Rooftop Chess Set a Clever Gambit for $3.5M California Midcentury Modern Home

by Kellie Speed

A midcentury modern masterpiece with a giant-size, rooftop chess set in Pasadena, CA, has captured lots of attention. After less than a month on the market, the home has a contingent offer.

Whether you’re a fan of the Netflix miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit” or you think it might be fun to try your game moves outdoors, this spacious beauty comes with an eye-catching, outdoor playground.

“The owner always imagined having a rooftop chess set, and her husband gave it to her for her birthday,” says Sharon Verani, who is co-listing the property with Mark Ogden of Sotheby’s International Realty.

Views of San Gabriel Mountains

The four-bedroom home sits atop a hill that overlooks the Annandale Golf Club and offers breathtaking views of the San Gabriel Mountains.

“The views are really what sells the home,” she says. “The pictures are amazing, but you really have to be in the home to get a sense of how beautiful it really is.”

Built in 1967, the post-and-beam house was recently updated.

“The current owners added a family room over the garage and redid all of the floors,” Verani says. “They put in all-new kitchen cabinetry and painted the entire place. Most of the bathrooms have been updated as well, and they also put in a new driveway.”

The living room features a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and angled windows.

“Every room has access to a patio or balcony,” she adds. “The backyard looks over Annandale Golf Club and North San Rafael, so it has quite a view. It’s located in San Rafael Hills on a hilltop that it shares with one other home, so it’s like living on your own mountain.”