The Los Angeles Beverly Boulevard showroom of JANUS et Cie, hosted a post-mortem panel discussion last week on the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design (PSH 2024) featuring several participating designers. The session was titled:
Design for the Arts — Reimagining of the Historic Potter Daniels Manor
The conversation was lively, informative and illustrative for homeowners to understand what great designers overcome to complete a project successfully.
Moderator Anolan Dragitsch posing a question to the panel of PSH 2024 designers
PSH 2024 was like any other residential restoration project that required a definitive timeline and budget, while having occasional “oh, no” moments. However, the restoration of the Potter Daniels Manor was on a much grander scale. In fact, it was about 30 times “more grand”, as there were approximately 30 designers working on distinct sections of the home simultaneously.
Potter Daniels Manor: The 2024 Pasadena Showcase House
Unquestionably, restoring the Potter Daniels Manor to its original 1902 grandeur was no easy feat.
With an absolute finish date that coincided with its opening tour day, the project was a rousing success despite experiencing a severe “oh, no” moment just three weeks before the deadline.
Keep reading to learn what we believe are the key designer traits that made this show so successful. You’ll also want to be able to identify these traits when hiring someone for a challenging project, especially if you plan to renovate an older home.
Table of Contents
- Respecting the Past While Designing for the Future
- Designing the Outdoor Spaces
- Challenges of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House
- Parting Inspiration and Advice
- The Panelists
- About the Host: JANUS et Cie
Also see:
Respecting the Past While Designing for the Future
Rachel Duarte’s Formal Living Room mixes bright, modern comfort with traditional elements
Image courtesy of Rachel Duarte Design Studio
Pertinent to all historic restoration projects, the initial questions posed to the panelists centered on how they kept a connection to the past and original architectural vision, while blending in modern design trends and amenities with future residents in mind.
Maria Videla-Juniel, the designer of the primary bathroom, knew from the start that she wanted to retain the distinctive look of the original cross-hatch windows. The bathroom’s original windows served as a prominent visual cue of the home’s Tudor character, while providing an opportunity to connect the hatches aesthetically with modernized fixtures and an updated color palette.
Close up view of a cross-hatch window in the primary bath
Photography by Peter Christiansen Valli
The end result was a seamless meshing of modern aesthetics integrated with historical substance.
Original window blending perfectly with modern aesthetics
Photography by Peter Christiansen Valli
Steven Cordrey, the designer of the veranda, was pleasantly surprised to learn that the original outdoor awnings still worked perfectly, despite decades of inactivity. Cordrey went on to share the important role that the veranda played in the 1900’s during hot summer months prior to the widespread adoption of air conditioning. For those unfamiliar with Pasadena’s climate, the summer months can reach temperatures in the mid-90’s, with occasional heatwaves reaching the low 100’s.
Steven Cordrey sharing historical context on the Veranda of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House at JANUS et Cie
Prior to the modern era, the veranda was not only used as a summertime sleeping porch, but most of the household activity occurred in this covered outdoor space, such as dining, resting and socializing.
Cordrey aimed to elevate the importance of the veranda in the modern era by reviving the space into a bright and comfortable respite.
Comfortable seating area in the Veranda with views
The result was a cheerful outdoor room that is ideal for outdoor dining, socializing and the occasional siesta, all while enjoying views of both the nearby Arroyo Vista garden and natural green expanses beyond.
A close-up view of the JANUS et Cie Amalfi iron dining table
The inviting showroom model of the Amalfi Daybed which was featured in the far end of the veranda.
Designing the Outdoor Spaces
Designers were queried on their approach to outdoor spaces of the showcase house, including sources of inspiration and how their designs complemented the indoor designs.
A colorful JANUS et Cie outdoor sofa from the Amalfi Collection prominently displayed in the Gate House Garden, designed by TimothyJohnLA.
NOTE: The host of the panel session was JANUS et Cie, a luxury outdoor lifestyle brand whose outdoor furniture collections were used prominently at the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House, including the Veranda, The Arroyo Vista Garden and outdoor entrance of the Guest House.
Elisa Read Pappaterra, the landscape designer of the Arroyo Vista Garden, shared that she was inspired by the following items:
- Botanical plant collecting was quite popular when the Potter Daniels Manor was built
- The rich biodiverse habitat of Southern California and its many native plants
- A new California law (Bill 3074) that requires Firewise Landscaping (a surrounding five-foot ember resistant zone) for homes located within “High” and “Very High” Fire Hazard Severity Zones
Arroyo Vista Garden with a Firewise Zone 0 (Ember Resistant Zone) Bordering the veranda on the left
The garden project involved converting 1,000 square feet of lawn into a California Native Habitat, while also incorporating a defensible space (AKA Zone 0 or Ember Resistant Zone) around the entirety of the home.
Pappaterra’s expansive garden, located outside of the veranda, showcased wide-ranging succulents, elegant outdoor furniture from JANUS et Cie, gravel walkways, as well as a beautiful dry fountain adorned with decorative succulents.
The dry succulent fountain in the Arroyo Vista Garden
Image courtesy of Studio Pappaterra
The dry fountain is one of many examples of how seasoned designers of the PSH 2024 were able to turn an unexpected setback (e.g. the fountain was not functional, without a viable solution at hand) into something new and focally interesting.
