Harold S. Gladwin Residence, Tea House, 780 El Bosque Road, Montecito, Santa Barbara County, CA

Significance: In 1985, the Lovelaces decided to build a small building adjacent to the pool to entertain friends, change clothes, and shower. Isabelle Greene considered and rejected the idea of a stucco building corresponding with the architecture of the house. Instead she proposed a "folly" in the form of a Japanese tea house that would blend more appropriately with the woodland site. In collaboration with Andy Neumann, a local architect, a Shoji-shuttered building with a typical Japanese style roof was conceived. Its shape and 2-level engawa decking were Isabelle's design: the interiors and engineering were by the architect. Separated visually from the house, the tea house functions also as a secluded guesthouse that creates a serene and private space at a slight elevation above the naturalistic pool.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N148
Survey number: HALS CA-129-A
Building/structure dates: 1985 Initial Construction