This Spanish Revival takes its place among the graceful and genteel tradition of Santa Barbara architecture. Located in a secreted area of Montecito, the house is tucked amidst a wooded glen along a riparian creek bed. Carefully sited at the top of a rolling green, the building provides a strong form in the natural landscape. With its reference to historical precedent, the house is both undeniably familiar and tangibly rich. Site sensitivity and pure spatial relationships combine in new ways, showing that what’s old can be new again. An entry courtyard concealed behind a pair of wooden doors of Moorish design begins the entry sequence. The courtyard, wrapped around an existing mature oak tree, creates an outdoor room, which establishes an interplay between interior and exterior spaces, a theme that recurs throughout the house. An exercise in scale and proportion, the 5,000-square-foot residence is imbued with classic detail and richness found in the Spanish Colonial architecture characteristic of George Washington Smith and others. Interior spaces are created through pure and varied geometric volumes, and are elaborated by opened beamed ceilings, groin vaults and Moorish arches.

Landscape Design by Lisa Gimmy, www.lglalandscape.com
Tuscan exterior home photo in Los Angeles

This was a contemporary 350 square foot addition to and complete renovation of an existing mid 20's beach cottage located on a double lot in the Harbor area of Santa Cruz. After a complete redesign and demolition 'down to the studs', this iconic seaside home was rebuilt from the inside out with top of the line materials and expert attention to every detail. The Design and Remodeling work was preceded by our land use analysis with the Santa Cruz County Planning and Building Departments. Although this large lot could have accommodated two separate new homes, our client was intent upon preserving the charming early century look and lot positioning of the existing ninety year old home. In addition, she was in favor of preserving the large old Monterey Cypress tree located at the front corner of the lot. A consulting Arborist was brought in to support and judiciously trim the major branches in a successful effort to improve the health and stability of the heritage tree.

This was a contemporary 350 square foot addition to and complete renovation of an existing mid 20's beach cottage located on a double lot in the Harbor area of Santa Cruz. After a complete redesign and demolition 'down to the studs', this iconic seaside home was rebuilt from the inside out with top of the line materials and expert attention to every detail. The Design and Remodeling work was preceded by our land use analysis with the Santa Cruz County Planning and Building Departments. Although this large lot could have accommodated two separate new homes, our client was intent upon preserving the charming early century look and lot positioning of the existing ninety year old home. In addition, she was in favor of preserving the large old Monterey Cypress tree located at the front corner of the lot. A consulting Arborist was brought in to support and judiciously trim the major branches in a successful effort to improve the health and stability of the heritage tree.

This Spanish Revival takes its place among the graceful and genteel tradition of Santa Barbara architecture. Located in a secreted area of Montecito, the house is tucked amidst a wooded glen along a riparian creek bed. Carefully sited at the top of a rolling green, the building provides a strong form in the natural landscape. With its reference to historical precedent, the house is both undeniably familiar and tangibly rich. Site sensitivity and pure spatial relationships combine in new ways, showing that what’s old can be new again. An entry courtyard concealed behind a pair of wooden doors of Moorish design begins the entry sequence. The courtyard, wrapped around an existing mature oak tree, creates an outdoor room, which establishes an interplay between interior and exterior spaces, a theme that recurs throughout the house. An exercise in scale and proportion, the 5,000-square-foot residence is imbued with classic detail and richness found in the Spanish Colonial architecture characteristic of George Washington Smith and others. Interior spaces are created through pure and varied geometric volumes, and are elaborated by opened beamed ceilings, groin vaults and Moorish arches.

Steve Reffey Photography
Example of a mountain style brown mixed siding house exterior design with a metal roof

This Spanish Revival takes its place among the graceful and genteel tradition of Santa Barbara architecture. Located in a secreted area of Montecito, the house is tucked amidst a wooded glen along a riparian creek bed. Carefully sited at the top of a rolling green, the building provides a strong form in the natural landscape. With its reference to historical precedent, the house is both undeniably familiar and tangibly rich. Site sensitivity and pure spatial relationships combine in new ways, showing that what’s old can be new again. An entry courtyard concealed behind a pair of wooden doors of Moorish design begins the entry sequence. The courtyard, wrapped around an existing mature oak tree, creates an outdoor room, which establishes an interplay between interior and exterior spaces, a theme that recurs throughout the house. An exercise in scale and proportion, the 5,000-square-foot residence is imbued with classic detail and richness found in the Spanish Colonial architecture characteristic of George Washington Smith and others. Interior spaces are created through pure and varied geometric volumes, and are elaborated by opened beamed ceilings, groin vaults and Moorish arches.

