Gamble House

Gamble House review Rate it

When brothers Charles and Henry Greene moved to Pasadena from Cincinnati in 1893, the Arts & Crafts movement had yet to take hold in California. By the time they built this house in 1908 for the Gamble family (as in Proctor & Gamble), their influence had travelled far and wide.

This handsome house, on a leafy Pasadena street, is perhaps the leading example of Southern California's 'Craftsman' bungalow style, influenced - in typical fashion - by both Japanese and Swiss architecture. The house was almost sold by Gamble's daughter-in-law in 1962, but when she overheard the prospective buyers discussing their plans to paint everything white, she immediately pulled the home off the market. It's now in the hands of USC.

Highlights of the informative daily tours include the nature-themed frieze made from California redwood; Emil Lange's stunning glass doors; and the unexpected presence in the kitchen of the same tiling that was then used on the New York subway. Add in Tiffany lamps and Greene-designed furniture, and it's easy to see how the cost of the home escalated to $60,000 at a time when the average house in the area cost a mere $1,200. The bookshop is strong on architecture, and also offers a sheet detailing many other notable houses in the neighbourhood. Reservations are accepted only for the 2pm tours.