Residential Architect in Santa Barbara CA

At Dean Larkin Design, every project begins with understanding how our clients live and how design can enhance their daily experience. In our work as residential architects in Santa Barbara CA we bring our Los Angeles expertise in contemporary, luxury residential design to this distinct region — creating homes that capture the city’s sunlight, landscape, and sense of effortless elegance. From downtown Santa Barbara to the Riviera and Montecito, our projects balance architectural refinement with livability and light.

Located about 95 miles northwest of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, California (Zip codes 93101 – 93111) is often called “The American Riviera,” a coastal city where Mediterranean beauty meets relaxed California sophistication. Nestled between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, the area is known for its temperate climate, lush foothills, and striking ocean views.

Santa Barbara’s architectural identity took shape after the 1925 earthquake, when local architects and planners, including George Washington Smith and Bernard Maybeck, unified the city under the Spanish Colonial Revival aesthetic. White stucco walls, red tile roofs, wrought-iron balconies, and sheltered courtyards became hallmarks of its enduring character.

You can see this influence throughout the city in landmarks such as:

• Santa Barbara County Courthouse (1929) – a celebrated example of Spanish Colonial Revival design
• El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park – preserving early adobe structures from the 18th century
• Lobero Theatre -rebuilt in 1924 and still a downtown cultural anchor

We honor that legacy while designing for the present — combining traditional craftsmanship with modern lines, generous openings, and seamless indoor-outdoor flow suited to Santa Barbara’s climate and lifestyle.

Each home is guided by its site — the slope of the hills, the path of the sun, the texture of surrounding vegetation. Our process combines careful study with creativity, ensuring that every detail serves comfort, proportion, and place.

• Respect for Setting – Designs shaped by topography, mature trees, and natural views.
• Indoor-Outdoor Living – Sliding walls, patios, and courtyards that extend daily life outdoors.
• Sustainable Choices – Daylighting, natural ventilation, and enduring materials suited to the coast.
• Collaborative Process – Partnering with local consultants and boards experienced in Santa Barbara’s Design Review and Historic Landmarks procedures.

From hillside residences with panoramic views of the Pacific and distant island horizons to intimate courtyard homes near Mission Canyon or the Montecito coastline, our designs reflect both setting and individuality.

Dean Larkin Design’s portfolio includes:

• Custom residences with open plans and coastal orientation
• Renovations and additions that balance historic character with modern living
• Boutique commercial spaces for hospitality, retail, and art

Architecture, for us, is never arbitrary. It begins with intention and culminates in spaces that are personal, timeless, and deeply connected to their site. In Santa Barbara, this means designing homes that embrace natural light, ocean views, and effortless flow between indoors and out.

Our process is collaborative from start to finish. We listen carefully to your aspirations, respond to the constraints and possibilities of your lot, and translate both into a home that feels destined for its place by the sea.

Since 1999, Dean Larkin Design has crafted luxury residences throughout Southern California. This modern architecture firm maximizes the intrinsic potential of a location while meeting each client’s specific lifestyle, business or institutional needs. Dean Larkin Design is very familiar with both historical and contemporary homes in So Cal and the entire Los Angeles area. For a residential Architect in Santa Barbara CA whose design is modern and innovative, unlocks your location’s innate potential by making specific use of light, views and more, and is uniquely designed for the way you live, contact us for a consultation.