London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Once Neglected, This Montecito Compound Is Now a Blissful Retreat

Once Neglected, This Montecito Compound Is Now a Blissful Retreat

Tour antiquarian Lee Stanton's history-filled home.
He was eight years old.


It was the first time Lee Stanton’s mother took him antiquing. “I was the only child at home at the time, so in order to maintain my interest while we were shopping, she got me started on collecting too,” he recalls. He began with vintage toys, then tramp art. “As my taste would mature, she would quickly shift my attention to another collection,” Stanton adds. When his mother was busy, he’d spend time with his grandfather, a woodworker who restored old furniture. Later, he started joining his older sister, an interior designer, on her regular buying trips to Europe.

It seems almost inevitable, then, that Stanton would end up an antiques dealer himself-albeit as a second act, after a successful career in publishing. “It was kind of something I inherited,” he explains from his weekend retreat in Montecito, California, about an hour and a half from his home in Los Angeles. Built in the 1940s as an artisans’ compound, the sprawling property is itself rooted in history, making it the ideal backdrop for the current iteration of Stanton’s ever-changing collection.

Originally comprising four Spanish-style adobe casitas that shared a communal kitchen (and a communal pay phone), the home was in disrepair when Stanton and his partner, Israel Serna, bought it four years ago. One of the structures had been lost to a fire, two were haphazardly combined in the ’60s to form a single home, and one was an art studio. “It had been really neglected,” Stanton says. “Before I started fixing it up, I brought a big-name designer friend from L.A. to see it. When I mentioned that I didn’t want to rob it of its quirky energy, she told me, ‘Oh, honey, you don’t have to worry about losing any funk in this house!’” he notes with a laugh.



Over the course of a year and a half, he restored the structure, pulling from both the house’s lore (handmade tiles pay homage to the ceramicists who once lived there) and his own (a restaurant in Japan where he spent a memorable evening inspired the design of the kitchen island). Once complete, he filled the rooms with a carefully edited array of furniture (mostly 19th-century European) and art (a trio of collages made from his haberdasher grandfather’s fabrics).

“I’ve come to relish the process of taking something old and making it feel new while still preserving its integrity,” Stanton says. “Antiques tell a story, and so does this house.”

Living Room




Stanton incorporated salvaged architectural elements-like this fireplace from a historic estate in central California-throughout the house. Furniture: Lee Stanton Antiques. Rug: Woven.

Kitchen



The ceiling fixture was constructed from antique mechanical parts. Counters: honed granite through Stone Source (island) and Cambriaquartz (surrounding). Sink: Kohler, with an Axor faucet. Furniture and art: Lee Stanton Antiques.

Dining Area




A collection of antique architectural models sits atop the 19th-century dining table. Rug: Woven. Furniture: Lee Stanton Antiques.

Gallery




A hallway connects what was formerly two separate casitas on the property. Applying stain to the original terra-cotta tile flooring added extra character. Furniture: Lee Stanton Antiques.

Main Bedroom




Handwoven linens from Pat McGann Gallery and textile art by Daniel Pontius fill the bedroom, which is painted in a limewash from Sydney Harbour Paint Company. Furniture: Lee Stanton Antiques. Rugs Woven. Picture light: RH.

Sitting room




A pair of twin beds double as seating for visiting guests; the vintage pillow fabric was repurposed from early-20th-century British soldiers’ uniforms. Furniture: Lee Stanton Antiques. Rugs: Woven.

Dining Terrace




“I wanted to maintain the humble and eclectic nature that evolved on the property,” says Stanton, who frequently hosts guests with his partner, Israel Serna. Furniture: Lee Stanton Antiques.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
×