This serene home in Cliff May Rancho Estates is open and welcoming, with warm wood tones and plentiful natural light throughout. May’s architectural trademarks are synthesized with contemporary updates throughout the property, including a post and beam second story expansion
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STERLING REED
Widely considered to be the father of the California ranch house, Cliff May made an indelible mark on the landscape and lifestyle of post-war Southern California. Although never formally trained as an architect, May began designing and building houses in his native San Diego in his twenties. His aesthetic fused elements of Spanish Revival and Modernist styles to produce low-slung, horizontally oriented, pitched-roof ranch houses. When the May’s ranch houses were first constructed, contemporary newspaper advertisements described homes with, “four times the visual living space” due to the expansive outdoor areas that are accessible from almost every room. This home includes all typical features of a Cliff May construction, including clerestory windows and skylights, board and batten siding, and a floor plan that celebrates the coveted indoor/outdoor lifestyle of Southern California.
3110 Pattiz has recently undergone a comprehensive overhaul of systems and finishes. A minimalist kitchen is the centerpiece of an expansive open plan living area; it is fitted with top of the line appliances, a quartz-topped island, and an adjacent laundry space with an additional sink and countertop. Glass patio doors swing out to concrete and ipe wood patios that surround the solar heated lap pool.
The ground level of the home has two spacious primary bedrooms, one at each end of the house for plenty of privacy. The west facing bedroom features french doors that open to an ipe deck and serene garden surrounded by a property line hedge. The first level of the home has a full, 3/4, and 1/2 bath, all renovated with sleek, modern finishes. In the two-story entry foyer and family room, a staircase leads to the lofted upper level, with its own living and sleeping area, kitchenette, sunny bedroom, full bath, and balcony with views of the local greenery. This space functions well as a kids’ wing or guest suite, with privacy from the rest of the home.
This impeccable property is in close proximity to the spectacular 800-acre El Dorado Park and nature preserve, as well as the San Gabriel River path. The neighborhood consists of tree lined streets, excellent schools, and a sense of community that rivals just about any in the city of Long Beach.
