While architect Reginald Johnson focused the latter part of his career on affordable housing, being influenced by the onset of the Great Depression, he was first known for his luxurious residences in Montecito and Pasadena. Certainly amongst the most masterful of his projects was the historic Biltmore Hotel on Butterfly Beach.
In 1926 when the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Corporation hired Johnson to design the hotel, the popularity of the Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial Revival movements was at a high. Incorporating the characteristics of these two movements, with Moorish Revival traits added to the mix, resulted in the unique amalgamation that is known to this day simply as the Biltmore.
Our photo tour highlights the details for which the Biltmore is known, including red-tiled roof, arched doorways and windows, wrought-iron railings and light fixtures, stucco walls, low-pitched roof, chimneys, small balconies and decorative vent covers.
For more information on The Biltmore, visit their website.