George Washington Smith Spanish Colonial Revival Home
Montecito, California
$11,350,000
Residence
Style: Spanish Colonial Revival
Price: $11,350,000
Architect: George Washington Smith 1922/25
Renovation & Restoration: 2005 to 2008
Lot Size: 1.4 Acres, Approx.
Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 6 bdrms / 7 full baths & 2 Powder Rooms
APN#: 009-170-45
Main Floor
Entry (20' x 8'):
The massive carved mahogany farmhouse door with small window opens to the vestibule connecting the main living areas of this distinctive home. The entry hall features a tooled wood beamed ceiling, terracotta honeycomb style flooring, wrought-iron sconces and a red and green glass pointed star chandelier over the stairs leading to the second floor. The stairway features wide terracotta stair treads with original decorative tile risers and a wide mahogany handrail. An 8’ Castilian double doorway with leaded divided lites and shuttered window opens to the side yard and an inviting brick terrace with a large fountain centerpiece.
Living Room (30’x 17’):
Step down from the Entry to the Living Room with tiger oak flooring and a 10’ high rough hued beamed ceiling where lovely wrought-iron sconces accent the thick plaster walls. The simple white plaster fireplace surround is so symptomatic of G. W. Smith and this example has a black marble hearth and gas-starter. A window seat is built into a mahogany-paneled alcove, reminiscent of a Spanish prayer niche, is affixed with interior wood shutters and an exterior wrought iron grate. A large leaded glass display window overlooks the clivia garden and three French doors open onto the rear brick terrace and gardens with views across the main lawn to the pool area and magnificent mountain views.
Library/Office (27' x 17'):
Connecting the Living Room to the Library is a vestibule with a door to the side gardens, a closet and a wine-bottle window. Perhaps one of Smith’s most dramatic rooms, the Library boasts a very detailed 13’ tall hand-carved, vaulted and beamed ceiling with a large, wrought-iron chandelier. Built-in bookcases and shelved cabinets line the walls. Other features include a media center, wrought-iron sconces, indirect lighting, and a Spanish-style plaster fireplace with gas starter. The floor is of honeycomb tiles. Windows look out to the motor court and the rear yard and double French doors with wrought-iron filigree lead to the side gardens. Just off the Library is a powder room with period fixtures, tile floor and a window with views to the side garden.
Kitchen (25' x 20'):
Follow the hall towards the heart of the house – the masterfully crafted kitchen with a 10’ ceiling, original parquet oak floor hand scraped and refinished, a grand mahogany center island with Calcutta Caldia marble countertops, two sinks with disposals and reverse osmosis water purifiers, custom mahogany cabinets for ample storage, and a large built-in mahogany display cabinet with leaded glass, all with easy glide closures on drawers and doors. A custom wrought-iron chandelier hangs over the center island, and above and below cabinet lights provide ample lighting. This sizeable kitchen also features a butler’s pantry with extensive storage and marble countertops as well as a menu planning desk with a marble countertop and storage cabinets. Appliances include separate Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, Viking 6-burner and grill cooktop under an oversized farmhouse plaster hood with commercial vent and a beautiful marble mosaic backsplash, a Miele Master Chef built-in double oven, Miele built-in speed oven (microwave/convection), and Miele dishwasher. French doors with over-lites, all recreated to Smith’s original specifications, open to the side gardens.
Family Room (21' x 14'):
The sunlit family room is open to the kitchen and has four sets of French doors accessing a brick patio, rear gardens and pool area with stunning mountain views. A custom wrought iron center chandelier hangs from the 12’ beamed ceiling which also includes indirect lighting. A corner honeycomb fireplace with gas starter, built-in bookshelves and terracotta floors with decorative tile accents, all add to the charm of the room.
Television Room (29' x 14'):
From the kitchen room step up to the cozy T.V. room with hardwood floors complete with a 63” Sharp Aquos TV with internet connection, DVD & wireless Crestron control, and 5-1 surround sound speakers. The vaulted, beamed 10’ ceiling has wrought-iron truss rods, three custom wrought-iron chandeliers and authentic wrought-iron sconces adorn the walls. Two sets of French doors open to the center courtyard, and another two open to a private brick terrace with rear garden and mountain views.
First Floor Laundry:
Hardwood floors, a period work sink, soapstone counters with a decorative tile backsplash, and overhead cabinetry for storage, and a window to the rear gardens.
Pool
Bath:
Located adjacent to the laundry, the bath includes period fixtures, terracotta floors, Moroccan tile shower and an exterior door that opens to the gardens and pool area complete with a nearby exterior beach and pet shower.
Project Room/Office 2 (19’ x 12’):
A spacious room with hardwood floors and featuring a custom built-in wall-to-wall desk with a soapstone desktop and extensive file cabinet and desk storage, a large closet with built-in cabinetry and shelving, indirect lighting and task lighting, and a window and side door open to the center courtyard and two other windows offer views to the courtyard and side gardens.
Wine Room:
Designed to accommodate 1200 bottles, the wine room is fully climate controlled for temperature and humidity and has tile floor, period lighting and a beautifully detailed mahogany and glass door with wrought-iron grill.
