The Lasting Appeal of Monterey Architecture

<h1>The Lasting Appeal of Monterey Architecture</h1>Author: <a title="Kevin Bilberry" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/kevin-bilberry/19993.htm">Kevin Bilberry</a> Monterey architecture helped define the look of many Southern California cities, and is still one of the region's most popular home building styles. It's not uncommon to see entire neighborhoods of Monterey homes, especially in coastal areas where the abundantly-windowed style helps keep the ocean in clear view, and enables residents to transition easily between indoor and outdoor living. The timelessness of Monterey architecture, with its emphasis on clean, vertically-oriented features and functional layout, continues to make it an attractive choice for new home builders; Monterey neighborhoods often feature a mix of new and antique homes built to the same specifications, in a testament to the style's lasting appeal.

Monterey is a quintessential southwest coast style, but it also relies heavily on east coast building traditions. That's because the style was pioneered by an east-coaster, Boston merchant Thomas Larkin, who relocated to Monterey, California in 1939. Larkin envisioned a new home style for his new city, one that merged the New England Colonial look with adobe construction. A wealthy and influential businessman, Larkin was able to quickly channel his vision and build one of Monterey's most prominent homes. The finished product was unlike anything people in the region had seen, offering all the majesty of an eastern seaboard estate mixed with traditional southwest understated elegance and functionality. Larkin's home also introduced a new building feature in Southern California construction: second floor balconies. At the time homes with one story designs dominated the region, and the second floor balcony concept was seen as a breakthrough for lifestyle and aesthetic appeal.

As the capital of the Mexican territory of California, Monterey was an important cultural center, and the origin of many regional trends. Monterey architecture blossomed throughout Southwest California during the last years of Mexican rule, and became even more popular when California was made a U.S. state in 1849. During the Spanish Colonial revival of the 1920s and 30s when southwest building forms flourished throughout the country, Monterey architecture was one of several styles preferred by new home builders, along with Spanish mission architecture. Today Monterey homes are common in warm coastal markets from California to Florida.

Modern Monterey homes can most easily be identified by a cantilevered second-story balcony - a balcony extending from the exterior wall without ground supports, and held in place by strong beams, often backed by full length windows. Other characteristic features of the style include low-pitched gabled roofs, usually finished with shingles or tiles, and exterior stucco, adobe, or brick walls, sometimes with exposed wood beams. About the Author: Learn more about <a href="http://www.homesbylender.com/california.htm" target="_blank">California homes for sale by owner</a> at HomesbyLender.com. The website features regularly updated <a href="http://www.homesbylender.com/" target="_blank">home for sale by owner</a> listings in California and every other state in the nation - buyers and sellers interested in FSBO can use this site as their primary source.Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/the-lasting-appeal-of-monterey-architecture-339670.html" title="The Lasting Appeal of Monterey Architecture">The Lasting Appeal of Monterey Architecture</a>

Monterey architecture helped define the look of many Southern California cities, and is still one of the region's most popular home building styles. It's not uncommon to see entire neighborhoods of Monterey homes, especially in coastal areas where the abundantly-windowed style helps keep the ocean in clear view, and enables residents to transition easily between indoor and outdoor living. The timelessness of Monterey architecture, with its emphasis on clean, vertically-oriented features and functional layout, continues to make it an attractive choice for new home builders; Monterey neighborhoods often feature a mix of new and antique homes built to the same specifications, in a testament to the style's lasting appeal.

Monterey is a quintessential southwest coast style, but it also relies heavily on east coast building traditions. That's because the style was pioneered by an east-coaster, Boston merchant Thomas Larkin, who relocated to Monterey, California in 1939. Larkin envisioned a new home style for his new city, one that merged the New England Colonial look with adobe construction. A wealthy and influential businessman, Larkin was able to quickly channel his vision and build one of Monterey's most prominent homes. The finished product was unlike anything people in the region had seen, offering all the majesty of an eastern seaboard estate mixed with traditional southwest understated elegance and functionality. Larkin's home also introduced a new building feature in Southern California construction: second floor balconies. At the time homes with one story designs dominated the region, and the second floor balcony concept was seen as a breakthrough for lifestyle and aesthetic appeal.

As the capital of the Mexican territory of California, Monterey was an important cultural center, and the origin of many regional trends. Monterey architecture blossomed throughout Southwest California during the last years of Mexican rule, and became even more popular when California was made a U.S. state in 1849. During the Spanish Colonial revival of the 1920s and 30s when southwest building forms flourished throughout the country, Monterey architecture was one of several styles preferred by new home builders, along with Spanish mission architecture. Today Monterey homes are common in warm coastal markets from California to Florida.

Modern Monterey homes can most easily be identified by a cantilevered second-story balcony - a balcony extending from the exterior wall without ground supports, and held in place by strong beams, often backed by full length windows. Other characteristic features of the style include low-pitched gabled roofs, usually finished with shingles or tiles, and exterior stucco, adobe, or brick walls, sometimes with exposed wood beams.

Learn more about California homes for sale by owner at HomesbyLender.com. The website features regularly updated home for sale by owner listings in California and every other state in the nation - buyers and sellers interested in FSBO can use this site as their primary source.

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/the-lasting-appeal-of-monterey-architecture-339670.html

Article Tags: Floor Plans, Architecture, Home Design, New Home Construction, Monterey Homes

Related Articles
Related Q&A

Latest Real Estate Articles
More from Kevin Bilberry

Key Details You Must Check When Looking for Miami Apartments for Rent

By: Mark Ferrer | 04/01/2010
Hunting for Miami apartments for rent is similar to traditional home-buying insofar as that there are several considerations to take. There are, however, slight nuances between apartments and tradition homes. And to help you make your apartment hunt easier, remember these three important details.

