Spanish Homes For Sale
What Is A Spanish Home?
- Spanish Colonizers of the 1600s – 1800s heavily influenced the Spanish Home Style.
- Most architectural examples in this area were built in between 1930- 1945
- Thick stucco coated walls and red clay tile roofs are the most recognizable hallmark
- Entry courtyards, water fountains, and second-story balconies are also common.
- Inside features include dark oak floors with inlay detail, commanding fireplaces with Arts and Crafts era tile and archways between rooms.
What Makes a Spanish Home?
Spanish homes are all about romance. The style is perfect for the sun saturated Mediterranean areas where the style originated. It is why these homes seem so comfortable in sunny Southern California!
Thick, stucco coated walls are painted bright white to reflect the sun’s heat. Entry courtyards are shaded and often included a fountain to ease the transition from the outside environment. Inside rooms are quiet and cool with plentiful windows framing views of the gardens.
Common architectural elements in a Spanish home are graceful archways between rooms, dark oak floors with contrasting inlay borders in the Living and Dining rooms, a commanding floor to ceiling fireplace and beam details in the Living room. Arts and Craft era tile surrounds the fireplace – the most coveted are picture tiles that reflect California’s history.
The entryway and stairways are often hand-colored and stamped magnesite and a few particularly fine homes enjoy wedding cake detail on the bedroom walls and ceiling. This lost art involves hand piped plaster onto the walls and ceilings exactly like the fanciful swirls and embellishments on a romantic wedding cake.
Second story balconies and sleeping porches are another coveted architectural element and add to the romance of a Spanish home.
Preserved vintage bathroom tile is more common than in other homes of this era. The best vintage tile baths have thin tiles between the border and filed tiles that depict flowers or geometric designs.
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