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The Design Doctor

House Hunting with a Designer’s Eye

Look past the current details to imagine your new home.

House Hunting with a Designer’s Eye
Credit: Courtesy

Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful places in the world to live. We’ve got sun, beaches, mountains, good food, great wine, and happy people. It truly is a stunning place to call home. Now that you’ve made the decision to nestle into the American Riviera, how do you create a space that reflects this laid back, sun-soaked way of life?

Starting your house hunting journey can be daunting, especially in a place with low inventory. The good news is that you don’t have to find a perfect house to have a perfect house. We have amazing properties here in town that just need a little TLC. As older homes turn over to the next generation, it opens the door to reimagine these spaces in a more updated and contemporary way.

When buyers are in the house hunting phase, the most common thing I hear them say is, “We found a home in the perfect neighborhood. We like the layout, but we hate the way it looks.” I get it. The details are the first thing you see when you walk through a house. It’s hard to look past original 1950’s finishes, cabinets that are older than you, or a ‘90’s renovation that left the kitchen looking like a throwback sitcom.