Realtor Resolutions for Increased Success

By: Rob Thomson | 04/01/2010
There are a great many ways that a Realtor can improve themselves in the workplace like taking additional training courses and workshops, buying a professional wardrobe, or taking supplemental certification. What sort of goal you will want to partake in will depend on which parts of your career you think would benefit from a little bit of TLC.

Real Estate Predictions for 2010

By: Rob Thomson | 04/01/2010
Due to the relaxed standards required for some borrowers to get mortgages, there were an additional portion of home loans awarded where the homeowner’s ability to pay was somewhat questionable. To help avoid mortgages being given to homeowners that might not yet be ready to be able to pay for them, a boost in qualification requirements is likely to be seen this year.

St Lucia Property Offers the World without Costing the Earth

By: Mark Burns | 04/01/2010
St Lucia is one of the most dramatically beautiful of all the Caribbean islands, but its beauty is not the best known. Known for its steep hills and breathtaking valleys, both covered in lush green vegetation, St Lucia is somewhat undiscovered in comparison to the likes of Barbados. None the less, it offers some of the finest white sandy beaches, and most secluded coastal alcoves that you'll find anywhere in the world.

Home Prices Expected to Take a Tumble in the New Year

By: DB Wilson | 04/01/2010
Some of the anticipated foreclosures are also likely to be a result of some of the same issues that have been resulting in an excess of bank owned properties in this previous year. Home owners will increasingly have under water mortgages and as a result, many home owners will walk away from their homes.

Leasing and Taxes

By: james kahn | 04/01/2010
It is important to note that with leasing property come taxes that you need to pay somewhere along the way. Lease forms and tax forms are essential in the completion of a lease so that the lessor will have ample hold on his property while the lessee is able to use the said property with enough protection and security against unlawful eviction.

Rent and Forms: How do they work?

By: james kahn | 04/01/2010
In most parts of the world, renting is synonymous to tenancy agreements and there is sometimes a bunch of tenant forms that one is supposed to fill out and complete in order for the rent to be sealed. The tenant would need to review the conditions of the contract and/or agreement and suggest changes or revisions as necessary and if agreeable to both parties.

Weigh Pros and Cons of Home Warranties Before Purchasing One

By: marco | 04/01/2010
As a homeowner, you may be considering the purchase of a home warranty. When the warranties begin to expire, homeowners begin to think about home warranties as a way of protecting themselves from the expense of major repairs. If nothing else, a home warranty will give you peace of mind knowing that things are covered if the need for a major repair should arise.

Chain Saw Massacre on Your Tree

By: Kevin Bilberry | 16/10/2008 | Landscaping
If there is no alternative other than to go ahead with your addition and your problem is a tree, the best advice is to hire a professional tree-feller. Failing that, you must have insurance (both for yourself, the house and your neighbor's), you should be proficient with a chain saw or a pole saw, and hopefully you can persuade a strong friend to come over and help!

Home on the Range - Again?

By: Kevin Bilberry | 16/10/2008 | Real Estate
While rural life would be considered a nightmare by some of us, the idea of 'living in the country' is still a heartfelt dream for many. Is it really so different living in the rural areas, or is it just more peaceful with more birdsong?

Supreme Court Promotes Responsibility

By: Kevin Bilberry | 16/10/2008 | Real Estate
So you moved into your new home and it was your pride and joy - for a few days. Then you noticed that the cabinet doors weren't always flush, the plumbing started talking to you, the floorboards creaked - and suddenly the dream was a nightmare. Fortunately in these cases of this type, unlucky home-owners can now benefit from a change in the U.S. law.

Real Estate and the Online World

By: Kevin Bilberry | 16/10/2008 | Real Estate
Most Realtors® realized long ago that the internet was an amazing tool for marketing homes. It gives buyers the freedom to peruse stock in the comfort of their own homes. It allows sellers a quick resource for comparing their home with what else is out there. It allows out-of-town-ers to search for neighborhood information, and learn all about a place they've never been to. For those of us that use it, it's as though the internet was designed specifically for selling real estate. But there are s

Buyer: be Aware

By: Kevin Bilberry | 16/06/2008 | Real Estate
There is nothing worse than going into an important situation and having it turn out far different than you imagined. If you are getting ready to buy, or are maybe already in the process, make sure you don't blow it by being too naive.

Selling it on Your Own

By: Kevin Bilberry | 13/06/2008 | Real Estate
It is generally agreed that finding buyers is the biggest challenge when selling your home without an agent to represent you. Thanks to the many resources made available on the internet, marketing real estate to buyers has never been easier.

Your Second Home

By: Kevin Bilberry | 13/06/2008 | Real Estate
Sometimes it's because their lifestyle demands they have a guaranteed comfortable and accommodating place to come to whenever they want (for example, no one can tell you no pets are allowed!). Some buy a second home out of necessity because of a job that requires travel, or a spouse who works in another city.

Getting Rid of Mold

By: Kevin Bilberry | 13/06/2008 | Real Estate
Mold can be the bane of a homeowner. At its worse, it can damage the structure of a home, and cause all sorts of health problems for those living or working in the space. Even in small amounts it is unsightly and stinky. It isn't impossible to get rid of, but it does require diligence to truly overcome.