Casa del Hererro — Long Story Short

In my previous post about Santa Barbara, I quickly highlighted my tour of Casa del Hererro. The immense beauty of this Spanish Colonial landmark forced me to dedicate a post exclusively to it.

Casa del Hererro translates to "House of the Blacksmith." The original owner, Frederick Fox Steedman, was a St. Louis native who amassed his fortune by manufacturing shell casings and other metal products used in World War I. After his brother was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, Steedman moved the family to Santa Barbara to gain access to the first clinic to prescribe insulin in the United States. The family fell in love with the town and Steedman decided to buy a large lot in Montecito, just East of downtown.

Steedman in his workshop at Casa Del Herrero

Steedman adored Spain and the wanted to emulate the architectural vernacular of the country. He chose George Washington Smith to design the home in the Spanish Revival style. Smith began with multiple designs that were edited heavily by Steedman. After many drafts (and many headaches) they landed on a Moorish influenced Spanish home that would blend in seamlessly in Sevilla or Andalusia. With stucco walls, terra cotta roof tiles, wrought iron detailing, and immense amounts of lime stone trim; the Casa quietly screams Spanish Colonial.

The interior of the home is practically a museum of Spanish antiques, artifacts, and religious relics. Arthur Byne was responsible for shopping and shipping back the antiques and art that adorn the home. Byne was famous for his knowledge of European antiques and was integral in choosing and importing the antiquities held inside Hearst Castle. He imported original artwork from Spanish churches, tapestries from all over the continent, and hundreds of original doors from multiple different Spanish sites that were integrated into the design of the Casa. Alongside the decor, architectural details including plaster moulding, iron railings, and Spanish terra cotta tile ornament the home and make it feel like an authentic Spanish villa.

Antique Spanish Doors, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation — Antique Spanish Doors, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation

Living Room, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation

View into the Library, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation — View into the Library, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation

Dining Room featuring Spanish Antique Dining Set and Tapestry, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation — Dining Room featuring Spanish Antique Dining Set and Tapestry, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation

Antique Spanish Tile, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation — Antique Spanish Tile, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation

Although the house is stunning; the gardens are the true star of the show. Wandering around the grounds had me longing for a yard of my own (instead of a 3x10 balcony.) The property is divided into sections that are meant to feel like "rooms." This aspect of the design was common in Moorish landscaping, which references the style of the house. The outdoor rooms include a rose garden, bowling lawn, desert garden, citrus grove, koi pond, and multiple covered sitting areas. Although the overall plan is Moorish, the plantings are an equitable mix of European formal and California casual. The architectural elements of the garden, like the folly in the rear of the property, add to the allure of the place and round out Steedman's dream of creating a Spanish oasis.

Gate to the Desert Garden and Folly beyond

Desert Garden, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation — Desert Garden, courtesy of the Casa del Herrero Foundation

George Washington Smith clashed with Steedman for the entirety of the design process. Eventually, Smith left the project and Steedman took command over the final details of the house and gardens. This bittersweet ending to the design story of the Casa is one that shows the home's authenticity to Steedman's vision: he knew what he wanted and eventually (after much trial and error) produced a remarkable finished product.

If you'd like to tour the (not so) humble abode, you can find information about reservations here. If you aren't going to be in Santa Barbara in the near future, you can purchase the Foundation's wonderfully written coffee table book here to learn more about the secrets of Casa del Herrero.

Cheers,

Hugh