The Home Page | Leopard Print, Modern Zen, and a Sunday Stroll

Credit: Imani at Home

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on January 11, 2026. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter

Over on Home-ish, Imani, our favorite DIY-er, has a fun origin story about this gorgeous leopard print armchair in her apartment living room. She bought it for $50 at an estate sale because she knew she could turn it into something special, and then lived with the busted version for months while it haunted her. Until now! She proclaimed 2026 as the year to finish projects. She shares her process, her tips, and her before, during, and afters:

Using a technique called The Done List, she started this project on the second Friday in January — a k a “quitters day” — to prove that instead of dropping a pile of resolutions, she would prove to herself that she could finish her first project of the year. And voila!

THIS WEEK’S COVER HOME:

The gorgeous home on our cover this week had me at “miles of scenic hiking trails,” then sealed the deal with “golden sunset vistas.” They know my priorities! Known as Modern Zen, 1367 Via Veneto more than earns its name. Step through the oversized glass front door and you’re greeted by jaw-dropping views of the Santa Ynez mountains, framed by soaring wood-beamed ceilings and walls of glass. An accordion-style glass wall pulls the outdoors in, while a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and sleek gourmet kitchen keep things cozy and chic inside. The main residence offers five bedrooms — including a luxurious prime suite — plus a fully separate, beautifully appointed casita, perfect for guests or rental income. With serene beauty at every turn and elegant luxury throughout, this home truly feels like a zen retreat. And I haven’t even mentioned the pool:

Swoonworthy through every season. Offered by Chase Enright at $5,895,000 — which beats anything remotely similar in Montecito or Hope Ranch.

TODAY’S FEATURED OPEN HOUSE:

If you know downtown Santa Barbara, then you know Brinkerhoff Avenue. Brimming with cuteness, just two blocks from State Street, Brinkerhoff is a protected historic district with a collection of turn-of-the-century residences and antique shops with original “Santa Barbara sandstone” curbs and white picket fences. If you don’t know Brinkerhoff, you’ll get your chance to know it today: 532 Brinkerhoff Avenue is an 1887 Victorian home that has been owned by the same family for nearly 70 years. Behind the main house sit two more units on a rare C-2 zoned parcel, meaning options for hospitality, rental units, or creating a generational family compound. Offered at $2,395,000 by Deborah Samuel, and open today from noon til 3. Take a walk downtown and swing by; this house is well worth a visit.

THIS WEEK’S OPEN HOUSES:

We’ve gathered more open homes for you to tour today. Take a peek right here.

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:

For all of us who love a deeper dive into different places and neighborhoods — and especially for all of my fellow Gauchos — this week’s cover story “Welcome to Isla Vista” is a must read. On the real estate side, we’ve got housing info galore, plus plenty of pretty pictures. Thank you for making The Home Page part of your Sunday!