Real Estate

$4 Million Homes for Sale in California


This house was designed by George Washington Smith, a Santa Barbara architect who helped popularize the Spanish Colonial Revival style in the early 20th century. Mr. Smith, a bond trader-turned-painter who took up architecture after designing his own farmhouse in Montecito, was commissioned to build this house and several others in Ojai by Edward Drummond Libbey, a glass manufacturer who owned a number of buildings in the area.

Downtown Ojai, with its numerous wine-tasting rooms, is about a five-minute drive from the property; Santa Barbara is 45 minutes to the west.

Size: 3,779 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,057

Indoors: A brick path leads from the front gate to the entry courtyard, where there is a fountain specially ordered by the architect from Spain. Beyond is a shaded brick patio with three sets of French doors; the center pair serves as the home’s main entrance.

The doors open to the formal living room, which has floors of imported Spanish tile and rough-hewed, exposed beams. The walls are thick, with deep, inset windows.

To the left is a formal dining room with a ceiling painted in a celestial pattern. It is partially open to the kitchen, which was updated by the current owners. The floors are wood, and the center island and counters are topped with granite. The AGA range is cream-colored, with a decorative-tile backsplash.

Off the kitchen is an office with windows overlooking the backyard. A half bathroom is also on this side of the house.

To the right of the formal living room is a more casual family room with an original fireplace that has a brick hearth and tile surround. A hallway leads from this space to the guest wing, which has three bedrooms, each large enough to hold a queen-size bed. One has an en suite bathroom with a walk-in shower; the other two share a hallway bathroom with a combination tub and shower and a double vanity.

A staircase with a wrought-iron railing leads from the living room to the master suite upstairs. The bedroom has a ceiling fan and French doors out to a large private patio. The attached bathroom has a deep soaking tub and separate walk-in shower.

Outdoor space: Behind the main house are several pathways. One leads to a three-car garage with an attached open space currently used as a weaving studio; this space has a bathroom with a shower and a private stone patio. A second pathway cuts through a garden with raised planter boxes and leads to the saltwater swimming pool. The pool and other parts of the yard are shaded by mature oak trees.

Taxes: $42,347 (estimated, but the home is eligible for reduced property taxes based on the Mills Act)

Contact: Char Michaels, Michaels + Associates, Keller Williams Ojai, 805-620-2438; ojaihomes4sale.com


This house is one of several colorful Victorian homes on its block in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood. It is half a block from Fillmore Street, the area’s main drag and home to restaurants, boutiques and several organic markets; historic Japantown is three blocks to the south. The property is also within easy walking distance of the Mount Zion branch of the UCSF Medical Center, and a five-minute drive from the UCSF Laurel Heights Campus. Three parks — Alta Plaza Park, Raymond Kimbell Playground and Lafayette Park — are a 10-minute walk.

Size: 3,445 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,160

Indoors: Painted balustrades frame the stoop that leads from the street to the home’s red front doors, which have an original glass transom set above them.

The entry hall connects the main living spaces. The first doorway on the right leads to the living room, which has a street-facing bay window and a delicate metal-and-glass chandelier, as well as silver-toned wall sconces. This space is open to the dining room, which has a similar chandelier. Original columns and crown moldings appear in both areas. Across the hall from the dining room, tucked underneath the main staircase, is a wet bar with glass shelving and wood-and-marble counters.

The dining room is connected to the kitchen, which can also be reached from the main hallway. The owners added new stainless steel appliances, including a Wolf range and a separate wine refrigerator. Open shelving runs along one side of the room.

This house, a block north of Montana Avenue, was previously owned by a set designer who worked to preserve many of its original details, including fireplaces, stained-glass windows and wrought-iron fixtures. The neighborhood is family-friendly; shops and restaurants are nearby on Montana Avenue. The Aero Theatre, a 1930s movie theater restored in 2005, is a five-minute walk from the house, as is a Whole Foods supermarket. Will Rogers State Beach is 10 minutes away by car, as is downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade shopping district.

Size: 3,555 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,118

Indoors: A low adobe-style wall separates the front lawn from the street, and a stone pathway leads to the entry, which has a wrought-iron gate and the original wooden front door.

The small foyer has Spanish-tile floors. It opens to the dining room, which, like the rest of the house, has refinished hardwood floors. To the right of the dining room is a formal living room with a stucco fireplace trimmed in brick and original stained-glass windows.

To the left of the dining room is the kitchen, remodeled by the current owners. The countertops are marble, and built-in bench seating creates a breakfast nook on one side of the room.

A hallway connects the dining room to the rest of the house. On the right side of the hall, glass double doors lead to a home office; on the left side is a guest bedroom with decorative wood paneling. Also off the hall is a peach-and-yellow-tiled bathroom.

At the end of the hall is a bright family room that opens to a central courtyard. Arched double doors on the left side of the family room open to a master bedroom with a built-in storage bench, a large walk-in closet and an en suite bathroom with built-in vanities, an imposing chandelier and a steam shower with an arched glass door and window.

A tiled hallway off the family room leads to a guest bedroom with an en suite half bathroom and an indoor Juliet balcony. This bedroom and the master suite have access to the central courtyard.



Sahred From Source link Real Estate

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