This Spanish Revival takes its place among the graceful and genteel tradition of Santa Barbara architecture. Located in a secreted area of Montecito, the house is tucked amidst a wooded glen along a riparian creek bed. Carefully sited at the top of a rolling green, the building provides a strong form in the natural landscape. With its reference to historical precedent, the house is both undeniably familiar and tangibly rich. Site sensitivity and pure spatial relationships combine in new ways, showing that what’s old can be new again. An entry courtyard concealed behind a pair of wooden doors of Moorish design begins the entry sequence. The courtyard, wrapped around an existing mature oak tree, creates an outdoor room, which establishes an interplay between interior and exterior spaces, a theme that recurs throughout the house. An exercise in scale and proportion, the 5,000-square-foot residence is imbued with classic detail and richness found in the Spanish Colonial architecture characteristic of George Washington Smith and others. Interior spaces are created through pure and varied geometric volumes, and are elaborated by opened beamed ceilings, groin vaults and Moorish arches.

This urban townhouse took on new life when it was renovated for a couple relocating from New York City. The owner’s sophisticated taste, cultivated from world travels, paired with the character of the existing home and resulted in a fresh and colorful gem in the heart of the historic downtown. Extensive approvals from the local Historic District Commission preceded an addition on the rear of the time-honored building and a complete restoration of the exterior. The addition encompasses a first-floor, finished garage with arch doors that open to the gardens, ideal for entertaining. Above the garage accommodates the master bedroom, walk-in closets and a bathroom suite. The exterior restoration allowed the addition of window pediments, shutters with authentic hardware and gaslight features. Pocket gardens surround the townhouse and boast multiple plantings that complement a historic environment. The interior of the home was restructured to allow for reworking of the main stair. The reconfigured flight can now carry the weight of books and art alongside ascending residents and guests. Amid construction, two previously hidden fireplaces were uncovered. By the end of the renovation, four fireplaces were entirely refurbished and now lend immense aesthetic to interior design. The interior finishes within the home keep visitors engaged and impressed. From imported Italian tile to contextually historic light switches, the colorful décor is appealing to all senses. Specially painted walls coordinate with furnishings, bookcases and art. Photos: Greg West Photography

Nestled next to a mountain side and backing up to a creek, this home encompasses the mountain feel. With its neutral yet rich exterior colors and textures, the architecture is simply picturesque. A custom Knotty Alder entry door is preceded by an arched stone column entry porch. White Oak flooring is featured throughout and accentuates the home’s stained beam and ceiling accents. Custom cabinetry in the Kitchen and Great Room create a personal touch unique to only this residence. The Master Bathroom features a free-standing tub and all-tiled shower. Upstairs, the game room boasts a large custom reclaimed barn wood sliding door. The Juliette balcony gracefully over looks the handsome Great Room. Downstairs the screen porch is cozy with a fireplace and wood accents. Sitting perpendicular to the home, the detached three-car garage mirrors the feel of the main house by staying with the same paint colors, and features an all metal roof. The spacious area above the garage is perfect for a future living or storage area.

In this recent kitchen design and renovation project, these long time clients came to me originally, several years ago to start discussing the design of their kitchen. At that time, the kitchen in this 1800’s home included a kitchen that had been poorly remodeled in the 1980’s, so the kitchen had already lost most of it’s original charm. I created a design plan creating a beautiful large kitchen expanding the space into the adjacent rooms. My clients loved this design plan, but other home issues took precedence, so after a few additional years, my clients were now ready to start their kitchen project. Their overall goals for the property did change since we first looked at this project, my clients decided that they did not want to enlarge or expand the small kitchen by opening it up to the adjacent rooms. So, I went back to the drawing board to create a kitchen in the existing kitchen space that fulfilled their new goals and created a beautiful functional space within the existing kitchen space. This new design, like my former design, honored this home’s traditional architecture, but added a light, fresh feel to the space using updated colors and material selections. This design consisted of additional storage and cabinetry, additional countertop space, and a small space to sit. We added new cabinetry, appliances, electrical, plumbing, beautiful quartz countertops, glass backsplash tile, traditional lighting fixtures, and finished everything off using beautiful classic hardware elements. My clients are now in love with this new renovated kitchen space. It contains many of the elements of a much larger kitchen, and melds beautifully with the rest of the house which we have also designed renovated over the last few years. Finally my client’s get to enjoy their new kitchen space as much as they enjoy the rest of this beautiful home!

