940 Arden Road

Located in the Arden Road Landmark District and designed by celebrated architect Wallace Neff, this captivating Italian Revival residence embodies the architectural sophistication and gracious living of Pasadena's finest homes. Beyond its elegant facade is a house of remarkable warmth and intimacy, where beautiful proportions and exquisite details create a home as inviting as it is distinguished. A gently curved brick walkway winds through established gardens toward the handsome arched entry. Warm stucco walls, a red clay tile roof, decorative brickwork, and beautifully articulated windows give the residence quiet architectural confidence. The spectacular 2-story entry introduces rich terra cotta flooring, beautifully refinished original hardwood floors, and handsome hand-hewn beams. The magnificent step-down living room offers exceptional proportions for entertaining and features a stately fireplace and French doors to the terrace. The formal dining room also opens to the terrace, while the updated kitchen adjoins a sun-filled breakfast room with generous windows and doors to the outdoors. A main-level bedroom suite provides flexible space for an office or guest quarters. Ascending the staircase, a delightful powder room is off the landing, one of the unexpected details that gives the house its individuality. An extraordinary upstairs gallery is far more than a hallway, lending a sense of occasion as it opens to a cozy den with a signature Wallace Neff corner fireplace. Four generous bedrooms and two bathrooms complete the second floor. The bedrooms feature French doors, intimate balconies, and views into the surrounding trees giving these private rooms their own distinct character. Extending from Arden Road to Kewen Drive, the large street-to-street parcel offers rear driveway access, a sparkling pool, and an expansive rear area with possibilities to dream of an ADU, a manicured citrus orchard, or additional space for play. For more than fifty-five years, this was the home of former Pasadena Mayor and City Councilman Bill Thomson and his wife Carol, who raised their family here. Their years of stewardship have preserved the warmth and character of this remarkable residence. There are homes admired for their architecture, and others remembered for the lives lived within them. This Wallace Neff residence has the rare distinction of being both, beautifully rooted in Pasadena's architectural heritage and enriched by the family who called it home.