Make Myself at Home: Spanish-Style Cottage in San Roque

Address: 2900 Puesta Del Sol

Status: On the market

Price: $985,000

I love a house with historically accurate details, and Santa Barbara has no shortage of them. I sometimes get a little presumptuous, though. I catch myself looking for specific features as I walk through a home, anticipating what I’m likely to see next. So I’m delighted each time a house reminds me that I haven’t seen it all. When it stays true to its time period but throws me a curveball by surprising me with something unexpected. That’s what happened when I visited a cute Spanish-style home on Puesta Del Sol in San Roque last week.

This two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath home is set on a corner lot in a section of San Roque where tidy streets are lined with small craftsman, Tudor, and other distinctive-styled houses built in the late ’20s and early ’30s, forming arguably one of the cutest neighborhoods in Santa Barbara.

Built in 1930, the home at 2900 Puesta Del Sol is quintessentially Spanish in style, with a red-tile roof, a white stucco exterior with dark green trim, and wood-framed windows topped with matching cloth awnings. The one-story house is set back from the street, with a big lawn in the front, interspersed with hedges, aloe plants, and cacti on the sides and around to the back.

A low wall across the front of the house forms a long covered porch edged with blooming bougainvillea, which provides a touch of privacy yet still feels open to the vibrant street.

My walk along the porch gave me time to properly admire the details of the arched wooden front door. Outfitted with a mail slot, a brass knocker, and even a peekaboo window, the door opens to reveal the living room to the right, the bedroom area to the left, and the dining room and kitchen straight through.

A striking beamed ceiling in the living room and curved archways leading between the main rooms continue the subtle Spanish-influenced style. I could see that this home would provide plenty to admire.

I started to the left with the bedroom wing. Big windows and hardwood floors keep both bedrooms light and bright, and oversized closets in both were a surprise for a house of this era. The full bathroom in between the bedrooms has been updated with dual pedestal sinks, all-white tile, and a glass brick-walled shower enclosure.

Back in the living room, I noted its open, airy feel, with windows on the front and side walls, plus French doors out the back. Original period wall sconces and a subtle white mantle sit above a fireplace lined with ceramic tiles in a dusty pink hue. Yes indeed, a pink fireplace! I was pretty sure that, no matter what came next, I had found my favorite feature of the house.

Walking through the living room toward the dining room, a wall niche built into the archway between the two rooms is a delightful touch that is both functional and decorative. The dining room has a second set of French doors leading to a sunny outdoor brick patio.

Through another archway lies the kitchen, where white wood cabinets are offset by a bright-red counter and backsplash. On the far wall, past an area large enough for a breakfast table, glass-fronted cabinets frame another door out to the patio.

On the other side of the kitchen, a half bath and utility area offer yet another back door leading outside to the detached garage. This is where I discovered my next treasure. On the exterior wall of the house, a small cabinet at eye level identifies itself as a milk receiver, proclaimed in embossed letters still visible inside the metal door. Back in the day, a bell on the wall nearby allowed the milkman to announce his deliveries. This cute touch is in perfect condition, with a milk-bottle graphic on the outside of the cabinet as well.

The entire outdoor patio area is lovely, bordered on two sides by tall hedges and on the other two by the L-shape of the house. When the French doors are open, both the living and dining rooms seem to extend out onto the patio and bring the outside in.

With a pink fireplace, a metal milk receiver, and five separate entrances, there was plenty that surprised me about this house. I had expected to appreciate its sturdy bones, sunny corner location, and delightful San Roque neighborhood. The unexpected details just gave me even more to love.

2900 Puesta Del Sol is currently for sale in Santa Barbara, listed by Phil Shirinian and Chamise Morgenrath of Sotheby’s International Realty. Reach Phil at 805.637.8722 or Phil.Shirinian@sothebyshomes.com. Reach Chamise at 805.453.5860 or Chamise.Morgenrath@sothebyshomes.com.