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Montecito: Small Spanish Home and Landscape Designs by Jeff Doubet

 

A small Spanish style home and courtyard being landscaped with drought tolerant plants in Montecito, California.Do you seek a coach to help you design a quality small Spanish-style home and landscape in Montecito, California?

Jeff Doubet specializes in small house and landscape design throughout the local Santa Barbara area, including Montecito and Hope Ranch,CA.

Hi, my name is Jeff and I like working with homeowners who appreciate high quality details in their homes and surroundings.

Since 2003, I have been introducing clients to a wide range of talented independent trades who also share a passion for the art in creating beautiful places.

 

 

reliable home designers and builders in Montecito and Santa Barbara California pose in front of a newly remodeled Spanish style cottage in Montecito, California

ABOVE: A small Montecito Spanish-style home and landscape nears completion.

Montecito and Santa Barbara has always been blessed with a quality selection of talented builders, developers and the artisan trades.

I enjoy working with this generation of independent teams as we create beautiful projects.

The team (pictured) have also enjoyed working together on trips to Mexico. Check out our 2014 and 2015 seasons as we help others in need.

 

 

How to fix up a small home and landscape in Montecito, California

If you are buying a home in Montecito in 2024, the first step is to secure a purchase. It has been a crazy real estate market for many years. Things have slowed down a little bit, and hopefully there will be more inventory coming on the market in the near future.

 

a Montecito, California Spanish style fixer upper home and property.

 

BEFORE PHOTO

Since 2003, I have been helping homeowners see the potential in properties like this one.

As you can see in this photo, the Montecito fixer upper had good bones.

My advice: in a perfect world, it is best to try to find a property that will greatly benefit from simple upgrading of the aesthetics of the home and landscape.

 

 

 

 

A hand drawn small Spanish style home with two car garage design rendering by Santa Barbara California Home Designer Jeff Doubet

 

For example, in this concept rendering I sketched ideas for decorative upgrades to the chimney cap, a stucco cupola, thickened walls, carriage house garage doors, and an upgraded Spanish tile roof.

I also sketched in a pair of new olive trees, a subtle arch front door, a new wood arbor, Santa Barbara sandstone garden walls and steps.

 

 

 

 

small, single level spanish style home in Montecito, California

The project was nearing completion in this photo, but the newly transplanted olive trees were still in a bit of shock and needed more time to establish themselves.

But the small Montecito Spanish home was beginning to take shape.

To this day I am amazed how God blessed the early vision. Compare the shape of these real olive trees with those in my sketch. We ordered the trees sight unseen- yet they really resemble the ones in my sketch (above).

 

 

Mediterranean, drought tolerant landscape and flagstone walkway and cast concrete fountain in Montecito, California

 

I stopped by the project a few months later and the drought tolerant mediterranean-style landscape plants for this Spanish home were beginning to show signs of life.

Specifically, Sweet Lavender, white Iceberg roses, Mexican Sage and Rosemary. Jasmine vines were planted near the new arbor posts.

Everything was looking great with the Santa Barbara sandstone walls and steps built by local stone masons.

 

 

 

 

Sweet lavender, olive tree, Spanish style fountain in flagstone patio in Montecito, California courtyard home.

The newly built wood arbor frames the arched door entry.

Cherokee Creek flagstone was used for the walkways.

It will take a year or two before this new landscape begins to really mature.

If you are contemplating the redoing your own local landscape or re-designing your Spanish home, and looking for a coach...

Please contact me to schedule an affordable Initial Consultation

 

 

 

 

Montecito and Santa Barbara Spanish-style Fixers: Jeff Doubet Shares an Insider Look at the Process of Remodeling

 

A large mature olive tree is being craned into place to be transplanted in a Montecito, California landscape project

The local Montecito and Santa Barbara area is always a great area to invest in real estate.

Dramatic results can be accomplished with quality landscaping, and investing in the exterior of the home.

For this specific project, the investor was flipping the property, and indeed saw the value in purchasing and installing two mature olive trees.

SEE MY NEW SPANISH HOME DESIGN PHOTO BLOG where I post an entire episode (18 photos) of how these trees were installed in a Spanish garden landscaping project.

 

 

A large olive tree being transported on a flatbed trailer to landscaping project in Montecito, California

Here, one of the two olive trees arrived on a flatbed trailer. The other is being craned into place.

Olive trees like these will add an instant ambiance to your own landscape. Mature tree canopies provide a "coziness" to small courtyard landscapes.

 

 

 

Local resources for renovating small homes and landscapes in Montecito and Santa Barbara, California

 

Local painting contractor staining a wood arbor of a Spanish style home in Montecito, California

If you are a local homeowner contemplating a quality remodel (home or landscape), please consider my design, coaching and consulting services.

I am well connected to a wide variety of talented independent builders, general contractors and trades with specialty backgrounds that can help you craft a high quality Montecito or Santa Barbara home.

 

Here, the General Contractor's painting crew begin a multi-step staining process on the new arbor recently built in front of the entry door.

It was designed and built to add more texture and charm to the front yard.

Eventually the new Jasmine vines will grow up and over the trellis structure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small Spanish home in Montecito California with S-tile clay roof with staggered extra tiles

 

To save approximately $10,000 on the re-roof of this Montecito Spanish-style home, an S-tile roof was installed.

