mansion tour portland

SELF-GUIDED TOURS

The self-guided tour offers visitors the opportunity to experience everything Pittock Mansion has to offer at their own pace. Maps are available at the main entrance and interpretive panels guide visitors throughout the Mansion, Gate Lodge, and grounds. The recommended time for a self-guided tour of the Mansion and Gate Lodge is 60 minutes.

GUIDED TOURS

Guided tours are currently unavailable.

Public guided tours are included with general admissions and scheduled based on volunteer availability. Public guided tours are approximately 50 minutes long and only take place in the Mansion. For more information and to check on volunteer docent availability, please contact Guest Experience at 503.823.3624.

Please note: Due to the size and layout of the historic house museum, Pittock Mansion is not able to offer private guided tours.

GROUP SALES

Groups of 15 or more are eligible for discounted admission. Advance notice and single payment are required. For more information or to schedule a group visit, please contact our Guest Experience Senior Manager, Jessica Abbey at [email protected] .

DISCOVERY PROGRAM FIELD TRIPS

Designed exclusively for third- and fourth-grade students, the Discovery Program offers school groups the opportunity to investigate local history and experience how life has changed since Portland’s formative days.

BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR

Have you ever wondered “What’s behind that door?” while visiting Pittock Mansion? On Behind the Scenes Tours, docents lead small groups through areas of the Mansion not ordinarily open to the public.

3229 NW Pittock Drive Portland, OR 97210 Phone: 503.823.3623

©2018 Pittock Mansion Society | Site Map | Nonprofit Web Design by Gravitate

Please note that Pittock Mansion will be closed for a staff development training on May 14th.

Pittock Mansion

Top ways to experience Pittock Mansion and nearby attractions

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Pittock Mansion

Tips For a Safe Park Visit

Car prowls occur throughout the City of Portland including within Washington Park. Please see  Tips For a Safe Park visit  to learn more how you can help reduce the chance of your vehicle becoming a target.

Remove valuables from your vehicle: 

• Remove all valuables, bags, or items that could be perceived as valuable when leaving your vehicle. Store them in the trunk if you cannot take them with you.
• Close vehicle windows and lock vehicle doors every time.
• Keep unused chargers and accessories in your glove box.
• Be observant when you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area. Report any suspicious activity to park rangers or the police.

Hours of operation, admission fees, and other information

Please visit  pittockmansion.org  for museum admission information. Park grounds and viewpoints are free.

Pay to park information

Pittock Acres Park is a pay-to-park area. Learn more about rates and hours here.  

Park road gates lock at 9:00pm nightly. All vehicles must be removed by 9:00pm.

Once the private home of the Portland pioneer Pittock family, this 22-room house was designed by architect Edward Foulkes and completed in 1914. The mansion sits 1,000 feet above sea level on 46 acres and commands a view of five mountains in the Cascade Range. It is an outstanding architectural achievement with its eclectic design of circular rooms, combining fine plasterwork, cut and polished marbles, cast bronze, and superbly crafted hardwoods and paneling. Its progressive features included a central vacuum system, intercoms, and indirect lighting hidden in alcoves above the walls. The house is completely furnished with antique furniture and objets d'art, including family artifacts, appropriate to its 17th, 18th, and 19th century French and English designs.

Henry Lewis Pittock was a vigorous outdoorsman, and was a member of the first party to climb Mt Hood. He was a consummate businessman, and took ownership of the weekly Oregonian in 1860, the same year he married 15-year-old Georgiana Martin Burton of Missouri, only seven years after arriving on the wagon train from Pennsylvania. He went on to build an empire incorporating real estate, banking, railroads, steamboats, sheep ranching, silver mining, and a pulp and paper industry.

Georgiana loved gardening and kept a terraced flower garden filled with many kinds of flowers. She started the tradition of Portland's annual Rose Festival. In the community, she dedicated herself to the lives of woman and children. She helped found the Ladies Relief Society in 1867 and played a key role in building the Martha Washington home for single working women.

The couple lived there with their family from 1914 until the death of Georgiana in 1918 and Henry in 1919. The house remained as a family residence until 1958. Six years later, the City of Portland purchased the estate for $225,000. It was opened to the public one year later and has remained a community landmark ever since.

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Pittock mansion.

Although the Pittock Mansion has been overlooking Portland for more than 80 years, there is always something new to see when visiting the historic site.

Whether it's the mountaintops peaking through the clouds or the continuing efforts by the staff to bring the mansion back to its former glory, the mansion is a must see for anyone interested in Portland history or grand views.

"Some days we can see six mountains from here," says Lucy Smith McLean, mansion curator. "When they designed this place they really opened it up to the views."

The 46-acre estate features several buildings and a yard that is wonderful for picnics, sitting at almost 1,000 feet in altitude directly above Portland. The 16,000-square-foot mansion is filled with the history of Portland and of the Pittock family - and there is a constant effort to clean up and update the mansion.

"Right now we are on the cutting edge of restoration when it comes to old wallpaper," McLean says. "In the breakfast room we are working on trying to restore the wallpaper. Over the years it got really dark and we are digitally trying to figure out what color it was so we can recreate it."

