A good color combination would be white for the exterior, with all exposed woodwork, such as garage doors, stained tobacco brown. The terrace rail and the spiral stair should be tile red. Inside, the most restful finish would be flat paint in a pastel blue or green, which is easy on the eyes in a location where there is so much bright sunlight.
The owner’s bedroom, with dressing room and closet, and the bath adjoining, make a very convenient unit away from the rest of the house. A wide closet in the living room will hold one or more roll-away beds for extra guests. Also, note the spacious woodbox which can be stocked from the garage.
The dining terrace, with its decorative tree, is protected from the wind. From here the spiral staircase leads to the sun deck over the bedroom.
The fireplace is a rather necessary feature even in warm climates. It is of stucco over concrete blocks. The designer has suggested a novel idea in this connection: to insure a cool air space between the ceiling and roof in summer, a ventilator is run from the ceiling up the chimney stack.
a CABAÑA—MEXICAN TYPE
The inspiration for this charming little house has come down through the years from designs used so well by the early Californians, many of whom brought with them the traditions of their Mexican and Spanish ancestry. While the architect, Arthur L. Herberger, of Los Angeles, specified this as a stucco dwelling, a favorite medium for this type of house, it would be an ideal design to work out in adobe, such as the builders of other days would have used. As in so many of these old houses, the front entrance has an air of welcome, but the patio for private gatherings is placed at the rear, away from general view.
Adobe clay can be found in many parts of the West, and if your property happens to have a bed of this earth, the house can be built for very little if you do all the work. When all labor is hired, however, adobe is frequently more expensive than some other types of construction. Properly cured adobe blocks last for centuries.
Two treatments can be suggested for the front entry. It might be framed with brightly colored Mexican tiles set into the stucco or adobe, or the lintel and sides might be made of heavy hewn timbers.