Dining Room (20' x
19'):
Approached through a romantic arched hallway from the main hall, kitchen and family room, this refined, formal dining room features a coffered ceiling designed with original Smith detail, elegant masonry tile checkerboard floors replicated from an original Smith design, custom wrought-iron wall sconces, two center brass antique ceiling fixtures in addition to indirect lighting. A French door with sidelites opens to the lovely side gardens and private, center courtyard.
Powder Room:
Located off the dining room with tile floors, solid mahogany paneled doors, custom mahogany vanity with marble countertop and wrought-iron fixtures.
Center Courtyard (40' x 30'):
This charming walled, brick terrace courtyard with numerous wrought-iron
balconies and light fixtures with splashes of colorful mosaic tiles and flowers
features a Spanish fountain with décor tile surround, corner raised fireplace
with décor tile insets, a gas barbeque grill with rotisserie and raised-bed
gardens. Wrought-iron lanterns light the doorways and stairs.
Master Suite (27’ x 18’):
A 10’ tall ceiling with G. W. Smith inspired decorative details, a distressed walnut herringbone floor, and the renowned plaster surround fireplace with a gas starter and custom wrought-iron wall sconces set the tone of warmth and comfort in this room. Light filters in from shutter windows with views over the front garden, French doors that open to the side gardens, and a window that overlooks the center courtyard.
His Bath:
A beautifully detailed bath with a heavy, beamed ceiling, its own honeycomb corner fireplace, an elaborately carved antique vanity with slate countertop and copper vessel sink with wall mounted fixtures, tiled shower and terracotta floor with hand-painted medallions, wrought iron sconces and a window with a view of the front gardens.
Her Bath & Dressing Area:
A luxurious and spacious bath with custom mahogany double vanities and hair and makeup area, with Jerusalem Halaila slab countertops and mosaic tile backsplash, Halaila herringbone tile floors. A separate water and linen closet offer privacy. A freestanding spa tub is set near windows overlooking the private, center courtyard and gardens, and a soothing, oversized steam shower has 6 body sprays, a sunflower head, heated bench and stereo speakers in the shower.
Dressing Room (20’ x 10’): Large dressing room with extensive cabinetry with enclosed custom closet doors and drawers with mahogany details.
Second Floor
The second floor can be accessed from both a main stairway located near the entry and a rear stairway located just off the kitchen.
First Bedroom (18’ x 15’):
Located near the rear staircase has a full in-suite bath and features solid oak floors and French doors opening to a wrought-iron balcony overlooking the center courtyard and a smaller window with decorative grate provides beautiful mountain views. A closet runs along the rear wall. The bath has period tile, a custom vanity with a Calcutta marble countertop, shower-over-tub and a separate lavatory.
Second Bedroom (18’ x 15’):
This bedroom has a full in-suite bath with period tile, a custom vanity with a Calcutta marble countertop, and oversized shower. The bedroom has solid oak floors, indirect lighting and a large closet. A French door opens to a wrought-iron balcony overlooking the center courtyard, and a window with iron grate overlooks the front gardens.
Rear Balcony:
Located in the center of the upstairs bedrooms, French doors open to a charming covered balcony overlooking the rear main lawn and pool area with stunning mountain views. This quiet retreat has tile floor and wrought iron fixtures framed by a wood balustrade.
Second Floor Laundry:
The Laundry is off the main upstairs hallway across from French doors that lead to the upper balcony. It’s equipped with both gas and electric hookups, utility sink, soapstone countertop, and extensive custom storage cabinets.
Third Bedroom (17’ x 11’):
This Bedroom has windows to the front and side gardens and features a raised-hearth honeycomb fireplace, a small display shelf by the front window and indirect lighting and full in-suite bathroom with adjustable showerhead over cast iron tub, period tile and a window with grill overlooking the front gardens.
Fourth Bedroom/Sitting Room (19’ x 10’):
French doors provide access to the balcony and rear garden/mountain views and a shuttered window offers views of the front gardens. This room has a walk-in closet, oak floors and shares a Jack and Jill bath with period tile and adjustable showerhead over large cast iron tub with the Fifth Bedroom.
Fifth Bedroom (18’ x 15’):
This Bedroom has French doors to the rear balcony, in addition to French doors that open to a wrought-iron balcony above the side gardens, and windows with interior, paneled shutters to the front and rear of the home. Other features include a honeycomb, raised-hearth fireplace; a built-in book niche by the front window and a large walk-in closet/dressing area with extensive cabinetry.
Grounds
There is an extensive, fully landscaped lower garden area that runs along the east side of the property and can be accessed from the home, lawn and pool by various cut-stone paths. It is enclosed by a stucco wall, with a pedestrian gate and has groomed paths, stone walls and cut-stone stairs and balustrade that meander down to a level below the side patio of the home. There are a variety of specialty gardens, including a berry patch, a citrus and fruit grove, an herb garden, a vegetable garden, and a rose and tiered cutting garden.
A marble fountain designed by Smith with eight-pointed star pond of Persian tile is situated at the rear of the property, behind the 33’ x 18’ pool with hand-painted coping tiles and built-in Jacuzzi. An expansive lawn behind the home leads to a brick barbeque with spit and décor tile inset, adjacent to the pool and fountain areas. Flower arranging basins set in decorative tiling are located along the rear wall of the home and the side wall of the Living Room and have been converted into tranquil fountains. Extensive landscape lighting is found throughout the grounds; security lighting along the pathways and accent up lighting among the many specimen oaks, Kentia palms and other mature trees.