Projects like this keep the mansion ever changing and growing. McLean says that during her more than 25 years as curator, she has seen rooms open to the public and that's what makes the mansion so exciting. In 2000, the kitchen area was opened to the public with a new antique stove and handcrafted flooring that mimic the original flooring.

"We actually interviewed a lady who as a little girl visited the mansion and remembers the stove," McLean says. "That's how we were able to find the right stove and the floor pattern."

Although the mansion was finished in 1914, it has some amenities found in homes today such as an intercom, central vacuum system and indirect lighting. According to McLean, the house was designed in 1909 and includes Turkish, English and French designs.

Visitors to the mansion are not only treated to learning about a family that was integral in the history of Portland, but they can see some amazing architecture, landscaping and views of downtown Portland.

"I love looking out the windows and seeing people having a picnic and enjoying the views," she says. "I think it's one of the best places to visit in Portland."

Currently the basement of the mansion is available for business meetings and dinners. Tours of the mansion are available every hour.

For more information about the location, tours or the history of the home go to the Pittock Mansion's Web site or call 503-823-3624.

About Pittock Mansion:  A 16,000-square-foot mansion with 44 rooms (23 which are open to viewing) in Portland's West Hills that is rooted in history. Visitors can enjoy the architecture, stunning views or the history of the Pittock family.

What to bring:  The Pittock Mansion is a walking tour that can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours. Bring your camera - but the staff asks that you do not use tripods. Picnics are welcome on the grounds, so a picnic lunch is welcome. No food or drinks are allowed in the mansion. Make sure you finish your picnic before you take your tour.

Hours and Fees:  Subject to change. See the Pittock Mansion Web site for current information.

Getting There:  Visit their Web site for a map on how to get to the mansion.

Tips:  When visiting the mansion make sure you do not miss the outbuildings - the gate lodge and the garage offer even more glimpses into the past and a gift shop that helps to support the operational costs of the mansion. You can dress up or down for your tour, but be sure to give yourself plenty of time to discover all the nooks and crannies of the mansion.

Bringing a picnic lunch is a great way to spend an afternoon, taking in the scenery of downtown Portland. The mansion is also near the Oregon Zoo, Japanese Gardens and other parks and gardens in the West Hills. You could make a day trip out of visiting the many sites.

History:  The Pittock Mansion was home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919. During the late 1800s and the early 1900s, their lives and work paralleled the growth of Portland from a small Northwest town site to a thriving city with a quarter million people.

English-born Henry Lewis Pittock journeyed on a wagon train from Pennsylvania to Oregon in 1853 where, at the young age of 19, and in his own words, "barefoot and penniless," he began working for Thomas Jefferson Dryer's Weekly Oregonian newspaper.

A consummate businessman, Henry Pittock took ownership of the Weekly Oregonian in 1860, changing its format to a daily paper. He went on to build an empire incorporating real estate, banking, railroads, steamboats, sheep ranching, silver mining and the pulp and paper industry.

A vigorous outdoorsman, Henry rode horses in the Rose Festival parades, and was a member of the first party to climb Mt. Hood, one of the spectacular peaks visible from the mansion.

Henry and Georgiana were at the pinnacle of their successful lives when they commissioned architect Edward Foulkes to design and build their new home overlooking Portland, the city they loved. In keeping with their loyalty to their home state, the Pittocks hired Oregon craftsmen and artisans, and used Northwest materials to build the house. The final estate included the mansion, a three-car garage, a greenhouse, and the Italianate gate lodge servants' residence, all situated on 46 acres of land almost 1,000 feet above downtown Portland.

By Patrick Johnson For Oregon.com

Pittock Mansion

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Pittock Mansion

Price & Hours

• Facilities 3.0
• Atmosphere 3.0

The 16,000-square-foot Pittock Mansion is one of Portland's few historic attractions and definitely one of the most unique. Built between 1909 and 1914 by Henry Pittock – the owner of The Oregonian newspaper – and his wife Georgiana, it was designed after the French Renaissance style. This 44-room mansion (of which only 23 are open to the public) contains a Turkish smoking room, a library, a music room and two sleeping porches, among other features.

A monthly behind-the-scenes tour of the mansion ($22) allows you to see parts of the property not usually open to the public like Henry Pittock's private den and the third-floor servants' quarters. Check the mansion's website for details; tours are usually offered on Saturdays. Also, stop by the gift shop, which sells handcrafted items made by local vendors. You can also take a self-guided tour during visiting hours; maps are available at the front entrance and interpretive panels are stationed throughout the mansion.

Even if you're not interested in exploring the house (or paying the entrance fee), consider taking a stroll around the spectacular grounds for free. Recent visitors said the mansion sits on a steep hill above downtown Portland and offers some of the best views of the city. What's more, the grounds surrounding Pittock Mansion are a public park open daily through 9 p.m. The woods behind the mansion are a part of Forest Park , offering a variety of hiking trails.

You'll find the mansion west of downtown, just north of Washington Park . Parking is free. The mansion is also serviced by TriMet bus No. 20. From the bus stop, you'll have to a walk a half-mile uphill to the mansion. The Pittock Mansion is open every day, but hours vary by season. Generally, it's open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the year and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June through Labor Day; on Tuesdays, it opens at noon. Note that the mansion is closed the entire month of January. Admission costs $14.50 for adults, $10.50 for kids ages 6 to 18 and is free for children 5 and younger; discounts are also available for senior citizens and students. For more information on hours and special events at the mansion, visit the attraction's website .

