Designer Richard Tyler Lists His Pasadena Villa for $12.5 Million

An Italian Renaissance Revival villa in Pasadena, California, has a storied history befitting its spectacular appearance.

Envisioned more than a century ago by the architect Reginald Davis Johnson, the $12.5 million abode is being brought to market by Australian fashion designer Richard Tyler and his wife, Lisa Trafficante. Tyler acquired the property back in 1998, but instead of buying the Pasadena estate in a traditional sense, he traded a mansion in the Hollywood Hills for it. Prior to Tyler and Trafficante making the grand residence their home, it had a suite of important owners, including the chemist and scholar Arno Behr, whose wife named the property “Villa Arno” in his honor. George Penner at Compass and Michelle Trafficante at Ashby & Graff now hold the listing.

Sitting on about an acre, the estate encompasses a five-bedroom, five-bath main residence and a one-bedroom, one-bath guest house. A classic black-and-white tiled floor lines the entrance gallery, which opens to the spare formal living room and the more eccentrically appointed library, both with fireplaces. While many of the rooms have an Old World atmosphere, thanks to the original Palladian doors, soaring ceilings, and period woods, the kitchen strikes a contrasting note. The modern space includes stainless-steel appliances and sleek white cabinetry, with a butcher’s block island smack-dab in the center.

The primary suite is upstairs, where the bedroom is accompanied by both a dressing room and a sunroom, plus a walk-through closet and bathroom. Two more ensuite bedrooms are found up here, with two more bedrooms downstairs on the ground floor. The private guest house is a fully livable space with a kitchen and a fireplace-warmed living room.

Outside, the pool setup adds to the Italian ambience. The swimmer’s pool is surrounded by beach loungers and cabanas, from which you can imagine you’re on the Riviera. The outdoor dining area is equipped with a grill and a fireplace, while the landscaping includes a hidden rose garden and calming water features.

Villa Arno was initially conceived as the winter home of a New York doctor, who sold it to Behr before the property could be finished. Subsequent owners included a 1930s interior designer, the onetime president of the Southern California Gas Company, and the artist Earle Hugens. Thanks to both this ownership history and the home’s architectural legacy, it was honored as a Cultural Heritage Landmark back in 1977, and it has the potential to be added to the California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places.

Click here to see all the photos of the Pasadena estate.