Chelham Way
From leather-finished Jerusalem stone to elegant Chinese terracotta, Chelham Way is a masterpiece, inside and out. With structural feats and artistic conceptions unrivaled by most, this project is special to our president, Adam Graham: his team of metal, masonry, and tile artisans developed and fabricated many of the custom details and finishes, showcasing their incredible talent. The project embodies Adam’s passion for design and landscape through varying textures, colors, and custom metal and stonework. We are excited to share an exclusive glimpse inside and around this stunning Santa Barbara home.
Detail-Oriented Additions
Once inside, notice the custom alder windows and doors and commercial Chinese terracotta floor tiles – a modern stone that flaunts a grainy texture coupled with warm earth tones. Along with these primary features, the home is filled with striking gems: the native sandstone fireplace, custom wood window seat, walnut cabinet in the primary bedroom (inspired by a ship captain's quarters), and the stunning cabinetry throughout the house, fashioned by ASC’s own master carpenter, Israel Guerrero. The primary bedroom ceiling deserves special notice, which was restructured with a metal superstructure and clad with brick to create this uniquely curved ceiling.
The basement bath is inspired by a mix of Spanish, French, and Moroccan influences that originate from the rule of Austrian Archduke Maximillian I in Mexico. The historical style is carefully incorporated into the colors and Zellige tile floor, composed of stone walls - an impressive space demanding admiration for its skillful blend of history and culture.
The Hand-Crafted Kitchen
The kitchen boasts a striking hand-hammered copper range hood carefully suspended from the vaulted ceilings where vintage hand-hewn timber beams stretch from either side of the room. The backsplash is an encaustic tile, which gets its color from an ancient Greek technique in which the clay itself is tinted rather than glazed with color creating a beautiful, long-lasting pattern. The countertops are leather-finished Jerusalem stone, in a tastefully muted color to contrast with the vibrant tile and natural pine cabinets. A smaller detail, not easily missed, is the Rondel stained glass in the cabinet fronts, custom made by the Beleveldine company in southern California; these panels create the illusion of bubbles, adding a playful element to the other unique features in the room.
Bathroom Selects | Syrian & Santa Barbarian Influences
The first bath features an elegantly crafted Syrian Frieze of crown molding imported from Aleppo and fashioned from Cedarwood with a Mother of Pearl inlay. To complete this dramatic look, the stone counters and tub surround are made from a Gascoyne blue limestone, a petite fossil structure with cool beige and blue undertones, and serve as a foil to the colorfully tiled bath surround.
The master bath offers a calm sandy blue palette, with light blue tile wainscoting wrapping the room and framing the luxurious copper, free-standing tub. A Strie painting technique is used to create a faux finish above the tile that suggests a fine fabric texture–a subtle and durable alternative to wallpaper covering.
A Cloud Forest Jungle Escape
Outside, a vibrant mix of cultural influences and rare specimens create an exquisite Spanish and Latin American escape complete with Mexican endemics that replicate a semi-tropical jungle. The flagstone made up of pieces that were otherwise going to be discarded, resulted in an organic mix of warm earth tones. The beautifully wrought ironwork fences, gates, and handrail wrapping up the spiral staircase were fabricated by ASC’s metalsmiths Alex Robles and Manuel Talavera and tie the look together.
It’s hard to miss the Nepalese fig, native to Asia. The rest of the plant palette is made up of slow-growing specimens, creating a relatively low-maintenance garden, like the distinct Cycads, which are only pruned every other year.
Alejandro Robles is Arroyo Seco’s Lead Metal Fabricator. Developing his skills as a metal worker in Mexico and the United States, he has been with Arroyo Seco for over 13 years executing exceptional craftsmanship and detailed artistry in all of his work.
Arroyo Seco Construction is proud of the detailed custom work and rich blend of cultural influences throughout Chelham Way that this stunning Santa Barbara home showcases.
