Our California Bungalow

Soon after we launched our online business here at The Santa Barbara Company, we realized we needed a “bricks and mortar” location where local folks could come pick up their orders and browse our wares first hand. It wasn’t long until we discovered the perfect historical bungalow on Victoria St, just up from the famous Santa Barbara Courthouse, to serve as our headquarters and showroom.

Before moving in, we refinished the original fir floors and applied fresh coats of paint inside and out, choosing the exterior colors from a palette of original craftsman’s colors. We laid a new front walkway in brick and painted the matching porch pillars a rich terra-cotta color. We restored the front porch and front rooms to their original integrity. All the charming built-in shelves and cubbies, even the bench just inside the front door, are perfect for displaying the local products we carry.  We think the charming bungalow must now look almost as it did when the first occupants entered the front door.

Santa Barbara’s history has always fascinated us. Five generations of our family have lived in Santa Barbara and we love Santa Barbara architecture...from the Spanish adobes to classic Victorians. Our bungalow is one of three similar houses standing side by side.  The two at each end are mirror images of one another. They have incredible touches, from the stately columns on the front porch to lovely elaborate moldings inside. However, we’d been given different information about it’s precise architectural style and date.

To answer some of our questions, we called in the “master sleuth,” Alexandra Cole, the historical consultant behind Preservation Planning Associates.  Alex determined from early maps and later from city directories that the three structures were built in 1917.  The bungalows replaced a Victorian house and a carriage and equestrian stable.  Alex confirmed that the bungalows are definitely craftsman style. Mystery solved!

Come by and see us soon at 214 E. Victoria Street and enjoy our lovely new home!