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Perfectly preserved midcentury modern asking $2.2M in Pasadena

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It’s on the market for the first time in six decades

The home occupies a .93-acre lot in the San Gabriel foothills.
Photos by Cameron Carothers, courtesy of Jane Workman and Ann Nader/Deasy Penner Podley

It’s already a fairly unusual occurrence when a home in Pasadena’s small gated community of North Kinneloa Ranch comes on the market, but in the case of this particular residence, it’s extraordinarily so.

Designed by architect John F. Galbraith in 1956, it was originally the family residence of Melvin Knoll, a pharmacist. In 1963, Knoll commissioned Galbraith to build a larger house down the road, and the first home was sold to another family, who have owned it ever since.

The three-bedroom, four-bathroom modern has held up remarkably well over the years. Measuring 3,567 square feet, it features vertical redwood paneling inside and out, a massive double-sided fireplace lined with Bouquet Canyon stone, a built-in bar and other built-in furniture, mahogany kitchen cabinetry, walls of glass, and period tile.

Outside, there’s a sizable pool, a detached workshop, and an orchard populated with persimmon, avocado, plum, grapefruit, lime, and lemon trees. On a lot of just under an acre, the property is one of just 41 homes in the gated community and is asking $2.189 million, with monthly HOA dues of $64.

Jane Workman and Ann Nader of Deasy Penner Podley hold the listing.

Nine-foot-tall panels of glass blur the boundaries between indoors and out.
An impressive double-sided fireplace constructed with Bouquet Canyon stone separates the living and dining rooms.
The redwood-clad bar with built-in hi-fi system.
The kitchen is lined with custom mahogany cabinetry.
There are three bedrooms, one of which features a fireplace and built-in desk.
One of the four bathrooms.
Along with a swimming pool, the grounds contain a 501-square-foot workshop and an orchard of various fruit trees.