The Architects Who Built montecito (And Why we Care)

Jun 6

*A residential design for George Washington Smith (Image Source: “Lutah Maria Riggs: A Woman in Architecture, 1921-1980” by David Gebhard)*

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.

At Montecito Valley, we think about this all the time. When we walk a property with original ironwork or a low-slung ranch that melts into the landscape, we’re not just admiring style. We’re seeing the influence of the architects who defined California living.

Lutah Maria Riggs, Lutah M. Riggs House, “Clavelitos,” Montecito, Calif., 1926. Photograph by Fred R. Dapprich. Architecture and Design Collection, Art, Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara.

People like George Washington Smith, who shaped Montecito’s Spanish Revival story. Lutah Maria Riggs, who followed quietly in his footsteps while carving her own path. Paul Revere Williams, who designed thousands of homes—including for Hollywood royalty—while breaking barriers every step of the way. Julia Morgan. Cliff May. Richard Neutra. Their fingerprints are everywhere, whether you realize it or not.

They didn’t just build houses. They built a lifestyle that makes sense here. They understood cross-breezes, indoor-outdoor flow, shaded verandas, and materials that age beautifully under the sun. And they gave us something lasting: homes that feel good to be in.

The Malcolm Douglas house on Sycamore Canyon Road in Montecito was completed in 1929, and is also known as Los Suenos ("The Dreams"). George Washington Smith, architect. Lutah Maria Riggs, architect and renderer.

As realtors, we’re not just selling square footage. We’re telling a story. And in California, part of that story is who designed it, how it was built, and why it still works today.

So whether it’s a Spanish Revival estate in the hills or a mid-century modern tucked in the canyon, we’ll always be paying attention to the people who made this place what it is. And helping you find a piece of it that feels like home.