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With its Mediterranean climate, sun-drenched beaches, and tile roofs atop charming hillside homes, Santa Barbara has earned the moniker “American Riviera.” The peaceful community, just over an hour or so north of Los Angeles and home to approximately 90,000 permanent residents, is embraced by the Pacific Ocean on the south and Santa Ynez Mountains on the north.
A new survey of Nordic architecture showcases bold innovation alongside a deep commitment to rest and retreat, writes Riya Patel Fleinvær Refugium (2017) by Rintala Eggertsson & Tyin Tegnestue, Fleinvær, Norway. Photograph: © 2026 Richard Powers The standout homes in “The Iconic Nordic House”—the latest compendium of a series on striking residential architecture—are designed to protect from wild and rugged landscapes. They offer spectacular views of nature from a safe and warm place. Even in urban examples, there’s a sense of interior space as a retreat from the outer world. That domestic coziness has been construed into a number of popular lifestyle trends, notably the Danish concept of hygge. Yet as this new survey shows, there is much more to the Nordic sensibility. Binding these extraordinary homes from the past 125 years is the luxury of tranquility and a deep philosophy of quality, craft and care. “There’s real sensitivity to the landscape that you see in both contemporary Nordic architecture and the past,” says author Dominic Bradbury, whose research took him to far-flung islands and archipelagos as well as the Scandinavian mainland. “There’s use of organic material and natural textures, even if the forms and composition are very modern.” Villa Mairea (1939) by Alvar Aalto, Noormarkku, Finland. Photograph: © 2026 Richard Powers The timber-panelled ceiling and forest-like columns of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea (1939) in Ahlström Noormarkku, Finland, exemplify a softer, more layered type of modernism. The house’s design cleverly adapts the usual language of pristine white forms with local materials and reverence to the Finnish landscape. Although mid-century style has become associated with the Nordics, the book shows regional variations in constant play with multiple ideas and aesthetics. “I think that there is a real spirit of innovation in Nordic architecture,” says Bradbury. “These architects were at the vanguard of a lot of different styles and movements.” The experimental prefab plastic Futuro House (1968) by architect-designer Matti Suuronen is a stark departure from the typically spare Nordic look. The cliffside creative atelier Nurmesniemi House (1975) on Kulosaari island is another Finnish outlier. Its generous double-height spaces and exposed steel structure make it more akin to the famously inventive Eames Case Study House in California. Villa Birkedal (2016) by Jan Henrik Jansen, Møn, Denmark. © 2026 Richard Powers More recent homes manifest a quest for innovation in their mastery of sustainable technologies. Blending with the birches on the Danish island of Møn is Villa Birkedal (2016) by Copenhagen-based architect Jan Henrik Jansen. A cluster of cylindrical volumes is clad in rough tree trunks, making the lustrous brass kitchen island inside all the more surprising. For the cubist Villa Sagalid (2023) on the Stockholm archipelago, architects Sandell Sandberg chose bespoke ceramic cladding to withstand water and rain, but also to catch the light so the building shimmers. The sheer number of sea cabins, summer houses, coastal escapes, mountain retreats and treehouses show how architecture integrates with a commitment to leisure and family time. In Norway, PAN Tretopphytter (2018), a trio of A-frames on stilts by Espen Surnevik, immerse guests among the trees of a farm in Gjesåsen, while Snorre Stinessen’s timber-lined Manshausen Cabins (2023), built on a private island in the Steigen archipelago, feel gloriously isolated in the dramatic fjords. Manshausen Sea Cabins (2015) by Snorre Stinessen, Manhausen Island, Norway. Photograph: © 2026 Richard Powers Although some are too remote or compact to be permanent homes, these treasured holiday spots can be kept in families for generations and returned to year after year. “The craft and quality is often quite extraordinary,” says Bradbury. “I think there’s a luxurious element in the way these buildings are designed and then put together.” Time, space and immersion in nature unite this most enviable collection of Nordic architecture. Wherever in the world we live, there are plenty of lessons to take home on the art of living well. “The Iconic Nordic House: Modern Masterworks Since 1900” is published by Thames & Hudson These epic rural homes around the world bring “Wuthering Heights”-style drama
