Thirty, Flirty And Thriving

Author:Abigail Stone

A thirty-year-old, Spanish Revival-style home in Montecito enjoys a facelift that breathes new life into its interiors, courtesy of Lindsay Marcus Interiors

“The house hadn’t been renovated since it was originally built in the nineties,” says Lindsay Marcus of Lindsay Marcus Interiors of this Spanish Revival home in Montecito. Many of the finishes felt heavy and dark. Wrought iron fixtures contributed to the oppressive feel of the interiors. The kitchen cabinetry, the bathroom tiles, and the reddish hue of the textured wood floor would need to be replaced. “The house needed a thoughtful and comprehensive update.”

“We’re focused on creating spaces that are timeless, personal and connected to their surroundings,” Marcus shares, illuminating the firm’s philosophy. “We believe a home should reflect the people who live in it while working in harmony with its architecture and landscape.” The firm emphasizes natural materials, thoughtful layering and intriguing juxtapositions. “We love the contrast of old and new, refined and rustic, structure and softness and the richness of texture,” she says. “We’re driven by a desire to craft interiors that feel enduring and that evolve gracefully and beautifully over time.”

The house—situated on a magnificent piece of property—had the strong, Spanish Revival architectural bones. Populated by ancient oak trees, it boasted sweeping view of the mountains. “It had a beautiful, open flow,” says Marcus. High ceilings and exposed wood beams span the entry, family room and formal living room, creating a sense of spaciousness and warmth. The trick would be to amplify its best features, creating an elevated and comfortable space that would be an inviting place for family to gather. “They were hoping to strike a balance, embracing an aesthetic that felt curated refined but also relaxing and livable,” Marcus says. 

Originally, Marcus had hope to reclaim or repurpose some of the home’s original finishes. “We tried to strip and refinish the floors but it was futile,” she admits. Once that experiment failed, it was clear that the team’s efforts should be directed towards sourcing and replacing the home’s finishes rather than trying to salvage them. “We started by swapping out the wood in the entryway for limestone,” Marcus remembers. That update immediately brightened and modernized the home. “It gave us the drama and freshness we needed.” It also served to jumpstart their work on the rest of the rooms. 

Marcus was able to incorporate many pieces from the wife’s collection of vintage and antique furniture and accessories into the redesign. They repurposed items including the dining room’s antique chairs and the Guillerme and Chambron chairs in the formal living room. “We also amplified her collection, sourcing a number of wonderful finds,” says Marcus. Some of the new items, like the wrought iron lanterns in the kitchen and dining rooms, nod to the home’s original heavy wrought iron designs.

The unusually shaped dining room presented one of the home’s biggest challenges. “It had a long, oddly placed mantelpiece that spanned a diagonal wall, making the space feel disjointed and dated,” Marcus recalls. “It took some creative problem-solving on our part, but we solved it,  designing a beautiful custom Calacatta Monet marble mantelpiece that replaced the original shelf and nodded to the stone we used in the kitchen.” The new mantelpiece completely altered the room’s proportions, washing the space with grace and refinement. Repositioning the light fixture over a new, long oval dark wood dining table confirmed the beauty and harmony of the new layout. With these changes, what was once the most awkward room in the house became its most elegant, ready to host at a moment’s notice. The result is a home that feels modern, elevated and inviting. “It was a joy to see it all come together,” says Marcus.