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#1 Washington Park

Many critics, travelers and locals agree that of all of Portland's parks (and they are numerous), Washington Park is perhaps the best. Washington Park is home to such notable landscaping feats as the Portland Japanese Garden and the International Rose Test Garden , as well as the World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum and several memorials dedicated to pivotal points in Oregon's history.

There are also family-friendly attractions like the Oregon Zoo and the Portland Children's Museum, along with a large playground, soccer fields, tennis courts and an archery range. Just make sure you save plenty of time for a leisurely stroll down one of the many shady paths, which are often decorated with flower displays and fountains.

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Tour 6 private homes in Portland’s Irvington Historic District

• Updated: Apr. 22, 2024, 2:08 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 22, 2024, 6:10 a.m.

• Janet Eastman | The Oregonian/OregonLive

The 1913 Barnhart-Wright House and five other architecturally significant private residences in Northeast Portland’s Irvington Historic District will be open during the 2024 Irvington Home Tour on Sunday, May 19.

The self-guided, self-paced tour, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes styles that range from a 1910 Arts and Crafts cottage based on influential designer Gustav Stickley’s plans to an updated Victorian-era duplex.

Tickets to the Irvington Community Association’s fundraising tour are $30 ( irvingtonpdx.com/home-tour ) and support youth and seniors educational and social programs.

“For more than five decades, this tour has introduced people to the beauty and value that historic preservation brings to the broader city overall,” said event co-chairman Jon Eaton in a news release.

The Irvington neighborhood evolved from the 640-acre Land Domain Claim granted in 1851 to Captain William Irving and Elizabeth Jane Dixon Irving. In the Oregon Territory, a husband and wife each owned half of the total grant in their own name.

Elizabeth Irving was a savvy businesswoman who plotted the neighborhood on her family’s land in the late 1880s, according to tour organizers.

Today, the Irvington Historic District has the largest intact collections of Queen Anne, Arts and Crafts, Colonial Revival and Period Revival style residences in Oregon. The Barnhart-Wright House, designed in the English Arts and Crafts architectural style with Prairie School elements, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places .

In 1914, prolific builder Frederic E. Bowman sold the spec house for $20,000 cash to millionaire Harvey P. Barnhart of the Barnhart Investment Company. Three years later, Barnhart and his wife, Annie, sold the property to Charles F. and Georgie Wright. Charles was vice president of the Lumberman’s Trust Company and co-founder and vice president of Ballou & Wright , a bicycle shop that by 1910 diversified into selling motorcycles and automotive parts.

From the foyer of the Barnhart-Wright House, visitors can see the red mahogany handrail on the grand staircase and beveled glass windows at the second-floor landing. The landmark home has furnishings from Maison, an interior design studio and showroom in Northwest Portland.

Docents knowledgeable about each of homes on the tour will answer questions about the history and materials chosen by the homeowner, architect or builder. Participants will also see tasteful remodeled rooms, basements and attics converted into living spaces, and inspiring gardens and outdoor living spaces, said organizers.

After appearing virtually for two years, the 2024 Irvington Home Tour is an in-person event. People should expect to spend at least 2.5 hours touring the six houses, which are within walking distance of each other. The tour’s guidebook includes descriptions of the properties as well as a map of the registered Heritage Trees in the historic district.

— Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

[email protected] | @janeteastman

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Why The Historic Pittock Mansion In Portland Is Worth Visiting

Pittock Mansion is a 16,000 square foot French Renaissance style home at West Hills of Portland and was built from 1912 to 1914 and has 23 rooms.

Pittock Mansion is a historic 16,000-square-foot French Renaissance-style home in West Hills of Portland. Built from 1912 to 1914, it has 23 rooms including music and sewing rooms, a library, five large bedrooms, two sleeping porches and a Turkish smoking room.

Architect Edward T. Foulkes designed it for Englishman Henry Pittock a newspaper publisher of The Oregonian and a rich businessman. Pittock wanted an architecturally impressive house with modern technology by that era's standards for his family. Originally located on 46 acres of land, Pittock Mansion is today a house museum and its grounds a public park, and it's definitely one of the local spots travelers should know about before visiting Portland .

Pittock Mansion's Brief History

In the early 1900s, Henry Pittock desired a mansion on the hill with great views of Portland, the Willamette River and the far-off Cascade Mountains.

After the mansion was complete in 1914, Pittock and his wife Georgiana and eight family members moved in. The couple lived in the mansion for about four years and died, but other family members lived there until the 1950s.

In 1958, Pittock's grandson Peter Ganteinbein and his father Edward, the last residents of the mansion, put it up for sale. For four years until 1962 when the mansion was hit by the Columbus Day storm it was unoccupied.

Damage from the storm left it in poor condition and was set to be demolished by developers but Portland residents and the city raised $225,000, to buy it.

After being bought, the Pittock Mansion was renovated and transformed from a private home to a public space in 15 months; in 1965, it was opened to the public as a historic house museum.

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A nonprofit, Pittock Mansion Society, was formed to care for and manage the mansion. To date, it is also in charge of daily operations that include historical education.

