East Mountain Residence

As Tea Fire victims, a single mom and her teen boys were confronted with a project they didn’t anticipate, and initially lacked the excitement that typically goes along with designing and building a new home. In the midst of dealing with the total loss of their most treasured belongings, we helped them focus on their future, consider the most important aspects of what made their prior house a “home,” and started developing plans within a very limited budget for rebuilding their steeply sloped hillside property in the Santa Barbara foothills. With ongoing fire danger at the forefront of their minds, NMA worked closely with them, and their general contractor, to design a home that fit their busy lifestyles, didn’t exceed their constrained budget and site, and made them feel safe and protected. The exterior finishes and details of this farmhouse were chosen specifically for fire resistance – plaster with cement board battens and a standing seam metal roof, stone patios, and plaster retaining walls. Interior finishes are kept simple, with traditional details used sparingly in the primary living spaces. The open floor plan of the living spaces opens to a covered outdoor patio with a large stone fireplace, creating a bigger footprint for entertaining.