all is whale

An otherwordly retreat in the magical hills of Santa Barbara

Eco-friendly house with curved brick walls, a narrow reflection pool with stepping stones, a wicker chair, and lush greenery in a wooded setting.
Interior view of a spiral brick staircase with plants, a large potted plant, rocks, and decorative elements, illuminated by a round window.

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the whale’s song travels far

sand texture
Close-up view of a textured, wavy brick wall with some foliage on the left side and a small round window or opening.

“Whimsical.” — The New York Times

“Weird and wonderful.” — Dwell

“A stunning fantasy villa.” —Atlas Obscura

“Bonkers.” — Artnet

“Delightfully quirky.” — The New York Post

“Jaw-dropping.” — Apartment Therapy

“Easily one of the most unusual homes anywhere—
a work of art.” — The LA Times

Group of young people posing together outdoors beside a wooden building with shingled exterior, some sitting on rocks and others standing, smiling and making gestures.

The Santa Barbara Whale House was built by Michael Carmichael (and some of his friends) between the years of 1973 and 1978.

It was immediately considered a great architectural achievement with its 75 foot a blue tiled indoor-outdoor pool, hand carved sauna, hundreds of thousands of hand cut cedar shingles, artfully undulating plaster, Danish stained glass in every window cut with wave patterns, Willy-Wonka-esque elevator, indoor spa, and inumerable other fantastical and delightful details. The home is built around a castle-like tower of ferro-cement and foraged river rock from the creek that passes through the property.

Cover of Santa Barbara Magazine, Quaterly issue, featuring a unique house with a curved brick structure and stone base, surrounded by trees.
An elderly person with curly hair, wearing a blue cap and striped shirt, sitting outdoors working on a wooden surface with a hand planer, surrounded by stacks of wood and green trees.
A woman in a black dress and fur coat standing next to a vintage red convertible car on a brick driveway surrounded by trees and greenery.