Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights

ARTIST.   DESIGNER.   CONSULTANT.

Then…  and  Now.

“I VIVIDLY REMEMBER THE BULLY TEASE.  I was 18, and we were having one of those early summer family potluck / high school grad parties.  I had just given a cheerful tour of a collection of new drawings pinned to my bedroom wall.  Now, we were out shooting hoops and flipping burgers. 

I was still waxing poetic, proudly declaring a fine art major and excited that the fall semester of my freshman year was about to begin.  That’s when he dropped the bomb.  “Ya know, Artists don’t make much money.”  Ouuuch! That blunt condescending punch went straight to my gut, and then my heart. 

Defensively and without thinking, I immediately blurted out a grand prediction.  Dead silence.  Someone quickly picked up the basketball as a scrambled attempt to diffuse the situation.  Decades later, a little bit of the chip and some of the self-doubt that had crept in that day, lingers.

There are far darker moments of personal angst and rebellious stories I could tell of the struggle between the time I dropped out of college, never having earned the degree in architecture I longed for, and the most unusual of blessings that came much later. Extravagant adventures with the rich and famous, private jets, chartered helicopters, and a trip to Spain that I will never forget.

As a person who makes a living with ideas and my imagination, I confess that these real life client experiences are rare- but they are also inspiring reminders that we are each on a quest and a personal journey with the special gifts and talents that we were given.  In other words, following our heart and dreaming big can lead us to the experiences that we would not have had otherwise.

[PHOTO] An oil painting by artist Jeff Doubét (circa 1987) Santa Barbara, California

To better know our life purpose, they say to look back at our childhood as it reveals clues to unlocking our Authentic Self… the things that will always put a skip in our step.  For me, ever since I can remember I have loved to create.  I grew up in Minnesota where my brothers and I would build forts in wide open spaces, nestled in the trees and alongside ponds.  On the coldest of winter nights I would stay indoors and sketch new compositions.

Fast forward many decades, and I am still an Artist.  I have adapted my artistic skills, became an Award-winning Designer and now design Spanish style homes and landscapes in the seaside hamlet of Santa Barbara, California.  That old favorite proverb “A picture is worth a thousand words” is an easy way to describe a key design service that I provide from a one man design studio- sharing a gift, as I transpose client dreams on to sheets of paper.

My earliest interest in building things has also followed me through life, and a deep passion for the craft continues.  It’s all about the art, and this is an important aspect when I consult on the tips and techniques I use to bring these sketches to life.  Add to the mix my childhood obsession with photography and a love of documenting a process, and I hope there is a grin as you see where I am going with all of this.

* This book contains a simple prayer, and a few timeless scripture references. Their inclusion is intended as a positive and uplifting perspective relating to the matchless gifts and talents, unique to each reader.”—Jeff Doubét, October 15, 2018

TEACHER.   ADVOCATE.   GUIDE.   A  DREAMERS INVITE

“I developed this idea book as a fun and entertaining way to learn more about Spanish style home design and creation: mostly through photos, drawings and considering the variety of insights that I present.  Fair warning:  this is not a step by step How-To Manual.  Rather, it is a highlighted overview and platform for teaching about the things I have enjoyed learning while on a long journey to becoming an award-winning Santa Barbara home designer.  It is also a way to address frequently asked questions, and common requests for additional info.     

Without that architectural degree, I have had to pull up my bootstraps and learn the craft on the fly.  Luckily I happen to have a personality that likes to learn by observation.  I enjoy the process of deconstructing the basics of what makes a project successful.  I figure that even if I stumble through another learning curve, I know I will eventually get to where I have set my mind to go.  Over the years, Lori and I have saved tens of thousands of dollars with this street-scrapper mentality.  Funny thing is, once I immersed myself in the genre, I learned that schools do not teach The Art of Spanish Charm anyway.  It is basically learned through observation and implementation, as one generation passes it down to the next.

This particular chapter in my life began in 2003 with an unexpected layoff.  I had had a long run as a successful architectural products designer.  Having worked for others all of my life, the layoff definitely caught me off balance.  But I have to admit, it was exactly what I needed.  I had become bored with my job, and it forced me to reinvent myself.

[PHOTO] ENTRADA Barcelona, Spain January 10, 2014

Ever since Lori and I were married in the late 1980’s we moonlighted after work, buying and fixing up outdated houses on our evenings and weekends.  We learned a lot while attending the School of Hard Knocks, and it was on this very foundation that I began to build the distinctive Design, Consulting & Products business that we have today.  Since 2003, I have been collaborating with clients and a unique mix of trades and suppliers.  Together, we strive to transform boring non-descript houses into beautiful homes and landscapes.  I have developed many of my skills and techniques on the job, and by observing the work of Early California Masters.  I have also surrounded myself with the very best-  a wide variety of talented independent teams and individuals, all of whom are generous in sharing their gifts and talents.

As you turn each page, my hope is that you will gain valuable perspectives for the projects that you may be contemplating.  This portfolio is a collection of snapshots: creative thoughts, collaborative ideas and discussions I have enjoyed while working with a family of like-minded individuals.  It represents tens of thousands of hours of billable design time, and includes 208 original renderings, a “Best Of ” compilation of the many hundreds of sketches I have composed over the years.  The highlighted projects are design concepts for upgrading tract homes. Some are estates, but all were diamonds in the rough.

I wanted to create a book that I would personally enjoy for the rest of my life.  So I loaded up the 230+ pages with a rich abundance of diary-style accounts, musings, favorite original designs and lots of “Before & After” photos (there are a total of 834 photos in this book).  Showcasing World Class Artisans practicing their craft, was also a must.  I consider these friends and associates among the Modern Masters of our time.  Lastly, I include some memento photos from a surprise trip back in 2014.  Inspiring images that I was able to capture while exploring intriguing towns and villages in Spain.

I encourage you to flip through the collection however you wish.  There is no particular order in how I have organized it.”—Jeff Doubét, October 15, 2018 

Jeff Doubét

Santa Barbara, California

[A JEFF DOUBÉT DESIGN RENDERING] The final, Montecito Board of Review approved design Montecito, California June 16, 2015

PARK LANE

MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA

~ 2014 ~

“At the end of a long drive, guests arrive at a magical compound with a 1920s feel to it. There is a main house, garage with guest house, and a fairy-tale Spanish style chicken coop.

I first met the client couple over the 2013 Christmas holiday. They were considering a purchase of the property, and had invited me to visit the site for a brainstorming session.

As like-minded admirers of the Early Masters in Spanish Colonial Revival style, we connected right away. Our vision was to combine our talents and take a very non-descript 1970s fixer, and morph it into an amazing Before & After story.

The goal was to make the finished home look as though it was one of the original signature estates on Park Lane.”—Jeff Doubét, October 15, 2018 

[PHOTO] BEFORE (house) Montecito, California December 15, 2013