Neighbourhoods we serve
Homes in Montecito
Montecito’s estates include Mission Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Monterey Revival houses. Architect George Washington Smith, credited with popularising Spanish Colonial Revival, designed Casa del Herrero (1925) here: white stucco walls, wrought-iron window grilles and red tile roofs.
The Montecito Architectural Guidelines, administered by the Montecito Board of Architectural Review, favour muted colours that blend with the landscape, the same colours on every side of a building, and no highly reflective materials. Check with County Planning before a colour change.
Climate and coatings
Onshore breezes keep Montecito cooler in summer and milder in winter than inland areas, and walls shaded by oaks and hedges can stay damp under the marine layer. A bleach wash before painting and a paint with mildew-inhibiting agents help there (Sherwin-Williams).
Wildfire ash should be cleaned off damp, never blown with a leaf blower, as Santa Barbara County advised after the 2017 Thomas Fire.
Sources: Montecito (Wikipedia) · Casa del Herrero (Wikipedia) · Montecito Architectural Guidelines · Santa Barbara County APCD: ash cleanup · Sherwin-Williams: mildew