We’re in the Santa Barbara Independent this week, and it feels like a full circle moment. When we launched Montecito Valley, it was with a clear vision: to create a real estate group rooted in story, guided by design, and grounded in a deep love for this community.

A century-old classic returns. After years of quiet, Ojai’s longest-standing hotel is open once again and looking better than ever. Originally built in 1919, Hotel El Roblar has been lovingly restored to honor its Spanish Revival bones while bringing a fresh sense of place.

Montecito architecture is more than just aesthetics. It’s identity. From tiled courtyards in Montecito to steel-and-glass homes in the hills, the way homes are built here reflects how people want to live: connected to the land, open to light, and grounded in a sense of place.

This past weekend, we went Behind The Hedges with our longtime friend, designer, and storyteller Malcolm James Kutner, at his home in Ojai—a place that feels less like a destination and more like a sanctuary of the soul.