Readers respond to Mystery House #9
Spanish Colonial

Mystery House #9 in Miami Springs, Florida
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Copyright © the homeowner. Published with permission

From Pat:

Your house is very beautiful. Throughout the U.S. there are many, many of these beauties. But I believe the oldest houses and ranchos of New Mexico and Arizona are the most authentic Spanish/Mexican structures, except, perhaps, St. Augustine and other parts of Florida. Many have been restored.

I would say there are two ways to restore it: Keeping it as authentic as possible, or making it more modern and convenient according to today's lifestyles, but being very discreet in the modernization. The house will be beautiful, no matter what. You are about to (or already have) embark on an exciting adventure. We have been there and done that, and it's just GREAT!

From Kathryn Masson:

The house looks to me like typical Spanish Colonial revival. The wall in front, whether original or not, resembles, in a modified and simplified form, a scalloped one that James Osborne Craig, architectural designer for Bernhard Hoffman in Santa Barbara, designed for the El Paseo complex addition and remodel of the Casa de la Guerra. The wall was part of the portioning off of Casa de la Guerra from de la Guerra Street and Plaza de la Guerra in 1922, but has since been removed. Also, there is a scalloped wall in front of Meridian Studios on de la Guerra Street, just a couple of blocks from the Casa de la Guerra. Architect George Washington Smith copied this design almost exactly from a wall he had seen in Mexico. Surrounding stucco walls are traditionally Mexican, and were often part of the 1920s Spanish colonial revival smaller homes landscaping plan.

The ship looks like the ship design for the Malibu Tile Co. That tile may be found in the Adamson House in Malibu (a museum open Tues - Sat.). I have never seen a plaster relief of the design but it is fitting.

A visit to Santa Barbara would be very inspiring for you. It is a mecca for Spanish Colonial revival architecture and ornamental detailing of the period. The city was rebuilt in the Spanish image after the 1925 earthquake which virtually destroyed the Victorian downtown core. The "battlement style" thick piers for the open carport are wonderful. Very reminiscent of those of the wall which surrounds the historic fortress-city of Old San Juan (not San Juan) in Puerto Rico.

I recommend replacing the shingles on your roof with Spanish roof tile. Gladding McBean in Lincoln, Calif. makes a great product. Don't get flashed stuff. Get the medium colored, thick, traditional, barrel-vaulted tile. I also recommend painting the house a creamy white. The idea is to grow wonderful plants nearby that can cast shadows and lend a romantic air to the hacienda!

Kathryn Masson is a former Landmark Commissioner for the City of Santa Barbara, author of a forthcoming book on Santa Barbara published by Rizzoli (due out April 2001) and co-author with Patricia Gebhard of The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Daniel and Daniel Publishers (due out August 2001).

From Paul:

That is a beautiful house and it I'm sure it will look great when it gets fixed up. I am a big fan of spanish colonial architecture...especially courtyards. Would there be any possibilities of recieveing more pictures of the other aspects of the house or any other spanish colonial homes?

From Your Guide:

For more information and photos, see Inspired by Spain

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