Feature first licensed female architect in Santa Barbara, left her fingerprints all over the area, building the Lobero Theater and the Vedanta Temple. And Kaye-Honey, who is not exactly an instinctive minimalist, truly embraced the challenge of restoring and then living in a more austere style. “Riggs was a legend of California design and loved creating uncluttered spaces that were livable and beautiful in an understated way,” says Kaye-Honey. “She was known for her prominent gardens and that modern blur between indoors and outdoors, which I adore.” The house is designed to open up quickly, with few barriers between the living space and the surrounding woods and greenery. The gardens were Kaye-Honey’s first experience with landscape design, and it’s a testament to her creative confidence that she barely hesitated to reposition the massive boulders on the land and build an expansive deck, a chic pool, and cozy nooks for enjoying the views. “I worked with the local company Progressive Landscape on the garden, which was so much fun that I’ve become obsessed with doing my own landscaping for projects,” she says. “I think the fact that the house is
The gardens were Honey Kaye-Honey’s first experience with landscape design— a testament to her creative confidence.
Left to right: KayeHoney is a masterful mixer of old and new and incorporates art and design from her extensive travels. In the guest house sitting room, a vintage SAARINEN table and a Moroccan rug share space with a Saarinen table, a SABIN chair, a CHERNER chair, and a charcoal portrait she found in Cuba at the Havana Biennial; architectural elements outside.
completely exposed and accessible to the outside spaces is my favorite concept. That flow is an important part of a modern lifestyle. I feel the same way about living rooms and dining rooms. They should be part of daily living and not just used on special occasion.” Kaye-Honey’s instincts are pure luxe-maximalist so the restraint that’s required not just to decorate but also live in a house like this was “challenging and liberating,” she says, forcing her to consider every last fixture and artwork very closely. More than a decade ago, she opened House of Honey, her first home decor shop in Pasadena, as a way to liquidate the vintage 1960s and ’70s furniture and art she had acquired over the years at the urging of her husband, who wasn’t a fan of the “crap in the attic.” When they chose the area as their second home, she opened a store in Montecito in 2014.
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