Your source for high quality Spanish home and landscape designs, ideas and photography- directly shared by an expert in the field. Hi my name is Jeff Doubet, and I have specialized in Spanish-style home and landscape design consulting + photography since 2003. The essence of the Creating Spanish Style Homes® book, website and blog all began with an unexpected layoff. That was something I came to really appreciate! Scroll to learn more.
The Founder of Creating Spanish Style Homes®
Jeff Doubet is a 5X nationally recognized award-winning Spanish home design expert based in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA. With over 22 years specializing in Spanish home and landscape design, his inspiring work has been extensively featured on platforms like Pinterest and Houzz, reaching millions of design enthusiasts worldwide.
Why I Share My Story Through This Blog
In 2003 I established Santa Barbara Home Design for the pure joy of specializing in Spanish-style home and landscape designs. I love living and working in beautiful Santa Barbara- and immensely enjoy the craft of it all. It’s fun to be part of a group who thrives in carrying on the distinct Spanish design traditions of our town.
The Spanish Home Design Photo Blog is where I write about my personal experiences as a designer, and share photos I have captured on site at Spanish-style home and landscape projects. Many may not know I held a California General Contractor license for 10 years. Although I have retired that license, in each post you will learn my personal view on Spanish-style home design and construction.
I made this for you
I am building this website as an Encouraging and Uplifting Empower Tool for all who visit.
I am a design consultant who always carries a camera in my back pocket. It’s fun to record special moments in time – those lucky shots captured while being at the right place, at the right time. I take lots of photos, and share projects and scenes I personally find interesting.
Showcasing the process of transforming fixer upper homes and turning them into high-quality Spanish-style properties is fun. There are so many talented artisans, builders and homeowners who are enthusiastic about doing this. We all have a deep passion for designing and building these creations – like the award-winning project ABOVE.
The Creating Spanish Style Homes® blog is for visual learners
My photography and blog posts are designed to be enjoyed by all who are VISUAL LEARNERS. As an artist and creative person, I mostly think in pictures and drawings. I hope my blog will be enjoyed by Spanish home and landscape enthusiasts who appreciate beautiful imagery as much as I do. Please follow my journey! So far… 1247+ photos !
A bit about my Photography Obsession: I’ve actually been making scrapbooks and recording life on film ever since I was a kid. My first camera on that beautiful Christmas morning many decades ago kicked off a passion I continue to develop every day.
How the Creating Spanish Style Homes® website and blog Came About
Twelve years after I established my Spanish home design studio in 2003, I began to compile my in-the-trench stories, work experiences and favorite project photos. Originally, I wanted to create a unique and special Spanish Home Design Consulting Book. That beautiful book ended up taking me 3 years and 3,800 hours to BUILD.
When I finally completed the prototype in 2018, my wife Lori and I took a chance and published our 240 page Coffee Table Book. Thanks to Amazon, Creating Spanish Style Homes has been purchased all around the world. So far: 1,926 copies and counting!
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases, with no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support!
I really enjoyed the process of making a 5 Star coffee table book from scratch. So, in 2023 I created a new website and blog by the same name!
Spanish homes + landscapes: More Authentic content Continues
Since publishing Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights, I continue my storytelling process. Here, I share new inspirations, and a lot more images and design tips. Nothing is perfect… but it is authentically created, one day at a time.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
My blog is a way to share my artistic point of view on the subject of designing and building Spanish homes and landscapes. I also enjoy promoting the exceptional talent in our local independent building trades as they work on amazing projects throughout Santa Barbara and Montecito, CA.
Jeff and Lori Doubet in Santa Barbara
My life in Santa Barbara started way back in 1985 when I packed my ’56 Ford and left my hometown of Minneapolis. I can’t believe it was 40 years ago! Funny how some things never change. I continue to wear a tool belt on my own projects, and still love restoring vintage trucks. As an artist and home designer- I have hand drawn hundreds of Spanish home and landscape designs, over the past two decades. But my all-time favorite past-time is capturing personally intriguing photos of projects and people I am proud of.
Speaking of things I am proud of… In 1988, I met and married my beautiful wife Lori. She is a great guide and advisor to me as I continue building Creating Spanish Style Homes® resources.
Today, we are together 24/7. We always have some sort of project we are working on here in Santa Barbara. We also enjoy various hobbies, including traveling with our Airstream in tow.
Be sure to check in once in awhile. Lori is the love of my life, and I will continue to share personal updates now and then. For now, a couple of our Airstream adventures, and a walking tour through historic downtown Santa Barbara.
My Early Brand
The vision for my boutique Spanish home design consulting business has always been to keep it small. Santa Barbara is the perfect town to do just that. Early on, I established the brand Santa Barbara Home Design. SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com is the website.
I’ve always believed there is an art and a craft to designing and building authentic Santa Barbara Spanish-style homes + landscapes. Implementing the correct design elements and building them properly equates to a high quality end product- Your home!
My plans for growing this blog
My ongoing vision for the Spanish Home Design Photo Blog is to continue posting exclusive photo shoots filmed at rarely accessible project locations. High quality custom Spanish homes + landscapes, designed and built in beautiful Santa Barbara + Montecito, CA.
The photos and experience I share on my blog have been developed during my career and personal, one-on-one relationships with homeowners, general contractors + the artisan building trades. Everyone wants to build something great. I believe our generation continues to contribute to the history of the Santa Barbara Spanish architectural style.
About that 2003 layoff
If you’ve read this far, I appreciate it! Many do not know I am a college dropout, and never followed through on formal training in the field of Spanish home and landscape design. For each of us, life takes on twists and turns, and we never know which “thing” is going to lead to our next breakthrough.
On a couple of special pages in my book, I write about my early life setbacks that would become amazing blessings. I decided to post those pages so you can read about the roundabout way I navigated around disappointments, and ended up becoming a Spanish home designer, author and blogger. Check out page 10-11 of my Book Preview pages, HERE.
See my Spanish-style home + landscape design consulting services, fees and availability.
Jeff Doubet awards + recognition
Jeff Doubet, Founder of Creating Spanish Style Homes + Santa Barbara Home Design is a multiple design winner. View 5 Jeff Doubet National design awards at his LinkedIn profile.
Well friend, I hope you are enjoying the site and learning how to infuse more Santa Barbara Style into your own Spanish home design project. Please Scroll to explore helpful links and resources for designing and building your own Spanish-style home and landscape. Thank you for your support! Jeff Doubet