Jeff Doubet design Before and After Cottage-style home

 

Return on investment can pay great dividends when successful and strategic design planning goes in to quality, charm giving elements.

 

The perceived value of any given property can increase exponentially when design ideas conjure up strong, positive emotion for guests and/or buyers.

 

Having a solid conceptual design idea from the start can make a big difference in how much your property is worth after the project is completed.

 

 

 

For this coastal view home on 5 acres...

I thought the blacktop paving right up to the house was a missed opportunity, when the house was built in the 1960s.

 

The investor / owner was equally bold in considering a dramatic re-thinking of the layout of parking and landscape between the house and guest house.

 

 

 

 

 

LEFT: A recent "After" photo of the project, as the new drought tolerant landscaping begins to fill in.

Should California ever get rain again, additional planter beds can be added or expanded on toward the the California Gold Gravel areas... but for now, low water use is the goal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The new California Bungalow style front door was stained to compliment the new hues in the landscaping.

 

The 3-lite door was designed to compliment the original windows to the right and left of it... a nice upgrade from the original, painted slab door that was replaced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoy designing projects where the budget allows for ideas that will instantly change a setting, and create a romantic ambiance.

 

I like ancient olive trees for this reason. They have old world character... and they transplant well.

 

Here, the investors team offload 4 large trees for this front yard project.

 

 

 

 

 

Another photo showing an over abundance of paving and a "Before" photo of the fixer house and guest house with tennis court beyond.

As the sunniest spot with the best ocean views to the south... it made sense to remove it.

A view deck, drought tolerant plantings and a fountain would soften the environment.

 

 

 

 

 

I sketched this early conceptual rendering to help illustrate how the deck and landscape might eventually lay out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The owners talented team of stone masons and landscapers begin to transform the parking lot in to a charming spot to hang out.

 

When completed, it will be beautiful grounds shared between the main house and guest house.

 

 

 

 

Sometimes Homes and Landscapes need TLC, too.

 

We've all met someone that if just given a little bit of attention, love and care... would blossom in to someone beautiful.

Homes and properties are the same way. Many Fixers out there have lots of potential, and savvy investors build the right teams to help them in their efforts to find the best opportunities, within.

 

This Fixer home was in desperate need of an emotional appeal update.

A dud personality, waiting to be reborn.

The owner, his architect and I decided to push the architecture toward a homier, San Ysidro Ranch style project... endearing visitors to the rare, wide open spaces.

The new front porch and decks would enhance the ocean view experience.

 

 

 

 

Here is an early concept sketch that I created to help illustrate how new landscape, stone work and other details would begin to transform the property.

 

It helped the team visualize benefits of removing existing parking near main house, and converting it to beautiful terraced landscaping.

 

 

 

 

A hardworking stone mason hand chisels Santa Barbara sandstone.

This 5 acre parcel nestles within other much larger agricultural parcels-

And the 180 degree ocean views in this bucolic setting are hard to come by in our coastal hamlet...

so the investment in stone work further enhances the ambiance of the grounds-

 

and pushes it toward that high quality San Ysidro Ranch feel.

 

 

 

 

 

The new porch on the guest house captures the mesmerizing ocean and island views beyond...

and is becoming a new favorite spot for guests to watch the sun set over the Pacific.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charm giving elements that make a house and property... a Home

 

 

Special properties are created by implementing one design idea at a time.

As the sun burns through the early morning fog of another beautiful Santa Barbara day... the new guest cottage in the distance comes in to focus.

Envisioning a special entrance entailed a redesign of the landscape, as well.

Old Olive trees replaced the palms...

 

 

 

 

And for the entrance to the new motorcourt, the investor / owner requested conceptual design ideas that would help define the main entrance to parking.

 

A special something for the arriving dinner guests...

so as to not be confused by the service driveway on the right.

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed designing this concept.

By this point, the guests will have driven a long private road through the avocado groves.

I proposed a mix of elements that would enhance the sense of arrival to the main house.

A “Valet-Style Greeting Shed" would become a focal point, and will also be used as a UPS drop off spot.

 

 

 

 

Authentic sandstone cobble driveway, walls, planters and steps add to the old California character to this special entrance...

Here, the vision of the conceptual design ideas begin to materialize.

The talented investor and his team take a napkin sketch, and morph it in to reality.

 

 

 

 

 

An "After" photo of the Greeting Shed, as the landscape begins to fill in.

 

The authentic Sandstone cobble driveway adds a rich texture and a little bit of extra drama as guests arrive at the new entrance to a more intimate motorcourt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charm: Under Construction.

Some earlier photos of the Greeting Shed as it starts to take shape with it's rough sawn cedar shake roof and board and batten siding.

The copper roof and weather vane on the cupola add an extra layer of texture and happy.

Below: the owner's landscape crew positions an Olive tree near the entrance of the shed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A sneak peek at a beautiful project- nearing completion.

The rough hewn sandstone cobble driveway and columns turned out beautiful.

 

A magical piece of property is being born from a "Vanilla Fixer" that always had great potential.

It just took a team with vision, to bring it to fruition.

 

 

 

 

This dream client was open-minded to creative and unconventional thoughts and designs I might imagine...

 

The heavily wooded, large property is hard to navigate once you get in through the main gate.

 

Especially difficult... the main fork in the private road, with no buildings in site.

 

 

 

 

 

The property owner requested ideas for a way he could guide his guests to the main house, or other recreation areas of the property... depending on the type of entertaining he would be doing for any given get-together.

His Artisan stone masons and woodworkers took my concept sketch, and built a work of art.

The final step will be sandblasting the "Welcome" in to the large sandstone boulder (to the right).

 

 

 

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