The Gamble House

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Visit our Tour Destination: Southern California page to see the entire tour of the area’s Save America’s Treasures sites.

North exterior of the Gamble House after the completion of the 2004
conservation project.
Photo © Alex Vertikoff, courtesy of The Gamble House.

The Gamble House
4 Westmoreland Place

Pasadena, CA

Website:  The Gamble House

The Treasure: Designed in 1908 by Greene & Greene, the Gamble House is one of the finest achievements of the turn-of-the-century Arts and Crafts Movement in the United States.

Accessibility: From Thursday through Sunday, one-hour docent-guided tours are regularly available. Check their website for details.

The Living Room of The Gamble House with each piece of
furniture designed to occupy a specific location.
Photograph © Mark Fiennes, courtesy of The Gamble House.

Background:  Near the outset of their architectural careers, brothers Charles Sumner Greene (1868-1957) and Henry Mather Greene (1870-1954) happened to stop by the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 while they were crossing the country. There they saw the Japanese pavilion Ho-o-den, and its characteristically Japanese use of space left a deep impression on them. Nearly a decade later, Charles took a four-month honeymoon in Europe, where he fell under the spell of the English Arts and Crafts Movement and its celebration of the traditional craftsmanship of the pre-industrial world. The brothers’ new architectural firm Greene & Greene embraced both the principles of Japanese design and the craftsmanship of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

The three-story Gamble House—built as a winter residence for Proctor & Gamble heir David Berry Gamble and his wife Mary Huggins Gamble—is an architectural feast of handmade and custom-crafted features, including wood carvings, leaded and stained glass windows, and custom-designed light fixtures and furniture. A wide variety of wood is used: teak, maple, oak, mahogany, fir, and cedar. But the overall impression is holistic, with the interior rooms and exterior landscapes tied together by subtle use of space, natural light, semi-enclosed porches, free-form terraces, and regularly occurring artistic motifs.

Hand railing of main staircase.
Photo © Mark Fiennes, courtesy of
The Gamble House.

The Japanese influence may be most explicitly exhibited in the triple front door and transom, decorated in leaded art glass depicting the “Tree of Life,” a Japanese Black Pine. While the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement is literally visible everywhere, one of the most striking examples of the craftsmanship can be found in the exposed interlocking joinery of the main staircase. In keeping with Arts and Crafts philosophy, there is no attempt to disguise the basic structure; instead, there is a delight in utilitarian form.

Unfortunately, pursuing perfection can be an expensive proposition. For ten years, Greene & Greene managed to accomplish astounding work on acceptable budgets and timetables. But their business declined in the 1910s as the high cost of craftsmanship and the lengthy turn-around demanded by their approach cost them potential clients. Coming near the end of their prolific years, the Gamble House can be viewed as a summation of their mature vision.

Today the Gamble House is owned by the City of Pasadena and operated by the University of Southern California. Thanks to their ambitious commitment to preservation, the Gamble House still enchants.

"Tree of Life" design on the leaded art glass triple front door and transom.
Photograph © Tim Street-Porter, courtesy of The Gamble House.

Notes from the Editor:  Here’s a treat from the Greene & Greene Virtual Archives, a project of the University of Southern California. This Virtual Archives link takes you to images of 341 architectural drawings and historic photographs depicting the development of the architectural plans for the Gamble House and a record of its early years.

Other Recommended Sites:  Pasadena is home to many Craftsman bungalows and the immediate neighborhood around the Gamble House is rich in other private Greene & Greene houses. The Gamble House occasionally offers special neighborhood tours that spotlight their Greene & Greene neighbors. Other tour opportunities are offered by Pasadena Heritage, a local organization dedicated to preserving the historic structures of Pasadena. Check the Gamble House and the Pasadena Heritage websites for news of upcoming special tours and events.

For further exploration of the Greene & Greene legacy, The Huntington Library in San Marino maintains a permanent Greene & Greene exhibition containing fine examples of their decorative arts and architectural details.

Detail of the front elevation at The Gamble House.
Photo © Alex Vertikoff , courtesy of The Gamble House.

Tour America's History Itinerary

Monday’s destination:  Aline Barnsdall Art Park
Wednesday’s destination:  The Pasadena Playhouse

© 2012 Lee Price