Pittock Mansion tells the story of Portland's transformation from a pioneer town to a modern and industrialized city through the legacy of one of the most influential families there.

Things To Do While Visiting Pittock Mansion

Tour the gate lodge.

The Gate Lodge is an Italianate-styled craftsman home that was built of reinforced concrete with a stucco exterior and roofed with clay tiles. Its size is 2,400 square feet spread across four floors linked by a central staircase. As per its name, it is next to the initial gated roadway that led up to Pittock Mansion.

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The Gate Lodge was first occupied in 1914 by Pittock's driver and his wife. After moving out, estate steward, James Skene and his wife, Marjory moved in and had a daughter Marjorie who grew up in the Pittock's estate.

After the Skene family moved out in 1953 the Gate Lodge was left empty, unheated and plagued with leaks.

That changed when the City of Portland partnered with Pittock Mansion Society to restore the home in the 1970s. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Gate Lodge was a tearoom for the Junior League of Portland women and caterers.

In the early 2000s using the insights of the original resident Marjorie Skene, it was renovated to look as it did in the 1930s and 1940s and is today a historic house museum.

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She advised the Pittock Mansion Society on the historic colors, furniture layout and fabrics, and her family donated some original furnishings and household items that visitors see while touring the Gate Lodge.

Tour The Grounds Of Pittock Estate

Pittock Mansion grounds are daily open to the public until 9 pm and visitors get great views of the vast Portland and its skyline. On a clear day, five Cascade Mountains, Hood, Saint Helens, Adams, Rainer and Jefferson, can be seen from that 1000 feet elevation.

The grounds are manicured and have beautiful flowers and shrub beds surrounding and complementing the magnificence of the Pittock Mansion.

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Behind the mansion are Forest Park and Wildwood Trails which are popular with hikers and climbers. Pittock and his two daughters loved hiking on these trails as well.

The Pittock Mansion Tours

Pittock Mansion has a unique oval shape and wings positioned at 45 degrees angle to enhance views of Portland and the Cascade Mountains.

Inside are curved wooden floors and artistic round and oval rooms, with furnishings and decorations in line with the modernity of the era the Pittock mansion was built.

Thermostat-controlled central heating, indirect electric lighting, refrigeration, elevator and vacuuming system, are the technologies Foulkes installed in the mansion.

Local craftsmen who added a touch of antiquity have their profiles and trade tools exhibited there.

Guided tours are on hiatus but 60 minutes self-guided tours of the Mansion and Gate Lodge are available.

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Maps on the main entrance and interpretive panels guide visitors on the Mansion, Gate Lodge and ground tours. Tour and annual event tickets c an be booked online .

This might be one of the quirkier attractions in Portland, but Pittock Mansion is in good company; there are unique things to do all through the city .

Admission Tickets

Pittock Mansion and Gate Lodge's regular admission hours are from 10 am to 4 pm but open from noon on Tuesdays. From June to Labor Day admission is from 10 am to 5 pm but opens at noon on Tuesdays.

On Christmas, Thanksgiving and January it is closed for maintenance.

Admission Fees

• Adults $14.50
• Youth (6 to 18) $10.50
• Seniors (65+ years) $12.50
• Children under 6 years free

Our mission is to conserve, maintain, and restore the Victoria Mansion property and collections to the highest standards and to interpret them in their social and historical context to a local, state, and national audience.

Also known as the Morse-Libby House, Victoria Mansion was built between 1858 and 1860 as a summer home for two people, Ruggles Sylvester Morse and his wife Olive. Though both from Maine originally, the Morse family made their home in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morse made his fortune operating luxury hotels, although he also invested in many side businesses, as well as being an active participant in the slave economy that was so pervasive in New Orleans. This spectacular summer home was designed by the architect Henry Austin of New Haven, CT, and is widely considered one of the finest examples of the Italian Villa style in America. Strategically located near the city’s earliest gas and sewer lines, the house was a model of elegance and convenience with hot and cold running water, flush toilets, central heating, gas lights, a servant call-bell system, wall-to-wall carpeting, and a 25-foot-long stained glass skylight.

Morse hired Gustave Herter, a German trained cabinetmaker and interior designer to decorate his summer retreat. Herter was one of the most influential designers in the United States during the second half of the 19th century. Today, Victoria Mansion is the only Herter commission that survives intact. Richly gilded surfaces, intricate plasterwork, enormous mirrors, and sumptuous fabrics combined to create lavish spaces of a palatial scale.

Morse died in 1893, and the following year, his widow, Olive Ring Merrill Morse, sold the house with most of its furnishings to J.R. Libby, a prominent dry goods merchant. The Libby family preserved the original décor and made few changes to the property. The Libbys occupied the Mansion until about 1929.

In 1940, the house was rescued from an uncertain fate and has been open to the public as a museum since in 1941.

Today Victoria Mansion contains over 90% of the original interiors including almost all of the original wall paintings by the Italian-born artist Giuseppe Guidicini, a master of the trompe l’oeil (“fool the eye”) style; many surfaces in the house appear to be three-dimensional and warrant a second look.

Preservation, Conservation and Restoration

As an institution, Victoria Mansion strives to return the house to its original 1860 condition while preserving important evidence of its evolution over time. Thanks to an inventory of the house’s contents from 1893 and numerous historic photographs, it is possible to know with certainty where exactly in the house many objects were placed.

