Wonder in the Woods: Pristine Midcentury Home With Plywood ‘Skin’ Is Listed in Pasadena for $1.6M

Just 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, the leafy streets of Pasadena, CA, are a longtime hub of architectural treasures.

One example—the House with the Plywood Skin, designed Lawrence Test— was recently listed for $1,640,000.

The three-bedroom, two-bath residence was built in 1949 and spans 1,737 square feet. It sits on a lush, .23-acre lot designed by landscape architect Garrett Eckbo.

“My goal is to find the next steward of this house,” says listing agent Brian Linder, of Compass. “I really see it as a design-centric buyer. They didn’t have any idea they’d want to be in Pasadena. They’re primarily looking for an architect-designed home.”

For a buyer who also wants a time capsule, the interiors here are spot-on.

“The seller grew up in the house,” Linder reveals. “Her parents bought it in 1966. Between 1949 and 1966, there were two other owners. It’s sort of like a living museum. It doesn’t feel static.”

The first owner was the executive of a plywood company—it’s why the material was used throughout the home’s design, inside and out.

To prepare for the sale, interior changes were minimal. Carpeting was pulled up to expose original vintage floors, the parquet floors were sanded, and new kitchen flooring was put in. A new HVAC system was installed within the past decade.

All of the walls, plus kitchen and bath fixtures, metal windows, decorative tiles, antique hardware, and den flooring are original.

The woodwork here is exquisite, including combed mahogany ceilings, ribbon-grain mahogany in the public spaces, and elm and birch in the bedrooms. A pass-through and bar counter in the kitchen and a living room fireplace add charm. Plus, the built-ins throughout are original, too.

“Patina-ed with age, it really shows the history,” Linder says of the den flooring.

Meanwhile, the home’s facade was recently refreshed.

“The exterior had been painted at some point and was no longer the marine-grade Philippine mahogany, so we painted it a new color more in keeping with the architectural style,” Linder says.

Ripe for entertaining, the property’s outdoor dining area overlooks the pool.

Born in 1891, Test died in 1981 at the age of 90.

“He’s known as a Pasadena architect,” notes Linder, who specializes in listing architecturally significant homes in Southern California. “This is the first home of his that I’ve actually visited. He did a mix of styles—some streamlined moderne and neo-Colonial, Spanish-style roof homes, a mixture of residential and commercial.”

Since listing the property, Linder says he’s had people reach out to say, “I own a Lawrence Test house.”

He adds that this Pasadena home is one of Test’s “most notable projects.”

The house is eligible for designation as a historic landmark, with corresponding Mills Act tax benefits.

And while the next owner could invest in kitchen and bath remodels, Linder notes that some prospective buyers appreciate the place in its current state.

“Several of the people [who have toured the home] just want to leave it as is,” he says. “In that circle of design and architectural aficionados, the original design has appeal.”