Located on over 3 acres affording glorious mountain and ocean views, this Lilac Drive estate, designed by Joseph Plunkett and his partner William A. Edwards in 1928, is a wonderful example of the Spanish style architecture which has made Santa Barbara so famous. Noteworthy examples of their architectural talents are seen in Santa Barbara's Arlington Theater, the Santa Barbara Airport Terminal, the El Presidio complex and Montecito's Cold Springs School to name a few.

The home design offers many classic architectural characteristics of this period: two-story rounded turret, wood balcony and wood beam ceilings, custom floor tile and wrought iron work. The romantic front entrance tower faces the circular motor court. Stepping into the spacious living room, you are entranced by expansive garden views framed by the arched windows. With the exception of updating the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, not much has been done to changed the original floor plan allowing the original architectural integrity to remain intact. Another signature feature is the curved stairway in the foyer which leads to the four gracious upstairs bedrooms; the colorful stair risers are reminiscent of the tiles often used by George Washington Smith in homes and garden fountains.

A long winding driveway leads to the lower gardens. "Stone archways and paths winding through the gardens complemented by beautifully crafted wrought iron gates create an atmosphere of old-world charm." Mature landscaping includes large oak, olive, palm, magnolia, cypress, pine, and fruit trees. Rose gardens, expansive lawn areas, old cactus and succulents and a gardener's house with raised cut flower gardens complete the grounds. Beyond is a pool, pool house and entertainment terrace, stone fountain, tennis court with viewing deck gate house, and cottage style guest house. The architects created a home with an allure and charm that is as real today as it was in the 1920's when the sketches for this home were on their drawing boards. The synthesis of a romantic Edwards and Plunkett house with magnificent grounds makes this a showcase Montecito estate.

Main House
Foyer The tower front door enters into a circular foyer with hexagon floor tiles which opens to the living room, front stairs to the upper floor bedroom suites, powder room with tile floors, pedestal sink and decorative tile inlay, den, and coat closet.
Living Room 17 x 30
"Vintage feeling", exposed beam ceilings approximately 12' high, wide planked oak floors, fireplace with stone surround, arched paned windows with garden views
Dining Room 12 x 17
Adjacent and set up from the living room, distinctive wood grid ceiling, patterned tiled floors, a door to the adjacent breakfast room, paned windows with pool and gardens views
Breakfast Room 10 x 10
Built-in china cabinet with glass upper doors, paned windows with pool and garden views, paned sliding glass doors to the pool and entertainment terrace
Kitchen 7 x 23
North facing, approximately 10' ceilings, hardwood floors, tile counters and backsplash, double sink and extra sink, gas cooktop with griddle, Jenn-Air microwave, 2 Jenn-Air ovens, Bosch dishwasher, Sub-Zero refrigerator, wood cabinets with decorative knobs, built-in desk
Den 16 x 17
Patterned hexagon tile floor, beehive fireplace with wood storage, built-in mirrored bookcases
Staff/Service Area
Located between the family room and kitchen with black vinyl floors, oversized laundry room with 2 extra deep laundry sinks, Maytag Neptune washer and dryer, built-in ironing board closet, linen storage, an extra deep storage closet, and Whirlpool side by side refrigerator, additional pantry and closet storage, laundry chute, staff water closet, staircase to upper floor bedroom suites and access to the basement.
2nd Floor Bedroom suites are accessed from the foyer by the front curved staircase with decorative tile work, and from the staff/service area by the back wooden staircase.
Master Bedroom 22 x 27
Magnificent double arched entry doors, pitched open beam ceiling, plush carpet, attached bath with double sink and marble top vanity, bidet and toilet, marble tub, 2 walk-in closets, bay window with pool views and vintage iron detail, south-facing covered balcony with decorative tile floors, large storage closet with oak floors, ocean and garden views
Bedroom 2 12 x 17
Hardwood floors, ocean and garden views, shared bath with marble floors, white pedestal sink, tiled tub, walk-in shower, Moorish style doors and windows with vintage iron detail, dome ceiling
Bedroom 3 15 x 16
Dutch door entry, hardwood floors, French doors with Santa Barbara style side doors, covered balcony overlooking the motor court courtyard
Bedroom 4 20 x 22
North facing, dramatic European style window with vintage iron detail, pitched open beam ceiling, carpet, attached bath with marble floors, a pedestal sink, claw foot tub and linen closet
Guest House
Located on the lower side of this 3+ acre property, offering privacy for guests, this large batten board cottage features carpet and tile floors, a fireplace in the living room, office with built-in bookshelves, full kitchen and dining area, patio with rose garden, and back creekside deck.
Caretaker's Cottage
This charming gatehouse affords on site living space for a gardener or property manager. It features a covered front porch, tile roof, batten board siding, Saltillo tile floors, wall heaters, bedroom (11 x 14) with oversized closet, built-in bureaus and shelves, studio kitchen equipped with electric oven/stove, microwave, sink, and bar fridge, and bath with a tiled shower and counters.
Pool House
Located next to the pool terrace near the entry of the property, this cottage offers room for a private study, a gym, or staff live-in quarters. It features a tile roof, batten board and stucco siding, arched glass door entry with side lights, living room with patterned Saltillo tile floors, French doors to pool and gardens, and studio style kitchen. Bedrooms feature carpet and tile floors, fireplace, built-in bookshelves, door leading to the pool and gardens, French doors, and a shared bath with tile floors.

HISTORY
Spanish Colonial revival is really a catalog of styles, unified by the use of arches, courtyards, form as mass, plain wall surfaces, and tile roofs, all derived from the Mediterranean world. Designers were inspired by a number of sources: the adobe and colonial buildings of Monterey, California; late forms of Moorish architecture; medieval Spanish and Italian church architecture; Ultra-Baroque design of colonial Spain and Portugal; rural forms from Andalusia; Italian Romanesque and Renaissance revival elements; and southwest Hopi and Pueblo Indian adobes. This broad source base made it relatively easy to create a convincing harmony between the exterior image, interior space, decorative elements, and the building's function. Eclectic as the Spanish revival was, the purity of single elements was often retained, such as an Ultra-Baroque entry decoration. In some cases an entire style source, such as Andalusian, was virtually transplanted. (Santa Barbara Architecture, Spanish Colonial Revival 1915-1930)
Since the establishment of the Presidio and the Mission at the end of the 18th century, the City of Santa Barbara has enjoyed a reputation for its distinctive architectural character. The romance of the Spanish revival in the early 1900's inspired buildings which became monuments of local architectural history: the Courthouse, El Paseo shopping arcade, the Fox-Arlington Theater, the Biltmore Hotel, and the Crematorium at the Santa Barbara Cemetery. The genius of master architects brought the Spanish revival in Santa Barbara to national prominence. The Santa Barbara school of architecture asserted itself with design talents such as George Washington Smith, Windsor Soule, William Edwards (born in Santa Barbara in 1988), Joseph Plunkett, James & Mary Craig, and Lutah Marie Riggs. Santa Barbara also attracted Los Angeles based architects including Carleton Monroe Winslow, Reginald Davis Johnson and Wallace Neff.