Other homes on the tour include the “Baker House,” home of Carlos and Vicki Ojeda at 525 E. Main St.; the “Cauch Family House,” home of Gary and Gloria Prentiss at 733 E. Santa Paula St.; the “Teague Mansion,” home of Jock and Jacki Hamilton at 7 McKevett Heights; and the “First House on the Hill,” home of Delton Lee and Margaret Johnson at 14 McKevett Heights.Tickets for the Houses of History Tour are $15 in advance and $18 on the day of the tour available at any of the houses. Advance tickets may be purchased in Santa Paula at the Hospice office located at 133 N. Mill St.; The Mill, at 212 N. Mill; The Santa Paula Times, 944 E. Main St.; and the Whistle Stop Café at 10th and Main. Tickets are also on sale in Fillmore at Mirage (326 Central) and the antique Attic (508 Santa Clara), and in Ventura at Garden Memories (424 E. Main St.) and Ventura Florist (2338 E. Main St.). For more information call the Hospice office at 525-1333.All proceeds from the tour support the hospice program as outlined in the Mission Statement: The Home Support, Inc./Hospice of Santa Clara Valley provides emotional, social and spiritual support to persons with health issues and life-limiting illnesses. The patient and family are the unit of care, with trained volunteers placed to provide respite and other services as appropriate. Bereavement support is provided for the community at large. All services are free.
Spanish Revival Home, Jim Luttjohann and Steve Eddy, owners
April 26, 2002
Santa Clara Valley Hospice Houses of History Tour Sunday, April 28, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m
Santa Paula News
Don’t be deceived by the modest façade of this Spanish Revival house located at 815 McKevett Road. Designed by local architect Roy Wilson, it was built in 1929 for Frederick Metta, manager of the Ventura County Citrus Association. As it sits serenely behind a sweeping lawn and lush landscaping, it embodies what newcomers from the Midwest during the 1930s envisioned as part of the “California Dream.”
Don’t be deceived by the modest façade of this Spanish Revival house located at 815 McKevett Road. Designed by local architect Roy Wilson, it was built in 1929 for Frederick Metta, manager of the Ventura County Citrus Association. As it sits serenely behind a sweeping lawn and lush landscaping, it embodies what newcomers from the Midwest during the 1930s envisioned as part of the “California Dream.”After ascending the curving tile steps from the street, you approach the handsome wood door and see on your right the inner patio that is hidden from the street by a bougainvillea-covered wall. Owners Steve Eddy and Jim Luttjohann had their sights set on the house for some time before it went on the market three years ago. Ever since they moved in they have worked removing layers of wallpaper and paint, sanding, repainting and refinishing to bring back their concept of the original character and beauty of the house. It is now the perfect setting for their eclectic collection of Mission furniture, antiques from different eras, and artwork.Among the paintings that grace the home are two Douglas Shively’s and two Bert Collins’. Hanging over the fireplace is a Navajo rug from the 1920s that Steve inherited from his grandmother. On the floor is a Persian rug. The dining room, across from the sunken living room, features Stickley chairs, a “side by side” cabinet and secretary in the Arts and Crafts style by Limbert, and old church pews against two walls. In the main bathroom, the wall color was carefully selected to compliment the colors of the original floor and wall tiles. The light fixtures, though not original, are in the style of the period. Among the beautiful furnishings in the bedrooms and office are a Stickley bed, a handmade quilt, a Korean wedding chest, Chinese camphor wood chests, a child’s wood painted screen, and artwork by Lisa Kelly and Charles Fulmer.As you exit the house through the French doors in the office/workroom, you can cross the driveway and go up the staircase on the side of the garage to the apartment above. Jim spent considerable time and thought in the renovation of the apartment to make it an inviting retreat for his mother when she comes to visit. The tiles on the kitchen counter and in the bathroom were custom made at the RTK Studios in Ojai and at B & L Tile in Los Angeles. They are reproductions of Catalina tile from the era of the home’s construction. He even hung a collection of his mother’s paintings on the walls. A final touch is the delightful window seat with a view of South Mountain.
