Home tour: how a couple’s love story set the stage for a maximalist family home in Pasadena, California

Just beyond, the dining room leans fully into a celebratory atmosphere. A sweeping custom light fixture by Jason Koharik spans the ceiling like permanent party décor, transforming every meal feel into a vivid occasion. Beneath it sits the room's true masterpiece, a bespoke dining table from Sawkille inlaid with handmade brass charms referencing touchstones in the couple’s story together. Some of the more memorable ones include a UFO that nods to the couple’s fascination with the extraterrestrial, a horse celebrating a passion for equestrian pursuits, and a silhouette of Regina, their Afghan hound, immortalised in metal.  

Nearby, the powder room becomes a small but utterly memorable detour. A tufted cut-pile mirror, sculpted and dyed to resemble something pulled from the ocean floor, climbs the wall, balancing tactical aesthetics with functionality. This attention to typically overlooked spaces is a signature pursuit of Tamara Honey’s throughout the entire project. Under her watchful eye, no room receives perfunctory treatment, and no surface escapes consideration.

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Stepping back outside, the kitchen anchors the main level as the home's true social centre. Here, Tamara made one of the project's most meaningful sustainability decisions: choosing not to demolish what already worked. Instead of the carbon debt accompanying full kitchen rebuilds, she maintained the existing cabinetry and appliances, with a few high-impact changes. Now, there are new countertops, custom hardware, a mirrored hood, and pink glass inserts that dramatically transform the space without creating unnecessary waste. Above the island hangs another Jason Koharik masterpiece of powder-coated aluminium with brass grommets. Inspired by Jean Prouvé's designs, the fixture serves double duty as a planter, adding an organic element to the boxy base.  

From the kitchen, the house opens seamlessly to the back patio, which maintains its design as a space for gathering, lounging, and that particularly Californian style of blurring the boundaries between the interior and exterior of the home. Under the bright Pasadena sunshine, al fresco entertaining is always a possibility. With the homeowners’ pick of eclectic pieces and delicious dishes, all gatherings with family and friends are destined to be memorable. 

After a delicious meal, guests are invited to step into the lounge below. Clad in darker, moodier hues, the movie room is juxtaposed with a Lego-clad desk to reflect one homeowner’s propensity for design-led toys. To further enhance the comfort and nostalgia of the space, an Ikea dormitory chair from early on in the homeowners’ relationship finds new life through custom fabric, reflecting the couple’s deep connection through the years.

Moving upstairs and into the more private quarters, one’s eye is captured by the pink staircase. Beyond it, the guest rooms unfold in an array of design philosophies. Reflecting the homeowners’ unique design interests, one room leans into mid-century warmth, while the other embraces a more contemporary edge. Altogether, the touchstone palette and largely curvilinear furniture language maintain cohesion throughout both spaces.

In contrast with the rest of the space, the Pasadena home’s primary suite offers a calmer counterpoint to the main level's exuberance. Evoking images of desert modernism, the room features clean lines and natural materials, while still reflecting glints of the vintage Palm Springs charm seen elsewhere in the home. The ensuite bathroom continues this tonal shift, providing a sanctuary for the homeowners to unwind. A private balcony extends the suite outdoors, offering a quiet retreat from the household's more theatrical spaces below.

Altogether, the Pasadena home designed by House of Honey creates a space for life to unfold with joyful curiosity. A playfully jewel-toned palette, solid upholstery complementing the homeowners’ eclectic collection of art, and curvilinear furniture create a reflective home, where the most memorable elements from different design eras and styles find coherence in the home’s childlike sense of wonder and grace. 

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