In Living Color

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"Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways," Oscar Wilde famously said. And what better way to create a warm, dynamic and unique home than to paint its walls in a multitude of brilliant hues? At least that's what Angelia and Dennis Cagan thought when they bought their brand-new, single-family abode in Santa Barbara's historic district a year and a half ago. Originally painted white from top to bottom, the interior of the couple's 3,200 square-foot, four bedroom, four bathroom house on Laguna Street is barely recognizable today, embracing as many as 35 different colors and treatments, from red, purple and orange to jade, turquoise and blue.

Living room

"I wanted to make it cheery, bright and cozy," says Angelia, a local realtor. "Our old home was much more formal, and we wanted this one relaxed and easy." For instance, the magnificent fireplace in the living room takes on a deep pink; the steps leading to the master bedroom upstairs add spark with blue, green, red, and purple tones; one of the three dining room walls invites in a warm shade of purple, while the teal green hallway downstairs surprises with a refreshing blue tint.

Dining Room


Behind the sofa in the dining area, colorful stairs
lead to the third floor.

The Cagans, who moved downtown from Hope Ranch in March 2003, say they found the three-story house in 2002 when it was still under construction.

Angelia and Dennis Cagan and Skipper

"We were looking to downsize and be closer to town, and both the place and location were perfect," Angelia allows.

Despite moving into a spanking new home, the couple instantly began adding their own personal touch to the interior, not only through color, but by trading rooms with carpet for wood floors, increasing closet space and covering the ceiling with a type of locally grown bamboo.

"Each piece is cut at least three times and then stapled with nails onto plywood," says Dennis, a venture capitalist. He adds, "It's the same kind you find in El Presidio."

Stepping through the front gate of the polished, whitewashed facade into a small, romantic courtyard, one is greeted by a charming fountain, tall plants and a great mural depicting the Mission. "Our goal was to bring some of the local history into our home," explains Dennis, who grew up in Los Angeles. From here, one may either head up a set of stairs to the front door, or step through the French doors immediately to the left into the couple's two offices, initially intended as bedrooms.

Courtyard entrance to Dennis's office

Dennis's workspace is painted in welcoming pumpkin with olive green trim, while Angelia, after decorating the two doors in her office with an array of captivating hues, decided to keep the original wall color. "This is the only room we left white," she says.

One of the home's most elaborate color designs can be found in the master bedroom on the third floor, where glowing red trim separates the soothing, medium-green walls from the ceiling, which starts off in a deep gold and lightens as it moves toward the center. The well-lit adjacent bathroom features a glassed-in shower and white porcelain tub, its only window painted mural-style to add privacy.

Master Bedroom


Master Bathroom


A view of the master bathroom's glassed-n shower.

A giant paper machete giraffe greets guests in the jumior master suite.

On the second level, a junior master suite reserved for guests boasts shades of light green and furnishings in earthy tones, in addition to mountain views and a giant paper machete giraffe. Nonetheless, the highlight of these sleeping quarters is definitely the enormous, red-colored bathroom with its chic decor and large, tempting tub in blue and yellow tile. Across from the guest room, behind three tall columns in red, blue and teal green, the dining area delights with two walls coated yellow and one purple-Dennis's favorite color. The fourth wall remains open to the yellow hallway as well as the living room, adorned with exotic artifacts, a comfy, velvety couch and the striking fireplace, painted pink with two coats of fuchsia glaze. "I've always wanted a pink fireplace," Angelia reveals. To the right, French doors lead to a big deck with barbeque and upscale patio furniture, where the Cagans often spend time with friends.

As lovely as the living- and dining room area may be, the couple admits they congregate mostly in the family room-convivial in radiant red. "After eating dinner, we typically end up here," says Dennis. The two have also adopted a habit of frequently walking downtown for a meal or movie. "Everything we need is right here; it's so easy," Dennis says. Agrees Angelia, "The first year we lived here I drove my car maybe once a week."

For many, moving from a 6,000 square-foot mansion in Hope Ranch to a much smaller house in the midst of a busy town would take some adjustment. But not for the Cagans, who love their new abode.

The family room is a favorite retreat after dinner.


The Kitchen.

"I liked the quiet of Hope Ranch, but this suits our needs better," says Dennis. Adds his wife, "Our old place was a home for our three daughters, but after they moved out, we wanted something for us, where we could enjoy ourselves and relax."

The Breakfast Room.

Another advantage of downsizing is the diminished need for constant property maintenance, Dennis points out. "We used to have a full-time gardener, and now the same guy comes just two hours a week."

The only member of the household who seems to have trouble adjusting to the new environs is Skipper, the couple's adorable, three-year-old Maltese, who feels a bit threatened by the street noise.

"Our goal was to bring some of the local history into our home."

"Ever since we moved here he's been barking a lot more," says Angelia. Still, despite its location on a heavily trafficked corner, the house feels surprisingly calm, something which visitors comment on all the time.

Needless to say, they also remark positively on the unusual and striking palette of colors. "People say it's bold, that they would never think of doing the same thing," Angelia says. "They ask me 'how did you select all these colors?' I tell them I just got as wild as I could."

If you are interested in having your home featured in "Our House" please call The Santa Barbara News-Press at 805-564-5265 or email: brown@newspress.com

Photos: Isabelle Gullö