Make Myself at Home: Carpinteria Home & Garden Tour

My mom, Sally, is the busiest retired person I know. She works part-time, volunteers at the Carpinteria Library, and offers to help with any worthy cause. She says she’s surrounded by like-minded people and that this spirit of volunteerism is one of the things that makes Carpinteria special. She and her friends enjoy their book club, soup club, plays, concerts, and museums. Did I mention that Mom is also a volunteer ambassador in downtown Carpinteria, answering questions and helping visitors enjoy her beachside hamlet?

When I mentioned to Mom recently that I was featuring the Carpinteria Home & Garden Tour in an upcoming column, I was not at all surprised that her response was “Oh, that’s great! I’m volunteering at one of the houses again this year.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the tour, held on the last Saturday in April in conjunction with Carpinteria Beautiful month. The tour is a fundraiser for projects such as murals and other area beautification efforts.

Five houses will be featured on this year’s tour, showcasing a variety of styles, sizes, and settings reflective of the area. Carpinteria is home to luxurious mansions, foothill farmland, and idyllic beach cottages. The tour provides a glimpse into this diversity, including:

• A contemporary French country home in the foothills features an opulent master suite and a separate guest house and office. The gourmet kitchen, with custom cabinetry and exquisite attention to detail, is another highlight.

• A mid-century modern home is nestled among sycamore and oak trees in a beautiful creek-side setting. This three-bedroom, two-bath home was designed by area architect Don Benson in 1961 and recently renovated.

• The Seacoast Village community is represented by a three-bedroom, two-bath, Cape Cod–style home with Brazilian cherry wood floors, vaulted ceilings, and a pergola.

• At 900 square feet, a second-story artists loft located in the heart of downtown Carpinteria is the smallest house on the tour. Its owners have transformed this working studio into a stylish, energetic space.

• Last, but not least, is a 10-acre avocado ranch set on the crest of a hill with sweeping ocean views. Down a private lane, this four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home was designed for entertaining, with high ceilings, an open floor plan, and large windows emphasizing the views. An expansive pool terrace is a focal point of the property, and one not-to-be-missed feature is the backyard yurt, offering a unique glamping experience. The photos shown here are of this property.

If you attend the tour this Saturday, you’re sure to find a home to fit every taste and every lifestyle. If you visit the house on the avocado ranch, make sure to check out the yurt, enjoy the views, and say hello to Sally — that’s my mom. She’ll be the energetic one running around, being helpful, and making friends.

The Carpinteria Home & Garden tour is Saturday, April 29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets are $30 and are available at carpinteriabeautiful.org, at the Thursday Carpinteria Farmers’ Market, and at store locations throughout Carpinteria. Homes on the self-guided tour can be visited in any order. For more information, visit the website or call chair Donnie Nair at 684-9328.