As with any old house, deterioration happens, but careful monitoring and maintenance help to ensure that the Mansion remains stable and can remain open to visitors. Ongoing efforts to clean and restore paint, woodwork, furniture, and brownstone, combined with the replication of original textiles, allow visitors to see the Mansion in all of its 19th century splendor.

Learn more about the Preservation, Conservation and Restoration of Victoria Mansion.

VM Press Kit 2022 (PDF)

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The Reign of Portland, Maine, as the Top U.S. Luxury Hot Spot Continues for Third-Straight Quarter

With prices up 22% over the last year, an influx of new residents lured by the city’s strong economy and amenities is keeping it at no. 1, according to the wall street journal/realtor.com housing market ranking, for the third quarter running, portland, maine, has ranked as the top luxury home market in the u.s., newsletter sign-up, week in review.

Shares the stories you may have missed from the world of luxury real estate

Besides Lobster rolls, Portland, Maine, is starting to also become synonymous with luxury homes, at least according to the latest Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Housing Market Ranking, released Thursday. 

The city—the most populous in the Pine Tree State—has topped the luxury cut of the ranking for the third consecutive quarter.  

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“With markets like Portland that have shown up time and time again, what that really means is the area is continuing to hold the attention of buyers,” said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com. 

“It continues to offer great amenities, a good economy and a good housing market,” Jones said. “But all of the other trappings we consider also remain strong.” 

The quarterly index analyzes key housing market data, as well as economic vitality and lifestyle metrics, for the largest 60 luxury metropolitan areas in the U.S. to highlight housing markets that offer a high quality of life and are expected to see future home price appreciation. It identifies markets that those considering a high-end home purchase should add to their shortlist—whether the goal is to live in it or rent it out. 

The top five cities in the first quarter index were rounded out by Nashville, Tennessee; St. Louis; San Diego; and Atlanta. 

Top 10 Luxury Housing Markets

Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Housing Market Ranking

For people “looking for a healthy, friendly, safe lifestyle, we just take the cake,” said Portland agent Alexa Oestreicher of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty. 

The city offers everything from varied arts and cultural offerings, top-notch medical facilities and well-regarded educational institutions to a thriving restaurant and beverage scene, tons of natural resources and a friendly community, with just about everything in between. 

“There’s more here than you have time in your lifetime to discover,” Oestreicher said. “Everywhere you turn there is something for people. It’s a really fun place to live.” 

Portland offers plenty to see and do.

What’s the Draw 

Portland’s median luxury listing price has jumped 22% in the past year, pushing it to $1.7 million during the first quarter of 2024, according to the ranking. 

While on a steep upswing, it’s still good value when compared to the housing markets that many incoming Portland residents are leaving behind. 

New Hampshire and Massachusetts are the biggest sources of migration into Portland, according to Gregg Caporossi, an agent with Portland’s Town & Wharf Real Estate. 

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But luxury buyers are coming from further afield, too, hailing from places like California and Florida. Regardless of where they’re departing, though, Portland’s “prices have been relatively affordable compared to where these people are coming from,” he said. 

These incoming residents are often seeking a higher quality of life, according to Caporossi.

Many buyers “made their money in Boston, New York, California, and have made a conscious decision that they’re going to look for a home that affords them more of a work-life balance,” he explained. 

Most of the people who are buying from out of state have a connection to Maine. Whether they vacationed in the state as kids, went to camp there or attended college, “a lot of them have strong ties because they have good experiences,” Caporossi said. 

The city is the most populous in Maine.

And “they’re dragging people with them,” he added. In some cases its “friends looking for the same work-life balance. But they’re also bringing their family with them, lots of grandparents especially, to be close to their kids and grandkids.”

Of course this kind of migration would likely be impossible if not for the pandemic-prompted ability to work remotely, something that’s easy to do from Portland. 

“When I talk to [clients], they are traveling at least a couple of times a month, sometimes as much as twice a week,” Oestreicher said. “If you work two days in the office and have one night away from your kids, it’s a lot cheaper than trying to live in Boston or New York.”

“When you have trains and planes and automobiles, it’s easy,” she added. 

This is the first iteration of the quarterly ranking that has taken climate data into consideration. 

“We changed the methodology some, we introduced the climate risk data, and that is one of the aspects where [the top luxury markets] really outperform,” Jones said. “These are areas where, in general, they see relatively low climate risk, where buyers can feel a little more confident the area or the property isn’t likely to see the five climate risks.”

Those major risks are extreme heat, wind, air quality, floods and wildfires. 

More: Nosara, Costa Rica: Everything Revolves Around the Ocean in This Blissful, Laid-Back Town

“We’re really lucky,” Oestreicher said. “we have clean water, clean air, clean living,” and they’re factors that are increasingly important to people, 

However, “we have impact,” Oestreicher said. “Casco Bay is one of the fastest-warming bodies of water, we are definitely monitoring it. We had storms in February with flooding that we have not had in 100 years.”

The impact on the coast has been felt, “with erosion in some areas that have not had it before. But it’s not as extreme as in Nantucket or Block Island. We have an impact but also the ability to make changes and protect it,” she said. 

