The language of Mediterranean architecture in Southern California dates, of course, to its roots along the shores of southern Europe, where the warm, semiarid climate matches our own. Those thick stucco walls and red-clay roofs naturally regulate indoor temperatures as the style’s courtyards and loggias blend the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Sound familiar?
Over the decades at Giffin & Crane, our portfolio of new homes and remodels has been steadily infused with Mediterranean architecture. Homeowners like the style for its function and aesthetic. And when the time comes for maintenance, repairs, and new features, we’re always happy to keep their homes, like the ones shown here, upgraded with modern amenities.
HOPE RANCH CONTEMPORARY: With new flooring, new roof, and just about everything in between, this comprehensive update brought stainless steel into the kitchen, a much bigger bathroom to the upstairs bedroom suite, and an openness between previously compartmentalized living spaces. Remodel included 5,000-square-foot main house, plus two detached garages, a guest house, and outbuildings, all on five private acres. Architecture by Anthony Grumbine. Photo by Jim Bartsch.MONTECITO SHOWHOUSE:Traditional Home magazine paired with Harrison Design to produce this benefit showhouse for Santa Barbara’s CALM, a child-abuse prevention and treatment center. Built in one year, this Mission Revival harmoniously blends Eastern and Western influences and an indoor-outdoor fusion that maximizes ocean views through surrounding oak woodlands. Architecture by Bill Harrison. Landscape design by Katie O’Reilly-Rogers. Photo by Jim Bartsch.CLASSIC SPANISH: With an open floor plan and lots of glass to welcome the ocean view, this all new home fits the climate and mountain backdrop with its distinct Mediterranean style. A roomy kitchen with a center island faces the family room and formal dining area, reflecting architectural shifts from traditional layouts to the rising popularity of the great room, a signature space in 1990s high-end homebuilding. Photo by Jim Bartsch.
