This room is a reinstallation of the entry hall from the iconic James Culbertson home, a Greene and Greene masterpiece built in Pasadena, California in 1902. In 1907, the architects undertook a series of renovations on the house that included redesigning the entry hall. These beautifully carved wall panels are masterpieces of the Arts and Crafts movement, made while the architects were at the height of their creative powers. The project provided the perfect opportunity for the Greenes to bring together the basic elements of the Arts and Crafts movement they had so admired: innovative design, craftsmanship, and the use of natural materials.
Quartersawn oak wainscot panels, decorated with linen-fold designs, cover the lower sections of the walls. Above them on all four walls are large redwood panels, depicting intricately carved landscapes with a series of gnarled flowering and leafing trees, flowers, and birds. A continuous banner, weaving in and out of the branches and wrapping around the room, is inscribed with the motto “THE GLORY OF THE HOUSE IS HOSPITALITY”, the letters subtly accentuated with gilding. The motto is one in a series of three that Greene & Greene incorporated into the home’s decorations.
When the house underwent renovations in the 1950s, the room’s unique paneling was saved. This meticulous reinstallation provides a rare opportunity to experience a complete Arts and Crafts environment by masters of the movement.
Read our ebook - The Culbertson Hall: A Greene & Greene Masterpiece