Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 10, 2012

11

HOMES & PROPERTY

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 10, 2012 

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people who create them 

Story by Chris Bertrand 


VICTORIAN PAINTED LADY ON THE MARKET FOR 1ST TIME IN 39 YEARS

Victorian home lovers alert! One of Sierra 
Madre’s proud Victorian “Painted Ladies” 
is now offered for sale, for the first time in 
thirty nine years. Celebrating its personal 
centennial twelve years ago, the four 
bedroom home was constructed in 1900.

“The Victorians were known for their 
use of combinations of bright colors, especially on the exterior 
of their homes,” commented Reni Rose, listing agent, “and this 
one, done in the seller’s favorite blue hues, is of our community’s 
delightful examples of a signature ‘Painted Lady.’” Scalloped 
shingles near the roofline peak feature a colorful rainbow of 
pastel hues. 

The “Painted Lady” term, now adopted in architectural 
vernacular, is one attributed to authors, Elizabeth Pomada 
and Michael Larsen, in their 1978 book, Painted Ladies – San 
Francisco’s Resplendent Victorians. If you’re fascinated by 
the topic of Victorian color schemes and architecture, several 
additional books by the duo are available online, and offer what 
Amazon deems “a dazzling orgy of Victoriana inside and out.”

Local lore suggests this Sierra Madre “Painted Lady” was built 
for the sister of Lucky Baldwin, the prominent local businessman 
and investor, whose name adorns Baldwin Avenue, the major 
north-south artery through the city, as well as a popular local 
eatery in Kersting Court.

According to Wikipedia, Lucky Baldwin “generated most of 
his wealth through both savvy and lucky mining investments 
in California (for which he received his nickname)… (He) 
accumulated large landholdings of 63,000 acres where the 
communities of Arcadia and Monrovia are now located... He is most famous today for his 
involvement in horse racing: Baldwin founded the original Santa Anita Park racetrack on his 
estate, breeding and racing some of the finest racehorses of his time.”

Though Victorian in architecture, the home’s living area is quite open and offers wonderful 
opportunities for comfortable 21st century lifestyle in vintage surroundings. 

The great room, with open beamed wood ceilings, offers several functional areas, including a 
main living area centered around a charming wood stove (Note, though, there IS central heating!); 
a raised library area with built-ins for books and display; plus a generous bay with surrounding 
windows that seems perfect for a grand piano. 

The flowered, Victorian style wall-to-wall carpeting, was originally designed and milled 
for theater use, and helps carry the Victorian motif.

A separate dining room also with a charming bay of windows and interesting ceiling lines, 
provides seating space for a feast or could become a wonderful family or media room.

Upstairs, the main bath features both the highly prized, claw foot tub for decadent 
relaxation, plus a separate walk-in shower.

The kitchen and casual dining create the true hub of the home. With U-shaped, bar seating 
for at least six, decades of gatherings of friends a family comfortably enjoyed a close but 
nonintrusive view of meal preparation at the vintage gas stove.

In true Southern California living style, there are two porches to enjoy shaded or sunny 
outdoor living depending on the time of day. One porch, conveniently accessed directly 
from the kitchen, is fully screened and offers a ceiling fan to create a gentle breeze on 
warmer days.

Tucked away on a quiet street within walking distance of charming downtown Sierra Madre, the homesite offers a large, level back yard, as well as room for RV storage.

Offered at $839,000, this home offers approximately 2,584 square feet of living space on a spacious 9,993 square foot lot. For more information on 50. S. Park in Sierra Madre, visit the listing’s 
website at www.50Park.com or contact Reni Rose directly at 626-355-8400. An open house is planned for Sunday, November 11, from 1-4 p.m. 


DON’T GO HOME WITHOUT IT

These days, particularly with so many foreclosures on the market, ordering an inspection when 
you've made an offer is not only recommended, it's critical. Otherwise, you're relying on the seller 
(in some cases, the bank) to provide you with a list of defects.

An inspection provides an objective report about the home's exterior, interior, and "internal organs" 
- the wiring, the plumbing, the heating and cooling system, etc. While your agent may supply a list 
of recommended inspectors, you are free to select any professional you wish.

The seller and their representative will not see the report without your permission. The inspection of 
a 2,000 square foot home should take two to three hours to complete, and once the report has been 
delivered to you, you can discuss the findings with the inspector.

Expect your home inspector to walk the roof and explore the attic and crawlspace (if present). Electrical 
panels, outlets and switches will be tested. Drains, water pressure, toilets and pipes will all be 
checked in the plumbing system. Walls, ceilings and floors will be inspected and all the doors and 
windows will be checked for functionality.

All the items in the report will depend on the particular home's features, but the findings give you 
an opportunity to estimate repair costs and renegotiate your offer. Never bypass this critical aspect 
of a purchase.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com