London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 01, 2026

A Midcentury California Ranch by Cliff May

A Midcentury California Ranch by Cliff May

With four outdoor living spaces, this prefab Cliff May abode is perfect for large-scale entertaining.

Marked by timeless charm and simplicity, this California ranch house, designed by the prolific midcentury architect Cliff May, has hit the market in Tustin and comes with its original structure largely intact.

Built in 1954, this stylish three-bedroom, two-bath home boasts all the hallmarks of indoor-outdoor living with walls of glass, an open floor plan, and an abundance of space for entertaining.



Designed by the "Father of the California Ranch Home," Cliff May prefab homes, like this 1950s dwelling here, were completed in just a few days after the concrete slabs were poured.



The house ridge beam is painted black and flanked by clerestory windows above the main entrance.

As with all of Cliff May’s prefab homes, this constant connection with the outdoors gives the L-shaped house a surprisingly spacious feel that belies its 1,235-square-foot size. Moreover, its four usable outdoor spaces-including a lagoon-style pool area-offer ample space for entertaining.



Walls of glass to the left of the entrance open up to an outdoor dining area. Hardwood floors are used throughout the open-plan great room.



The outdoor dining area is accessible from the open-plan great room.

"This particular home is one that I lived in for over 10 years," says Stephen Meade, a real estate broker at The Better Living Socal Group with a penchant for Cliff May properties. "I remember buying it back in 2005 when nobody wanted it-despite a red-hot housing market, it had sat on the market 60 days.

"I initially bought it because I thought it was a cool-looking house…what I didn’t realize at the time was that the ‘Cliff May magic’ wasn’t just the aesthetics…it was the way the house lived."



A dining table to the right of entryway sits close to the kitchen tucked behind the wall.



Beautiful butcher-block countertops lend a sense of warmth to the all-white kitchen with modern fixtures.

While the home has had major sub-systems upgrades-including a new electrical panel, tankless water, and HVAC-the structure of home has been kept largely intact.



The living space is anchored by a wood-burning fireplace with a white-painted brick surround.



Accessible from the kitchen, this outdoor patio and lawn are shielded from the street corner by tall vegetation and a fence.

"There is only a very thin line between the inside and outside. And in an era when most homes had tiny, closed-off rooms, Cliff May homes were built to be wide open and for guests to meander and mingle," continues Meade.

"The signature Cliff May courtyard becomes an extension of the living room. Despite its diminutive 1,235-square-foot size, this home can accommodate parties with 30, 40, or even 50 people."



Set on a 7,875-square-foot lot, this Cliff May-designed Tustin home comes with a detached garage with two covered parking spaces.



A look at the light-filled master bedroom that's flanked by walls of glass on two sides.



A peek inside the master bathroom. The house comes with two full baths.



The second bedroom with a full-height glazing overlooks the backyard pool.



Here, a third bedroom has been converted into an office. The room faces the garage and opens up to the pool area.



A lagoon-style pool sits to the south side of the house. Tall cinderblock walls provide privacy.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Sainsbury Agrees to Sell Argos in £120 Million Deal to Private Consortium
High Court Clears Way for Construction of Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court
UK Fuel Prices Climb to Multi-Month Highs as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Disrupt Oil Supplies
Severe Summer Drought and Record Heat Put UK Harvests at Risk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces Labour Backbench Opposition Over Potential Support for New North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling
Bank of England Warns Inflation Will Stay Above 3% as Middle East Energy Shock Prolongs Cost-of-Living Pressures
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
Northern Ireland Reaches Budget Agreement on Infrastructure and Public Sector Pay
Home Office Expands Digital Border Checks Nationwide
UK Approves Major North Sea Wind and Carbon Capture Project
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
Scotland Approves Major Renewable Energy Expansion
UK and United States Sign AI and Semiconductor Cooperation Pact
UK Treasury Tightens Fiscal Controls After Gilt Market Volatility
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 4.5%
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Funding Overhaul and Workforce Reform
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
×