Challenges of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House
Continuing on the topic of challenges, the designers were asked to share their biggest obstacles of the PSH 2024. Without question the biggest setback encountered was learning — approximately three weeks prior to the opening date — that the electrical wiring of the home was not to code. As a 1902-built home, the structure was still operating on centuries old knob and tube wiring.
Gold light switch cover over textured wallpaper in the primary bedroom
Designers were informed that the current electrical infrastructure was not capable of accommodating the many electrical design changes from the renovations and would need to be upgraded.
The updated kitchen of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House showcasing new modern appliances from Fisher & Paykel
This notice came when substantial amounts of work had already been completed, such as dry walling, wallpapering, and painting. This meant the designers had to not only re-do work, but they had the challenge of making sure the revised work meshed seamlessly, as it did before the impromptu spot demolition.
Corner of the kitchen’s dining area with light fixtures, tiling, wallpaper and painted trim
Image courtesy of Thibault
A key takeaway of this unfortunate experience is reconfirming some of the most important traits of successful designers: persistence, resiliency, resourcefulness and patience.
Unlike many “normal” design projects, the time schedule can be adjusted due to unforeseen circumstances. However, in the case of showcase houses, all designers have to meet the deadline when the home is opened to the public for touring. In the case of the Pasadena Showcase house, the philanthropic goal of the annual event is to raise funds for musical education, with total attendance averaging between 20,000 and 30,000 each year.
A long line to enter the popular 2024 Pasadena Showcase House on a Sunday afternoon
That said, designers who have demonstrated their professional acumen in high-pressure showcase houses deserve extra accolades and respect. Designers that are able to pull off quality work, under these demanding circumstances, have unquestionably proven that they have a high-caliber network of partners and workers that will make it happen.
Designers that are able to pull off quality work, under these demanding circumstances, have unquestionably proven that they have a high-caliber network of partners and workers that will make it happen.
An unbelievably impressive example of this tenacity and dedication is Maria Videla-Juniel. She was assigned to be an advisory designer for the 2024 house, but had to step in take over the main bathroom mid-project. This was her 11th Pasadena Showcase House to date!
Parting Inspiration and Advice
Rachel Duarte’s expansive Formal Living Room
Image courtesy of Rachel Duarte Design Studio
Given that the audience of the panel discussion was primarily professional designers, the panelists were asked to provide advice to fellow designers.
In terms of how designers should design for showcase houses, we liked Videla-Juniel’s explanation of her approach. Since designers have minimal interaction with the homeowner, it can be challenging to identify clear design goals. In Videla-Juniel’s case, she boldly takes the opportunity to demonstrate what is possible with the latest products and materials of her key vendor partners.
Photography by Peter Christiansen Valli
Treating a showcase house as part design laboratory is an innovative way to bring about new methods and ideas. Videla-Juniel clarified that she likes to:
“Show what’s new, what brands want to showcase, and what the modern homeowner would want”
We concur that any well-run showcase house is an incredible opportunity for homeowners to see the impressive work of designers in person and to meet them in an informal, yet highly inspirational atmosphere.
Panelists pose with additional PSH 2024 designers who attended the panel in support of their friends
One additional trait to look for when hiring a designer is the ability to collaborate with their peers. While touring PSH 2024 and interviewing numerous participating designers, we learned of many examples of designers helping each other.
Assistance can come in many forms, such as: providing suggestions for solving a challenging situation; lending décor items, supplies or tools; providing trusted professional referrals; literally providing a helping hand to help complete a pressing task; or simply offering sincere words of encouragement.
The Panelists
- Steven Cordrey, The Cordrey Collection, Veranda
- Elisa Read Pappaterra, Studio Pappaterra, Arroyo Vista Garden
- Maria Videla-Juniel, The Art of Room Design, Primary Bath + Design Advisor
- Rachel Duarte, Rachel Duarte Design Studio, Formal Living Room
- Jennifer Bevan, Jennifer Bevan Interiors, Design Advisor
- Anolan Dragitsch, Anolan Luxeworld, Moderator
Panelists overwhelmingly agreeing with a comment from the audience
L-R: Rachel Duarte, Jennifer Bevan, Anolan Dragitsch, Steven Cordrey, Maria Videla-Juniel, and Elisa Read Pappaterra
About the Host: JANUS et Cie
For more than 45 years, JANUS et Cie has been an industry leader in exceptionally designed outdoor furnishings. The luxury furniture brand is part of Haworth’s Lifestyle Design family, serving commercial, hospitality and residential clients. The company’s namesake — the Roman god JANUS, whose two faces look both forward and back — is the foundation of the company’s unified mission: honoring heritage and craft while cultivating talent, perspectives, and passion to form the future of design. The words “et Cie” — pronounced “et-see” — is the equivalent of “and Co.”, with “cie” being the abbreviation for the Latin and French word for “company“.
Exterior view of the JANUS et Cie L.A. Beverly Boulevard Showroom
JANUS et Cie currently has 13 residential showrooms throughout the United States. The 2024 Pasadena Showcase House post-mortem panel was held at their Los Angeles – Beverly Boulevard showroom, located at 8933 Beverly Boulevard, West Hollywood, California.
Patio area of the JANUS L.A. Beverly Boulevard showroom
JANUS et Cie’s tagline:
The Definitive Source for Site, Garden, and Casual Furnishings®
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