting a wood-burning brick fireplace and an integrated office nook topped by clerestory windows. A dining area connects to the kitchen, which features a breakfast bar, orange-hued cabinetry, and a vintage Frigidaire Flair Custom Imperial range.

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Additional highlights include a cozy den and a primary suite offering a custom unit with a makeup station and dual closets and access to a bath equipped with a soaking tub. Outdoors, mature trees and greenery encase the Garrett Eckbo-landscaped grounds, which host a large rectangular swimming pool nestled alongside a sundeck, as well as a shaded al fresco dining area.

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Recorded in Los Angeles: An Architectural Guide by David Winter and David Gebhard and the California Historical Resources Database , the dwelling is eligible for city designation as an individual landmark, per the listing. An added bonus: Once it’s registered, the new homeowners can apply for a 10-year Mills Act contract, meaning they will be eligible for reduced property taxes in exchange for preserving the historic house.

Click here for more photos of the Hernly House.

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