Far Afield: Iconic Legacy Estate in Montecito, California
The Mediterranean Revival villa was originally built in 1917 by Santa Barbara Biltmore Hotel architect Francis T. Underhill, commissioned by Hobart C. Chatfield-Taylor, a writer, and his wife, the progressive socialite and sportswoman Rose Farwell.
The Mediterranean Revival villa and gardens were inspired by Underhill’s iconic local masterpieces, Villa Solana and La Chiquita, built on land parcelled off the iconic Las Tejas Estate, one of Montecito’s Historic Estates.
A 15-year restoration to the iconic property was completed in 2017, incorporating reclaimed building materials from the 17th and 18th centuries carefully sourced across Europe.
Parquet floors with hand-cut French Oak were transplanted from historic chateaux in France and assembled onsite; antique tiles from Holland, Spain, and Italy are used throughout the interior and exterior detailing.
The entire property was fortified, lifted off its foundations to accommodate a new basement level and build a private tunnel estance for staff. The legacy property offers stunning views out over the ocean to the south and the Santa Ynez mountains to the north.
Far Afield offers 20,000 square feet of interiors with 7 bedrooms across the property, including a guest house.
Nestled in 10.5 acres in Montecito’s “Golden Quadrangle”, the property is approached via a long canopied driveway.
The lush California landscape includes citrus groves and lush Mediterranean gardens, complete with hiking paths, a chicken coop, and a peacock aviary.
The legacy property offers stunning views out over the ocean to the south and the Santa Ynez mountains to the north.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