Portland’s market is strong, “just not growing at the pace it was,” Oestreicher explained. “With the interest rates not dropping like expected, we haven’t had the spring growth we expected, I’m seeing a little push back in price.” 

Competition meanwhile is “better this year than it has been in three years, and I’m seeing, instead of 15 to 20 offers on a property, I’m seeing three to four. We’re seeing home inspections coming back, they’re in most of our deals again,” she said. 

Luxury home prices in Portland have grown 22% in the past year.

Though certainly not a buyer’s market, “it is less of a sellers market than it was the last three years,” Oestreicher said. “There’s a shift, I think it’s healthy.”

A balanced market is considered to be one with four to six months of inventory. 

“We’re hovering at less than two months,” Caporossi said. 

“Buyer activity has definitely declined significantly in recent months, and that’s as much about the lack of inventory as high interest rates. There’s nothing for them to buy,” he said. “And I’ve got a lot of sellers that are just sitting on the sidelines. The whole system is just sort of in lockdown mode.” 

Looking ahead, “I’m bullish on where home prices are going to go,” said Caporossi. “The biggest drivers of [prices] in Maine are we just don’t have large subdivisions, we aren’t building enough to meet demand, and I don’t think that’s going to change in the short term.”

Mansion Global is owned by Dow Jones. Both Dow Jones and Realtor.com are owned by News Corp. The Wall Street Journal is also owned by Dow Jones. 

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Boris to perform 'Amplifier Worship' in full on fall 2024 U.S. tour

Boris will celebrate their acclaimed 1998 studio album Amplifier Worship with a special trek across the United States.

Revealed today , Boris will play the record in full each night starting on September 25 inside San Diego’s Music Box. For these shows, Boris will hit the stage with two drummers. Joining Boris on the whole trek as support are Los Angeles rock band Starcrawler, whose last studio album was 2022’s She Said .

Tour dates can be seen below. Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Friday (April 26) at 10 a.m. local time here .

Boris tour dates

September 25 San Diego, CA @ Music Box

September 26 Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco

September 27 Pomona, CA @ Glass House

September 28 Fresno, CA @ Strummer's

September 29 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

October 1 Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall

October 2 Seattle, WA @ Showbox

October 4 Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall

October 6 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater

October 8 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room

October 9 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line

October 10 Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium

October 11 Chicago, IL @ Ramova Theatre

October 12 Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue

October 13 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall

October 15 Grand Rapids, MI @ Elevation

October 16 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall

October 17 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom

October 18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Tunderbird Music Hall

October 19 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

October 21 Boston, MA @ Paradise

October 22 Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom

October 23 New York, NY @ Racket

October 24 Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage

October 25 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle

October 26 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

October 27 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn

October 29 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater

October 30 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Midtown

November 2 Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole

November 3 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre

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Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2024: Step Inside the English Tudor Revival Manse

By Elizabeth Stamp

Photography by Peter Christiansen Valli

As the Pasadena Showcase House of Design enters its 59th year, it’s returning to a familiar setting. The Potter Daniels Manor, the English Tudor Revival–style residence that hosted the 1975 and 1996 showcase houses, has been reimagined with 30 new interior and exterior spaces for the 2024 edition, which is now open until May 19.

The landmark mansion was built in 1902 by architect Joseph J. Blick for Gertrude Potter Daniels, who paid $15,000 for the shingle-style home. In 1905, Susanna Bransford Emery-Holmes—known as the Silver Queen thanks to the source of her late husband’s fortune—purchased the home and soon made it her own. In 1922, she spent $37,000 to have the Postle Company of Los Angeles, who also built the Pasadena Playhouse, remodel it into an English Tudor Revival–style mansion, giving it the regal exterior that remains today.

Exterior of the Potter Daniels Manor

As one of the country’s oldest house and garden tours, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design benefits the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, an all-volunteer organization that contributes to arts and music nonprofits in Southern California. The event draws more than 25,000 guests each year and offers several dining spaces, including Roe Japanese Fusion, the Tudor Rose Bistro, and Wattle & Daub Tavern. The Shops at the Showcase offer an array of merchants, from handmade jewelry to artisanal chocolates, and are also home to the Shops’s Wine & Cheese Bar.

The designers worked with a color palette of Dunn-Edwards paints, and several chose to highlight the brand’s 2024 Color of the Year , a steely blue called Skipping Stones. Nods to Pasadena’s famous peacocks can be found throughout the designs, and many creators fearlessly brought in statement floors, enveloped their spaces with jewel tones, and added texture to ceilings. Others focused on bringing the beauty of the estate’s gardens and views inside with verdant murals, floral fabrics, and nature-inspired lighting.

Below, tour the inspiring rooms and outdoor spaces of the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design.

Hummingbird Entry Garden by California Waterscapes, Inc.

Visitors are greeted by a soothing waterscape and garden by Chad Morrill of California Waterscapes, Inc.

Foyer of Enchantment by Rachel Scheff Design Studio

Designer Rachel Scheff used the home’s spectacular ceiling, woodwork, and stained glass as the inspirations for her fanciful, flora- and fauna-filled foyer. “It was one of my favorite rooms in the house because it was the one that had the most history preserved, and I wanted to really celebrate that,” she told AD PRO. For her Foyer of Enchantment, Scheff installed a custom mural by Hattas Art Studios, a John Richard chandelier dripping with glass leaves, a silk wall covering by Aux Abris, and organic furniture created with Amorph Studio. “I wanted you to feel like you were transported to another time and place,” Scheff says.

