Japanese Chalet-Style Dwelling That Had Sinister Role on TV Series ‘Why Women Kill’ Hits the Market in Pasadena for $4.3 Million

An intriguing Pasadena dwelling that recently hit the market for $4.3 million offers a fascinating architectural legacy that is matched only by its impressive Hollywood ties.

The 115-year-old Craftsman, which is known as the Clarence Fleming House, was built in 1910 and modeled after traditional Japanese chalets that feature cantilevered roofs.

Beyond its unique design, the home’s appeal includes its appearance in the CBS series “Why Women Kill” as the home of character Mary Vlasin, played by Lio Tipton, and her abusive husband, Ralph.

The series, which premiered in 2019 and starred Lucy Liu, Ginnifer Goodwin, Alexandra Daddario and Allison Tolman, centered around the lives of several Pasadena residents in different eras, including Mary and Ralph, whose storyline was set in 1963.

In the show, the home provides the backdrop for Ralph’s physical abuse of Mary—before he ultimately meets a gruesome end.

Proving its timeless appeal, the five-bedroom, five-bathroom dwelling served as the ideal setting for the 1960s-era storyline, despite having been built 50 years prior.

According to listing agent Margaret A. Nader of Compass, it is the property’s unique exterior that helps to make the home stand out while also enabling it to look both modern and historical.

“The cantilevered structure and the level of craftsmanship is what sets this house apart,” she explained. “It creates a sense of harmony with nature that feels incredibly modern.”

The Clarence Fleming House was built on a .45 acre lot by G. Lawrence Stimson, a prominent architect of the day known for building many of Pasadena’s classic homes, including the famous Wrigley Mansion.

Stimson’s work is an ideal example of the area’s early 20th-century obsession with Craftsman design, with an emphasis on natural materials, elegant detailing, and functionality.

However, Stimson is not the only architect who had a hand in creating the home, having collaborated with fellow property designer Frederick L. Roehrig, the man behind Castle Green—a nationally registered historic monument—on a carriage house at the back of the dwelling.

Today, that carriage house still sits on the property—with the listing noting that it has plenty of potential to be used as an accessory dwelling unit in the future.

The location has a prestigious pedigree as well. “Even the street was designated by Greene & Greene back in 1906 as ‘Suburb Deluxe,'” noted Nader. “The historical attributes are breathtaking.” 

The renowned Greene & Greene brothers planned the Oaklawn Avenue tract to be a district with grand designs by prominent architects, marketed to affluent buyers, who included U.S. Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks—the purchaser of a neighboring mansion. The Greenes also designed the stone portals, entry gates, and bridge that frame the tract.

The current owners, who acquired the home in 2013 for $1.8 million, have spent years patiently restoring and updating it, reinvigorating a number of the original features, including light fixtures, ceiling beams, wainscoting, Peruvian mahogany paneling and doors, and remarkable birds-eye maple floors.

The gleaming wood on the front door, the foyer, the landing, the stairway, and all the adjoining doors was fully renovated and restored by master woodworker Marco Romani.

The main house encompasses 3,829 square feet of living space spread out over two stories. The downstairs is anchored by a large living room with an emerald tiled Grueby fireplace, and illuminated by numerous windows, some with views of the expansive back patio.

There’s a formal dining room with wood paneling from floor to ceiling, and a cast aluminum ceiling overhead.

Nearby is a paneled den with wood beams, original copper and glass ceiling fixtures, and built-ins inspired by Japanese shoji panels.

The light-filled kitchen is a true showpiece, with creamy new cabinetry that blends perfectly with the original period, and modern appliances like a Subzero refrigerator, new Bosch dishwasher, and Jenn-Air gas range and oven.

All five bedrooms and three of the bathrooms are located on the second floor. There’s also a spacious landing and a bright sunporch/studio, which was used as an open sleeping porch back in the days when the lack of air-conditioning made a good night’s rest inside difficult.

The entire second level has been renovated within the last two years and features new but historically appropriate tiles and other finishes. Many rooms have extensive views of the lush, mature landscaping.

The highlight of the backyard is a newly installed infinity pool and spa. They’re accompanied by new hardscaping, lighting, and a firepit. But the decades old oak, pecan, olive, pomegranate and other fruit trees are the real treasures. A bed of iceberg roses completes the setting.

The well-provenanced carriage house is another asset. It’s timbered and vaulted, and includes a garage in addition to a separate office and bath, with a finished room used by the current owners as a gym. It could easily be converted to a forest cabin style ADU.

The current owners have worked tirelessly to bring the property up to the latest standards. Their efforts include a new dual-system HVAC, a new sewer line, a new roof and an EV charger.

And after adding all the glory, grandeur and new appliances, the question arises as to “Why Owners Sell.” There have actually been many TV shows made about that question. In this instance, the owners’ reasons are similar to many with large homes. Their children are grown and have jobs and careers of their own, and the parents have chosen to downsize.

The answer may not be as juicy as “Why Women Kill,” but it presents a great opportunity to someone in the market for a big, beautiful historic home.