Santa Monica | $4.995 million
A three bedroom, two and a half bathroom Spanish style home built in 2007 on a .2 acre lot
This hilltop home above the Santa Monica Canyon was designed by Kevin A. Clark, an architect whose work incorporates elements of Spanish and Mediterranean architecture built in Southern California in the 1920s and 1930s. It was featured in The Spanish Style House: From Enchanted Andalusia to the California Dream, published by Rizzoli in 2021.
Canyon homes are popular with buyers looking for easy access to Malibu and the Westside area of Los Angeles: Malibu’s beaches are less than 20 miles away, and Century City is about a 20-minute drive away.
Size: 3,037 square meters
Price per square meter: $1,645
Inside: Behind manicured rows of hedges and a gate is a cobbled path leading to the arched front door. It opens into a bright foyer with views of the Santa Monica Canyon through floor-to-ceiling windows. Just off this room is a powder room with Moroccan style tiles lining the walls.
To the right of the foyer is a living room with a fireplace, hardwood floors, a beamed ceiling, tall windows overlooking the patio, and custom hardware including door and window handles. An alcove next to the fireplace is lined with bookshelves and has a window overlooking the front yard.
To the left of the foyer is a kitchen with a light green color and sun yellow tiles reminiscent of early 20th century Spanish style homes. At the far end of the room is a built-in bench seat upholstered in deep red leather.
A staircase in the foyer – featuring a custom wrought iron banister and colorful tiled risers – leads to the three bedrooms, all located on the lower level. The master bedroom has a fireplace with a brick hearth and an en-suite bathroom with light blue and red tiles, a walk-in shower and a separate bath. On the other side of this level are two guest bedrooms, one of which currently serves as a home office. They share a bathroom with muted green tiles and a combined tub and shower.
Outside: A brick patio off the living room offers sea views, and the breeze off the water helps keep it cool on summer evenings. In front, behind the hedges, there is a small yard with a citrus tree. The attached garage has two parking spaces.
Steer: $62,436 (estimated)
Contact: George Ghiz, 8 Avenue, 310-283-8877; avenue8.com
Ojai | $4.995 million
A 1925 Tudor Revival home with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, two half bathrooms and a one bedroom, one bathroom guest house on a 3 acre lot
This house is one of the earliest surviving works of William Albert Edwards, a director of the architectural firm Edwards and Plunkett, which was responsible for a number of notable local projects in the 1920s and 1930s, including the original terminal at Santa Barbara Airport. While some of Ojai’s grand homes are fairly remote, this one is about a five-minute drive or 10-minute bike ride from downtown.
Santa Barbara is 45 minutes away by car; Los Angeles is about a two-hour drive away, depending on traffic, making this area popular with shoppers looking to stay within reasonable distance of the city.
Size: 3,673 square feet
Price per square meter: $1,360
Inside: This home is set back from the street with a stone walkway and wooden steps leading to the front entrance. The foyer has hardwood floors and original plaster walls that continue throughout most of the home.
On the right is a study with bookshelves. The windows in this room and in the adjoining powder room face the front garden. Straight ahead is a living room overlooking the backyard. To the left of the foyer is a living room with high beamed ceilings, a stone fireplace and a tall bay window with a built in bench.
Behind the living room is a dining room with a wrought iron chandelier and a large window overlooking the front garden. A butler’s pantry from this room connects it to a kitchen with a black enameled AGA range and a long center island topped with a butcher’s block. A second pantry is at the other end of the kitchen, along with a half bathroom.
The master suite is on this level, adjacent to a corridor that extends from the foyer. The bedroom has a window alcove overlooking the gardens and is flanked by two bathrooms. One has a shower cubicle and the other has a shower and separate bath framed by large windows.
Two guest rooms are on the second floor. They share a bathroom off the hallway with a chandelier and a combination tub and shower.
The one bedroom guest house has a living room with fireplace, full bathroom and a bright studio currently used as a home gym.
Outside: A brick patio behind the main house leads down to a fenced swimming pool. A path winds from the patio through the grounds, which include fruit trees, a field of lavender, raised vegetable gardens and a chicken coop. There are several terraces in front of the guest house with enough space for al fresco dining.
Steer: $62,246 (estimated, but home is eligible for reduced property taxes under the Mills Act, which provides economic incentives for homeowners to preserve historic properties)
Contact: Cristal Clarke, Berkshire Hathaway Montecito, 805-886-9378; bhhs.com
The Cats | $4.988 million
A 2000 craftsman-inspired four bedroom, four bathroom bungalow on a .2 acre lot
Almond Grove is a vibrant neighborhood of wide, tree-lined streets and historic homes just minutes from downtown Los Gatos. This home, more recently built than some of its neighbors, is a short walk to a number of restaurants on North Santa Cruz Avenue, the main street, and to an area with several bars, a toy store, and an ice cream shop.
The drive to San Jose takes about 20 minutes; San Francisco and Oakland are about an hour away.
Size: 2,895 square feet
Price per square meter: $1,723
Inside: A white picket fence encloses the front yard which has a mature flowering tree and rose bushes. The entrance is in a porch with white wooden railing, brick floor and space for several chairs.
To the left of the entrance is a living room with hardwood floors, windows with white shutters and a wide door to the dining room, which has a built-in china cabinet with drawers and glass front doors.
A butler’s pantry connects the dining room to a kitchen with dark stone counters and stainless steel appliances, including a six-burner Viking stove and double oven. Both the kitchen and dining room have direct access to a comfortable family room with white cabinets flanking a fireplace.
To the right of the foyer is a guest bedroom that doubles as a study with a built in desk and shelving. Next door is a full bathroom with walk-in shower and marble vanity.
On the second floor is a laundry room and storage room just off the landing, across from a bathroom with black and white tile floors. The master suite is just a few steps away and features two custom made walk-in closets and a bathroom with a whirlpool tub and separate shower.
Two more bedrooms are at the opposite end of the hallway; one has an en-suite shower room which has a skylight.
Outside: A wide brick patio runs along the back of the house. To one side is a fire table under a white-painted wooden pergola; On the other side is a built-in grill and mini-fridge. A more private sitting area off the family room has a brick fireplace. A hot tub at the far end of the backyard is sheltered by a gazebo and surrounded by mature trees. The detached garage has space for two cars.
Steer: $62,352 (estimated)
Contact: Amy McCafferty, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, 408-387-3227; sothebysrealty.com
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