Dining Room by B. David Levine

Opulence is on full display in David Levine’s dining room. “I really feel like the dining room is a forgotten room,” says the designer, who set out to prove how vital the space is to a home. The room is anchored by a Riva 1920 table made with the wood of a 50,000-year-old Kauri tree, which Levine surrounded with seating for 12. Another seating area with views of the garden was designed for more intimate dining, games, or meetings, and it’s illuminated by a Murano glass chandelier. At the far end of the room, Levine installed a lush purple sofa with cocktail tables, creating the perfect spot for drinks, dessert, or relaxing with a cup of coffee.

Sunroom By Billman Designs

Designer Karen Billman made Dunn-Edwards’s Skipping Stones the star of her cheery sunroom. She complimented the vibrant hue with metallic accents, Roman shades in a Morris & Co. fabric, and chairs upholstered in a moss green textile by Wesley Hall Fabrics.

Formal Living Room by Rachel Duarte Design Studio

A palette of whites, deep blues, and gold creates an elegant atmosphere in the formal living room, which was designed by Rachel Duarte. The designer established two seating areas within the space, including a cozy gathering spot with chaise longues that flank the original carved marble fireplace. The room’s coffered ceilings were enhanced with a faux-wood decorative painting by Jhon Ardilla.

Veranda by Cordrey Collection

Bursts of hot pink and apple green energize Steven Cordrey’s design for the home’s veranda. Hand-beaded light fixtures illuminate the seating areas, which feature tables and chairs from Janus et Cie’s Amalfi Coast outdoor collection.

Library Lounge and Curiosity Room by Cozy Stylish Chic

Cozy Stylish Chic Creative Director Jeanne K. Chung and designers Angela Lee and Caroline Meloche brightened the dark wood-paneled library to create a space where residents can unplug. “Our two main goals were to create a space that was comfortable and a little bit updated while also retaining that history and not touching or harming all the really cool features that were innate to the room and came with the house,” Meloche says. Wallpaper was added to the ceiling and the backs of the bookcases, and heavy wood blinds were replaced with soft draperies and Roman shades to make the space feel lighter. The firm used a mix of fabrics and wall coverings by Ralph Lauren Home from Designers Guild throughout the space.

Powder Room Lounge by Blue Brick Design

Designer Lara Hovanessian packed plenty of bold design elements into the powder room and adjacent lounge. A moody House of Hackney floral wall covering lines the dressing area, which leads to a powder room accented with a Kelly Wearstler’s Graffito II from Walnut Wallpaper. A black-and-white triangular mosaic tile floor by Artistic Tile from Mission Tile West puts a contemporary twist on the classic checkered pattern.

Primary Bedroom by Peltier Interiors

Hand-painted floors were the jumping-off point for designer Amy Peltier’s soothing primary bedroom design. “It was my worst and best idea,” Peltier says. “It was so much work, but it turned out beautiful.” The firm wanted the space to feel “light and airy and breezy,” and incorporated fabrics and wall coverings by Thibaut in a soft color palette. Peltier and designer Marina Kelly installed an arch to divide the bedroom from the sitting area, breaking up the large space.

Primary Bath by The Art of Room Design

Maria Videla-Juniel turned the primary bath into a sumptuous retreat with hues of soft blue and brown. Thibaut wall coverings and fabrics were used for the walls and windows, and the elegant shagreen-covered vanities are accented with gleaming fixtures by P.E. Guerin for Kallista. Videla-Juniel and project manager Cheryl Hardy also installed a striking shower clad in herringbone stone tile.

The Media Oasis by AYM Interiors

Designer Ashleigh Miranda focused on juxtaposing technology and earthy elements in her moody media room. “I really wanted to showcase state-of-the-art technology but in a way that was grounded and spoke to our primitive nature.” Cutting-edge tech from Bang & Olufsen, Lutron, and JoshAI is balanced by curvaceous seating and unique art.

The Media Bathroom by JTID Inc.

Jerome Thiebault created a polished and petite bathroom complete with storage and a shower. Troweled cement plaster was applied to the walls, and handcrafted Zia tile adds pattern to the floor.

Romantic Chambers by CS Domains / Carmine Sabatella Designs

For a bedroom off the nursery, Carmine Sabatella wanted to create a jewel-toned escape. “I thought, if somebody’s taking care of the baby, they have a space where they can come and feel like it’s a retreat,” Sabatella says. The designer outfitted a door handcrafted in India with a vintage mirror to create a one of a kind headboard and bathed the space in deep emerald green. The glamorous touches continue in the ensuite bath, where Sabatella added a custom mirror-tiled tub that plays off the vintage French tile floor.

Magical Royal Nursery by Cynthia and Sons

Cynthia Silverman created a nursery fit for a prince or princess, incorporating golden accents and whimsical touches, such as the hot-air balloon light and animal figurines.

