Spanish style captivates celebrities
We recently found out that the actor Robert Pattinson (known for his brilliant performance in the Twilight series) is the proud new owner of a simple yet charming Spanish-style home. Other famous folks with houses of the same genre include Ben Stiller, Scarlett Johansson, Jodie Foster, and Reese Witherspoon.
But what exactly does Spanish-style mean? These are generally speaking large houses with white-washed walls and round arches and long wooden porches covered in flowers. Imagine a luxurious version of the houses that appear in old western movies that take place along the Mexican border.
Most of these striking but subtle homes follow principles associated with an architectural movement that lasted from the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century that saw a revival in old Franciscan missions that dotted California’s landscape between 1769 to 1821 (when it was Spanish territory).
With such inspiring architectural works it’s not surprising that Hollywood stars find a peaceful, nearly monastic refuge in these homes, which in turn inspire in many of us a sense of jealousy that has nothing to do with pious virtue.