Siteline | Jeff Shelton’s Pistachio House in Downtown Santa Barbara

Noteworthy new listings….

In 2002, the owners of the Santa Barbara Pistachio Company commissioned architect Jeff Shelton to build a residence on the vacant lot behind their commercial building at 407 State Street. The result, 12 W. Gutierrez Street ($5.395 million), was subsequently christened the Pistachio House. The current owners, who paid $4.888 million in March 2022, desheltonized the place a bit, particularly in the bathrooms, but it’s still very much recognizable as one of his works. (Charming details abound.) There’s one bedroom on the ground floor; two en suite bedrooms above it; and a living room, dining area, and kitchen on top, all connected by two staircases—one indoor, one outdoor—and an elevator. (Oh, for a powder room on that top floor.) None of the rooms are huge, but outdoor areas are everywhere, including, most appealingly, a courtyard with a majestic palm. The commercial units are part of the package, but unconnected to the house; 407 State Street is home to tattoo artists on the ground floor and a piercing studio above.

················

One look at the Garbo facade of 1988 Inverness Lane ($9.995 million) and you know something interesting must be inside. Sure enough, the 1973 three-bedroom is built around a glamorous courtyard pool, with floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere. The sellers paid $5.85 million in August 2023 and gave the Palm Springs bones a Miami Beach makeover—white on white on white, the better to serve as a backdrop for art. The house is striking and undeniably fabulous, but there’s not a ton of space (2,634 square feet) or yard (it bears repeating that Birnam Wood acreage numbers tend to include golf course). I’d screen the side facing golfers—not necessarily with a thick hedge of pittosporum, but maybe some olives. Giving the impression that you care about privacy can be enough to discourage people from peering in. P.S. I don’t know that I’ve seen a Baja shelf in a hot tub before.

················

Proximity to Montecito Union School is the main draw at 420 Seaview Road ($5.5 million), a cute 1977 three-bedroom on .12 acre, but the layout—the two guest rooms are on the lower entry level, and the primary is on the top floor—is friendlier to a family with older kids. Make that a single-parent family with older kids, because the primary bath and closet are better suited to one person than two. Nonetheless, this should be a hot commodity.

················

120 Olive Mill Road ($3.55 million), a couple of houses above the roundabout, is for sale by owner, grammar and photos be damned: “We are selling as is .it’s in a fantastic location near butterfly beach next to cost village road and is in the montecito union school district [….] It’s ready fresh for renovation custom built to your liking. Put new flooring. Expand the kitchen. add two rooms maybe a ADU remodel the bathrooms. There is ample room .limited to your imagination.” FSBO is a tough slog, but there’s so little in Montecito at this price that someone may bite.

················

There’s unexpected style at 95 Saint Joseph Street ($2.395 million), a 1985 ranch house (with apartment above the garage) on four acres in Los Alamos. I’m thinking especially of the dramatic guest room and the concrete arc around the fire pit. Just imagine, an eight-minute walk to Bell’s….

················