Visit Our Store for Home Decor & More! 1802 West 32nd Street, Suite F Joplin, MO 64804
Example of a large transitional master doorless shower design with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, a two-piece toilet, beige walls, an undermount sink and granite countertops

This Spanish Revival takes its place among the graceful and genteel tradition of Santa Barbara architecture. Located in a secreted area of Montecito, the house is tucked amidst a wooded glen along a riparian creek bed. Carefully sited at the top of a rolling green, the building provides a strong form in the natural landscape. With its reference to historical precedent, the house is both undeniably familiar and tangibly rich. Site sensitivity and pure spatial relationships combine in new ways, showing that what’s old can be new again. An entry courtyard concealed behind a pair of wooden doors of Moorish design begins the entry sequence. The courtyard, wrapped around an existing mature oak tree, creates an outdoor room, which establishes an interplay between interior and exterior spaces, a theme that recurs throughout the house. An exercise in scale and proportion, the 5,000-square-foot residence is imbued with classic detail and richness found in the Spanish Colonial architecture characteristic of George Washington Smith and others. Interior spaces are created through pure and varied geometric volumes, and are elaborated by opened beamed ceilings, groin vaults and Moorish arches.

Nestled next to a mountain side and backing up to a creek, this home encompasses the mountain feel. With its neutral yet rich exterior colors and textures, the architecture is simply picturesque. A custom Knotty Alder entry door is preceded by an arched stone column entry porch. White Oak flooring is featured throughout and accentuates the home’s stained beam and ceiling accents. Custom cabinetry in the Kitchen and Great Room create a personal touch unique to only this residence. The Master Bathroom features a free-standing tub and all-tiled shower. Upstairs, the game room boasts a large custom reclaimed barn wood sliding door. The Juliette balcony gracefully over looks the handsome Great Room. Downstairs the screen porch is cozy with a fireplace and wood accents. Sitting perpendicular to the home, the detached three-car garage mirrors the feel of the main house by staying with the same paint colors, and features an all metal roof. The spacious area above the garage is perfect for a future living or storage area.

Perched along the hillside of Via De La Paz, this residence is defined by the way it negotiates elevation. At its core, the project is an exploration of proportion and hierarchy — a multi-level home shaped by the site’s natural topography and oriented to capture ocean views. The design works with the constraints of the hillside, using changes in elevation to create a layered sequence of indoor and outdoor spaces. Traditional Spanish elements inform the overall character, while a more restrained approach keeps the home grounded and livable. Stone and stucco cladding, a tiled roof, and arched openings reference classic precedents, while steel doors and windows introduce a quieter transitional quality. The layout was designed to support California’s indoor–outdoor lifestyle without sacrificing intimacy. Terraces, balconies, and connected living spaces create openness, while the scale and flow of each level remain thoughtful and contained.

Nestled next to a mountain side and backing up to a creek, this home encompasses the mountain feel. With its neutral yet rich exterior colors and textures, the architecture is simply picturesque. A custom Knotty Alder entry door is preceded by an arched stone column entry porch. White Oak flooring is featured throughout and accentuates the home’s stained beam and ceiling accents. Custom cabinetry in the Kitchen and Great Room create a personal touch unique to only this residence. The Master Bathroom features a free-standing tub and all-tiled shower. Upstairs, the game room boasts a large custom reclaimed barn wood sliding door. The Juliette balcony gracefully over looks the handsome Great Room. Downstairs the screen porch is cozy with a fireplace and wood accents. Sitting perpendicular to the home, the detached three-car garage mirrors the feel of the main house by staying with the same paint colors, and features an all metal roof. The spacious area above the garage is perfect for a future living or storage area.

Photo Credit Gregory M. Richard, copyright ©2014
Inspiration for a timeless exterior home remodel in Chicago

Visit Our Store for Home Decor & More! 1802 West 32nd Street, Suite F Joplin, MO 64804
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional single-wall dark wood floor wet bar remodel with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops and multicolored backsplash

Lazy Susans are by far the best option for base corner storage. This one in particular has independent rotating shelves with a fixed shelf between so nothing gets caught in the back.