Honey_House_Hero@2x-Front Entrance

Quarry HOUSE

Design Challenge

How did the architects update a rural cabin for contemporary living while respecting its bohemian past?

Design Solution

The architects worked in collaboration with interior designer Tamara Honey, founder of House of Honey, to modernize a humble 1950s wood cabin set in a rock quarry between the Santa Barbara foothills and Santa Ynez mountain range. Grand boulders surround this single-story residence with enhanced wrap-around wood deck. A long hallway links both sides of the home, from remodeled kitchen and living spaces to a new voluminous master suite addition.Honey House reflects the artistic and Zen qualities of the area’s past—a place once inhabited by a collective of bohemian poets, writers, and artists—by maintaining original elements and reusing stone found onsite. Preserving its local heritage, the home also shares the same quarry stone as the nearby 1956-built Buddhist complex designed by famed Santa Barbara architect Lutah Maria Riggs.The retreat-like dwelling features expertly detailed, well appointed interiors, including bright rooms with birch-veneered ceilings, custom cabinetry and woodwork, and hand-selected furniture. Large segmented windows offer 360-degree views of the surrounding oak forest. The architects added a stepped pathway and serene garden courtyard to connect the home to a new pool and guesthouse. 

Honey House-2-Site Plan

Project Data

LOT SIZE
43,585 sf
PROJECT SIZE
2,435 sf
CONSTRUCTION COST
$3 Million
LOCATION
Santa Barbara, CA
PRINCIPAL
Josh Blumer, AIA
PROJECT MANAGER
Glen Deisler, AIA
DESIGN TEAM
Clay Aurell, AIA | Robert Pester | Joel Herrera | Amy Tripp
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
J Weir Masterworks | Jed Hirsch General Building Contractor
MEP
Mechanical Engineering Consultants
INTERIOR DESIGNER
House of Honey
Landscape Architect
Progressive Environmental Industries
Structural Engineer
Darkmoon Building Design and Engineering
Honey House-3-Side from Garden
Honey House-4-NW Facade
Honey House-5-Courtyard from Garden
Honey House-6-NE Facade, Courtyard and Guesthouse
Honey House-7-Master Suite from Guesthouse
Honey House-8-Guesthouse and Master Suite
Honey House-9-Master Suite from Deck Cropped
Honey House-10-Master Suite Sitting Area
Honey House-11-Guest House Living Room
Honey House-12-Main Residence Hallway
Honey House-13-Main Residence Living Area
Honey House-14-Main Residence Kitchen
Honey House-15-NW Facade of Guest House
Honey House-16-Pool and NE Facade