Living Large In Small Spaces - Spanish Colonial Revival Home

Located in Santa Barbara, California, a restored Spanish Colonial Revival home is this week's pick for Living Large In Small Spaces.




HT: Clark Collins Sierra


Welcome to the eighty-ninth post in the series
"Living Large in Small Spaces".



Built in 1931, this 985 sq ft charmer, the second home of a Los Angeles couple, has recently undergone an extensive restoration. During the exterior renovation the flat roof was replaced and the original clay tiles were restored.

The front door opens into the living area where the picture window offers views of the city of Santa Barbara, the Pacific ocean and the Channel Islands. The reupholstered vintage sofa was positioned to allow for traffic flow from the door to the dining room.



Lighting fixtures throughout the house are either refurbished or reproduction pieces in keeping with the 1930's period.  Furnishings are an eclectic mix of new and vintage.

An iron chandelier in the dining room is typical of Spanish Colonial Revival homes. Wire chairs were chosen for their visual openness in the small space.

The refinished hardwood floors are original to the home. To brighten the kitchen, the old green tile was replaced with yellow tile in a similar retro style and pattern. 

The new custom made kitchen cabinets are similar to the originals. Cabinets extend to the ceiling to maximize storage.


HT: Clark Collins Sierra

Colorful Heriz rugs bring warmth to the rooms.


A new Dutch door leads out to the backyard. All the door hardware is original to the home, as are all of the interior doors. 


To the left of the refrigerator a stackable washer and dryer are hidden behind the cabinet doors. Metal mesh grilles used in the panels are repeated on the cabinet doors below the sink. The Dishmaster faucet looks old, but it's actually new. I remember seeing Dishmaster units in mid-century homes and didn't realize until now that they're still available for purchase.




All fixtures in the bathroom are new, except the original tub which was refinished. The new mint green and black tile, built-in medicine cabinet and pedestal sink look like they've always been there. I appreciate the placement of  the pedestal sink between the cabinets. This really solves the problem that often occurs with sinks of this type: not enough surface room for grooming tools. Brilliant.


The lights and knobs are reproductions. Whether the apothecary jars and shaving mirror are actually vintage pieces or reproductions, they're a perfect addition to the bathroom.



The home has two small bedrooms, one of which we see here.  Though minimally furnished, it is a lovely room. A neutral jute rug allows the stunning bed to take center stage. The marble light on the nightstand is an antique and the ceiling light is a period reproduction.

HT: Clark Collins Sierra



An outdoor dining area is accessed from the kitchen. The top of the table is concrete. 


Succulents and drought-tolerant plants line a gravel path to the backyard.

Sierra Street


Many of the stone walls are original to the property. Old salvaged stone from other projects was used to construct additional retaining walls.

Sierra Street

In addition to the outdoor dining space, two other areas were created for relaxing.



You can see more of this home, including before photos and information about paint colors and furnishings in the Houzz article here.

Remodel and interior design by Clark Collins of Collins Design & Development; landscape design by Grace Design Associates.

Photos by Holly Lepere, Clark Collins and Eric Foote.



Join me next Saturday for another post 
in the special series

Living Large in Small Spaces


See more home tours in the 
Living Large In Small Spaces Series here.







29 comments

  1. Wow! I really LOVE this one. I like how light and bright and open it is...and that they have kept some of the old where they could. This was a great find! xo Diana

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  2. This is a great place Nancy. I love it all. Not real fond of tile counter tops but I know they were going for a 50's look and the colors are so pretty. Just had tile counters once and the grout and tiles are hard to keep clean in a kitchen. Love the bathroom. The house is very light and airy. So pretty.
    xoxo
    Kris

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  3. It's like stepping back in time!! Love the layout of the kitchen and dining room, but like Kris I'm not a fan of those countertops... Love that bathroom though. Such a great property!

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  4. So many pretty details in this charmer! I'm in love with the kitchen and bathroom period tile details. And the home has such a nice bright open feel in the main living area. The wire dining chairs are a fun choice! I can't imagine looking out my windows to those amazing views. Thanks for taking us along on another fab home tour, Nancy!

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  5. This is so charming, there are so many elements I love, but that blue birthday is my favorite! :) Gorgeous.

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  6. Wow, perfect home Nancy I wouldn't change a thing!

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  7. It such is a pretty style of home . . . perfect for California living. There are a lot of surprises in this home, too. Charming things like the refrigerate and the Dutch door. I know I'm always saying this, but I Love Your Blog!

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  8. How cheerful and welcoming this home is, in every, just every little detail of its - I so love the kitchen back door :) - thank you for sharing these amazing interiors with us, darling Nancy !

    Wishing you a blessed Sunday and new week ahead

    Xx Dany

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  9. Just found out you are back again. How wonderful! I'd had really missed your posts. Welcome back and thank you for sharing all these lovely posts.

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  10. Do you know how much this home reminds me of my childhood home in Los Angeles? I have the fondest memories of that small house, and since I was and still am a lover of great architecture (I used to tell my father to remodel and tear down walls!), I can totally appreciate the details of this home. Oh, you made my day!

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  11. Very pretty! I love the retro feel in the bathroom and kitchen with the tile. Love the fridge and the sink in the bathroom. After watching a ton of HGTV, I can just imagine what this cute little place cost!!

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  12. A very charming home. I really appreciate all the great light, and I can only imagine the lovely views from the windows.

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  13. I really like the inside of this house! Exactly how I would want it if it were mine.
    Brenda

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  14. Replies
    1. I love to see period homes that have been restored in keeping with their original attributes. This is such a great example of that.

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  15. Very beautiful! They've done a wonderful job of updating and maintaining the original feel of the house. I love the dutch door and all the light!

    xo
    Pat

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  16. Spanish Colonial is not my favorite style but this is really cute! I think it has to do with size.

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  17. just stunning but my favorite part is the outdoor dinning area :-)

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  18. I really like this cottage and the fact that the owners tried to keep the original look, while making it look very comfortable!

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  19. I have always loved the look of the Spanish style homes from the outside. Thanks for giving us a tour of the interior which is just as impressive!

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  20. Beautiful cottage with a great outdoor area!

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  21. This cottage is wonderful! It reminds me so much of my great-grandmother's Spanish-style cottage in Santa Barbara. She was my dear mother's grandmother and we spent many long hours there. The small house was always filled with more family than you would think could be comfortable there. I would love to return to see that it has been lovingly cared for.
    ~Adrienne~

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  22. Such a great cottage with beautiful interior. Everything is perfect, outdoor areas is awesome. I LOVED wire chairs and kitchen cabinets with updated yellow tiles.
    It's a dream property which include all the things :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm for this home. It was a joy to feature it.

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  23. In this beautiful house I want to live with my daughter.

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  24. Now here's a house to love! I'm so glad they tried to keep it looking true to it's 1930s roots. Nothing makes me happier, as you well know ;)

    I'm catching up with you right now. So glad you didn't leave permanently, my friend.

    xo

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Your comments bring me joy! Thanks for stopping by.