• ARTS & CULTURE • Southern Colonial home combines elegance with comfort By Kamala Kirk Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer
The home, which has been featured on design TV shows and in magazines, combines the traditional aspects of a Southern Colonial home with a modern look. 12 PASADENA WEEKLY | 04.07.22
Chris Mortenson/Staff Photographer
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hen Ed and Margaret Tom were ready to start a family years ago, they were debating between buying a home in Beverly Hills, where Ed worked at the time, or San Marino. “I first came to San Marino when I was 12 years old, and our neighbor brought us to The Huntington Library,” Ed said. “I fell in love with San Marino and thought it would be great if one day I could live there. Margaret used to be a teacher, and when she and I were debating between Beverly Hills and San Marino, we decided to go with San Marino because it is ranked among the top public school districts in Southern California. Education is very important to us, and we wanted the best schools for our children.” During a vacation to Louisiana, Ed and Margaret spent time in New Orleans and Shreveport, where they admired the beautiful Southern Colonial homes. Knowing there were only a few of those types of homes in San Marino, they spent two years searching until they found the right house. “We didn’t want a cookie-cutter home,” Ed said. “When this house became available in 1996, we knew it was our house. We can walk to The Huntington Library from here, and it’s quite magical.” Built in 1928, the home’s entryway features a characteristic colonnade extending across the front with elegant Corinthian columns. It has an expansive front lawn with tall elm trees and a brick path that leads up to the red front door. Like traditional Colonial homes, the multipaned windows are symmetrically placed across the front of the home. “What’s interesting about this home is that the exterior is Southern Colonial, but in the back, where a previous owner added onto the house, it looks more like a Cape Cod-style house,” Ed pointed out. “The elm trees in front of our house change colors throughout the seasons, so even though we live in Southern California, it gives off that East Coast feeling.” The home, which is just under 3,200 square feet, has a spacious interior that includes a formal living room where the Toms love to entertain guests. Among the living room’s centerpieces are a piano that was a gift from Margaret’s father and a fireplace made from 17th century marble that was imported from France. The living room is a special place because it is decorated with items from various countries the couple has traveled to. “I caught the travel bug when I was 20,” Ed said. “I’ve traveled all over Europe and Asia. Margaret and I are avid travelers, and every time we go somewhere, we bring home a souvenir. My favorite part of the house is our living room. We have different items on display that remind us of our travels including a tapestry from