From a US$50.7M sale in New York, New York, to a €13.5M sale in Nice, France, here are five sales represented by the Sotheby’s International Realty global network in January. New York, New York Elizabeth L. Sample, Brenda Powers | Sotheby’s International Realty – East Side Manhattan Brokerage, US$50.7M View properties in New York, New York Byron Bay, Australia Will Phillips| Byron Bay Sotheby’s International Realty, AUD$17.5M View properties in Byron Bay, Australia Nice, France Peter Illovsky| Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty, €13.5M View properties in Nice, France Water Mill, New York Beate V. Moore, Vanessa Moore| Sotheby’s International Realty – Bridgehampton Brokerage, US$13.3M View properties in Water Mill, New York Cernobbio, Italy Eugenia Monti Crivelli Visconti| Italy Sotheby’s International Realty, €9.5M View properties in Cernobbio, Italy Discover previous editions of Significant Sales on the blog
This 40.66-acre estate boasts a 8,500-square-foot home, two guesthouses, an infinity-edge pool and spa, a lap pool, an acre of cabernet vines, mature gardens, multiple alfresco entertaining areas, tennis and bocce courts, and an enviable vista of Lake Hennessey. With its stately pitched rooflines, gently curving eaves, august ironwork, ivy-draped walls, charmingly distressed and white-washed woodwork, and lovely cream-toned stucco, this timelessly elegant residence could, at first blush, be mistaken for an enchanting escape in the French countryside. Rather, the location is some 40 acres in the St. Helena foothills, one of the area’s most idyllic, picturesque communities. The property boasts a 8,500-square-foot home, two guesthouses of roughly 1,000 square feet each, an infinity-edge pool and spa, a 60-foot lap pool, an acre of Pritchard Hill cabernet vines, mature gardens, multiple alfresco entertaining areas, a tennis court, and a bocce court—culminating in a truly inimitable wine country compound. St. Helena, California | Ginger Martin | Sotheby’s International Realty – St. Helena Brokerage A paver courtyard with a fountain, flourishing green vines, and a gracefully arched entry introduce the main residence, which was recently remodeled to blend classical influences with contemporary conveniences and an impossibly placid view. Pervasive sophisticated touches—Venetian plaster walls, Chinkapin oak pocket doors, custom ironwork, and floors of walnut and French limestone—begin in the home’s centerpiece, an airy, fluid formal living and dining space with vaulted beamed ceilings. The adjoining cook’s kitchen features top-caliber appliances, abundant counter and cabinet space, and a casual dining area with built-in semicircular banquette. Completing the enviable picture are four peaceful bedrooms—including a primary suite with a luxurious bath and a private covered terrace—two offices, a family room, a gym, a solarium, a capacious wine cellar with Old World flair, and a thoughtful catering kitchen. Throughout, the light is soothingly gentle, and the palette is serenely subdued. Multiple sets of regal glass doors give way to the idyllic main terrace, where organic lines, thriving mature trees, and colorful landscaping draw the eye toward the mesmerizing pool and spa, which, in a trompe l’oeil effect, appears to flow directly into the distant water. Nearby is a vine-draped dining pergola with an Old World–inspired fireplace. Beyond, the land cascades down the hill toward the lake, with terracing creating quiet spots for rest, contemplation, and appreciation of the spectacular setting. The view—rolling hills enveloping a refreshing lake—is a rare and unexpected boon for a wine country estate. Further afield on the acreage are the two guesthouses, each of which echoes the soigné style of the main residence. Visitors will appreciate the ability to relax and unwind in these refined settings and to take advantage of the sparkling lap pool. An adjacent 60-acre buildable parcel with a prolific well is also available for purchase, affording the opportunity to create an expansive, exclusive compound and the consummate wine country escape. Discover luxury homes for sale and rent around the world on sothebysrealty.com
Experience the benefits of working with Brandon, a dedicated real estate professional in Santa Barbara & Montecito. With a commitment to exceptional service and access to exclusive resources, reputation, and clientele through a global brand, Brandon can help you navigate the complex Santa Barbara Coastal real estate market with success."
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