To make it look and feel more like an authentic 2 piece mission style roof, the team added the 2 piece roof tiles in and amongst the S-tile roof.

Note how the roof tiles are staggered and occassionally have extra tiles added as "boost"?

LEARN MORE HERE

These are the types of money saving tips are examples of how I can help guide you during your remodeling process.

 

 

 

A Spanish Colonial Revival plaster cupola with iron finial on top

 

A Spanish Colonial Revival-style plaster cupola with iron finial was custom designed for this project.

 

These types of small details can really add a lot of charm and value to a small home like this.

Check out my PHOTO BLOG where I share photos of a similar cupola being plastered for the Spanish-style Shed built on this same property.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Olive tree and a Spanish style 2 car garage and red tile roof in Montecito, California

 

The newly transplanted olive tree looks nice with the two car garage with plaster cupola on top.

 

With Spanish-style site walls like these, cobble driveways, and layers of new landscaping you can really transform a small home and make it something you are really proud of.

See the full episode on Spanish-style Garage Door Designs, and how this garage opening was Double Framed

 

 

 

Santa Barbara sandstone garden wall and steps, with mexican sage and white iceberg roses

 

The newly hand chiseled Santa Barbara sandstone garden walls and steps look great with the newly planted Mexican Sage (and the white iceberg roses in the background).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affordable Outdoor Lighting for Spanish style homes

 

an affordable outdoor light for spanish style homes.  A rustic wood door with speakeasy iron grille in the background

 

For those seeking affordable outdoor lighting for Spanish-style homes, consider Trans Globe products available on Amazon.

Click the above Amazon link to learn more about the unit we installed at this Montecito project.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through the links I provide on this page. There is never any added cost to you. Thank you for your support!

This project was a real estate flip, so money was saved by purchasing an off the shelf Trans Globe lantern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A rustic Spanish style arch top entry door withspeakeasy iron grille and a flagstone step at a Montecito California cottage

 

Here, a gentle plaster arch was designed above a custom arch top wood entry door, custom made for the project.

We also added a small speakeasy door with iron grille.

Another custom home technique we incorporated was to frame a new wall 16 inches out from where the new door frame was installed.

This adds visual depth and elevates the perceived value of the overall approach to this quaint front door entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Spanish style remodel project in Montecito, California included raising low ceilings

 

DURING CONSTRUCTION PHOTO

The front entry foyer area, soon to be embellished with new Spanish-style details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A modern spanish style entry foyer with thick archway passage in a Montecito, California Spanish home

 

AFTER PHOTO

 

Just inside the front door, additional interior architectural details were built.

 

A flared wall was framed above and around the front door and a shallow tray ceiling above it was added.

 

In the foreground, you can see the extra wide archway which mimics the details at the front door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a rough sketch for a modern Spanish style kitchen design bySanta Barbara Home Designer Jeff Doubet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above and below... a couple of on-site conceptual sketches I developed for the kitchen and great room remodel of this local Montecito Spanish-style home.

 

A modern Spanish style kitchen in Montrecito, California includes large island, farm sink, painted cabinets and stainless steel appliances

 

 

Here, the construction of the modern Spanish-style kitchen details were nearing completion.

 

The developer and his Interior Designer wife took my early design sketches and masterfully picked out cabinets, colors, granite, tile and appliances that were transitional modern in their aesthetic.

 

 

 

A rough sketch for a small Spanish style kitchen in a Montecito, California home.  Drawn by Santa Barbara Home Designer Jeff Doubet

 

 

 

Another loose sketch, this one showing the design concept looking out toward the backyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A modern Spanish style kitchen design with granite countertops, large island and painted cabinets.

 

 

 

 

The AFTER photo as the project team was finishing up the final details of construction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A talented general contractor puts the final touches  on details of a modern kitchen renovation in Montecito, California.  A thick decorative archway frames the shot

 

 

The hands-on independent General Contractor is also a talented high-end painting contractor.

Wearing two hats, he and his crew did all of kitchen cabinet finishing, as well as a custom burnished nickel silver finish on the range hood.

They also did the cutom stain on the windows, doors and interior doors throughout.

These finishing touches and their extra attention to detailing really made this beautiful renovation come alive.

Another small Montecito Spanish-style home has new life.

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
Jeff Doubet Custom Shed Designs for Spanish Homes in Montecito California

 

A Spanish style shed with red tile roof and stucco plaster siding nears completion at a home and landscape renovation in Montecito, California.

 

 

A Spanish-style garden shed designed by Santa Barbara Home Designer Jeff Doubet.

This photo was taken while the shed was under construction, and near completion.

You can view the entire Episode 5, including 20 additional photos of the construction and finished photos of this Spanish shed HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

Site Map to entire SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com website

A Quick Flip SITE MAP for SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com

Click to navigate the most popular pages on the Santa Barbara Home Design site.

Informative pages with quality photos and designs for high quality Spanish style homes and landscapes!

Also be sure to check out my new

SPANISH HOME DESIGN PHOTO BLOG with dozens of new projects and hundreds of photos not on this website.

And the STORE + MORE page.