Santa Barbara

From the 1930's to the 1940's, the four unintentionally famous, free-spirited Moody Sisters created some of America's most whimsical and  magical houses, known throughout the world for their unique fairytale style. Few of the cottages remain, but those that do are highly sought after as treasures from a time past.  The cottages were based on English-village design, and at the time they were built, materials were scarce.  Today, in the cottages, one might identify a scavenged church door, a stained-glass window, something saved from a building torn down long ago, all of which was incorporated into each lovingly designed house.  For sure, the houses are  not big, nor are the doorways high, but upon entering a Moody Cottage, one's jaw drops at the beauty of design, at the high-pitched, ribbed  ceilings, and at a loft - almost a kind of hayloft - always incorporated.  At the time, each house sold for $5000, held an upsidedown bottle filled  with nine pins, nine needles, and nine nails cemented into the hearth, and  upon completion, a garden gnome was placed on the very highest shelf of each loft. (Who can know really why?).  Each cottage was purposefully named. This one was named "Fairytale," and it remains known as the Moody Sisters'  favorite cottage, according to Marcia Gamble Hadley, their niece.  It is a  treasure among treasures, and it is pictured in the Santa Barbara Architecture publications from 1995 to the present day.  This is no ordinary house.  It is a jewel to be preserved for centuries to come. This Moody Sisters home is two bedrooms and two full baths and on a spacious corner lot which also includes a double car garage. There are city views and a lovely peek of the ocean from the kitchen window. The yard is reminiscent of an Italian garden. It is conveniently located close to the beach and shopping.