• LA Curbed has a piece on this house on Alzada Road in the Chaney Trail neighborhood that has been massaged by three different architects.  Our views on modernist architecture are rather well-known, but we like this because it’s not a bright white stucco monstrosity.
• HGTV’s renovation show “Professional Grade” is searching for homeowners in Altadena/Pasadena this summer and fall “who think they can renovate a room better and cheaper than a contractor.”  Homeowners are challenged by host Matt Blashaw for a chance to win big cash. The goal is to source high–end materials on the cheap, take on the bulk of the labor themselves and manage their subcontractors to get the best quality work at below market prices.  When the renovation is done their experts price out the job based on the quality.  If their estimate is higher than what you spent, you pocket the cash difference. Auditions are going on now. For an application homeowners should email generalcontractor@highnoontv.com.

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