Silver Queen Kitchen: Breakfast at Susie’s by Hermogeno Designs

Designer Mark Hermogeno paid tribute to Silver Queen Susanna Bransford Emery-Holmes in the kitchen, butler’s pantry, family room, powder room, and mudroom. “We had thought, What if she actually came back to life and asked us to remodel the space?” Hermogeno says. They brought in plenty of glitz and glamour befitting the Silver Queen. “We wanted to concentrate on polished nickels and polished chromes to get that silver feel back in,” he says of the fixtures, hardware, and lighting by Kohler and Kallista. Hermogeno and designer Lynette Chin brought in a mix of vintage and new furnishings in the family room, incorporating performance fabrics for durability. “[We made] sure that it was a really usable room, that it didn’t just look nice,” Hermogeno says.

Outdoor Kitchen and Patio by Outdoor Elegance

A brick-walled patio became a party-ready outdoor kitchen and dining area thanks to Douglas R. Santicola of Outdoor Elegance. Santicola and Monique Wood installed Caesarstone countertops fabricated by Carlito’s Way Stone to create a functional space for outdoor entertaining.

Potter’s Culinary Garden and Conservatory by Coastal Homestead

Roses from Star Roses and Plants bloom along the entrance to Potter’s Culinary Garden and Conservatory by edible garden consultant and content creator Chi-Ming Ro. The star of the garden is the greenhouse, which Ro customized with wrought iron details that nod to Tudor architecture. “You don’t get a greenhouse like this just to grow plants,” Ro says. “You want to sit in it; you want to enjoy it. I’ve used houseplants to decorate and then really nice chairs from CB2 to frame it, so you can imagine curling up with a book or a coffee.”

Butterfly Gardens by G & A Artistic Landscaping

The Meadow by G & A Artistic Landscaping

Butterfly Gardens and The Meadow by G & A Artistic Landscaping

Graciela Gonzalez of G & A Artistic Landscaping enhanced the Butterfly Garden and The Meadow with ceramic mosaic sculptures by Karen Neuiber.

Arroyo Vista Garden by Studio Pappaterra

Native California wildflowers accent the Arroyo Vista Garden, which was designed with fire safety in mind. Landscape architect Elisa Read Pappaterra filled the center fountain with cascading succulents.

Gatehouse Garden by TimothyJohnLA

“I’m all about gardens connecting the architecture into the landscape,” landscape architect Timothy John Palcic tells AD PRO. He used a limited palette of chartreuse and dark hues that nod to the brick exterior and arranged benches to create intimate seating areas within the larger English-garden-inspired space.

Gatehouse Entry, Stairs, and Landing by The Art of Room Design .

Gatehouse Entry, Stairs, and Landing by The Art of Room Design

Maria Videla-Juniel, who designed the primary bathroom of the main house, also devised a welcoming entry to the Gate House. A Thibault wall covering graces the entry, and a Fibreworks runner leads guests up the stairs.

Gatehouse Living Room by Slesinski Design Group, Inc. and Serena Brosio Design

Designers Frank Slesinski and Serena Brosio collaborated on the charming living room in the Gatehouse. “One of the main things we did was add a window seat, which looks like it should always have been here,” Slesinski says. “Not only does it provide a lot of additional seating for a very small space, but it has a lot of storage underneath.” The designers wrapped the room in a floral wall covering by Thibaut and installed a grass cloth on the ceiling to make the space feel cozier. “Our whole goal with this space was basically to turn the lights on in the room, bring in the garden that’s outside, and kind of have an experience of a breath of fresh air,” Brosio says.

The Tearoom by Samantha Williams Interior Design

Samatha Williams’s Tearoom in the Gatehouse is brimming with vintage charm and elegant accents. Working with Jacqueline Black and Michelle Porreca, Williams brought in a Chinoiserie wall covering to give the space a garden-like atmosphere. They also installed a grass cloth ceiling treatment and sisal rug to add texture.

Gatehouse Kitchen by SH Interiors

Designer Stephanie Hatten updated the Gatehouse Kitchen, turning it into an airy English-country-inspired space. An eye-catching natural stone by Walker Zanger was selected for the counters and backsplash, and the space was outfitted with the latest Monogram appliances.

Gatehouse Primary Suite by Rebecca J. Hansen

“It was inspired by nature and movement,” Rebecca Hansen says of the cozy primary suite she designed in the Gatehouse. Organic, tactile elements, such as the woven Palecek light fixture and wood furnishings, add touches of nature and texture to the petite space. “I was mindful of using small businesses and local artists,” Hansen says. “So pretty much 90% [of the pieces are] things that you can buy here to help the environment and to support other small businesses.”

Spa Lounge by Margaret Lalik Design and Decor

An office space in the Gatehouse is now a soothing spa-inspired lounge designed by Margaret Lalikian. The designer referenced the house’s original name, El Robles—Spanish for oak tree—with a tree-filled landscape mural by Arpy Dabbaghian. “For the wall mural, I had to pick something to bring them into nature and a calming environment,” Lalikian says.

Pony Tales by Shari Tipich Decorative Design & Artistry .

Pony Tales by Shari Tipich Decorative Design & Artistry “A horse girl’s hangout” is how Shari Tipich describes her room, entitled Pony Tales. “This is a tribute of sorts to the wild mustangs in the American West and their spirit, majesty, and resiliency,” Tipich says. The artist painted the murals on canvas and installed them as a wall covering, as well as hand painting the floor and ceiling and crowning the space with a Fortuny pendant.

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