Russel Versaci “Thomas, an architect, designed his home in the lush foothills of
Montecito, keeping the three Pillars of Traditional Design in mind. First, the house
Respects the Character of Place, fitting snugly into the landscape so it looks as if the grove
of ancient oaks and eucalyptus trees had matured around it over the past hundred years.
Second, the house is Crafted with natural Materials to give the home its tactile beauty.
Finally, by recreating Details of Authenticity, such as the wrought -iron balconies, the
house is faithful to the historic style of the Spanish Colonial Revival. All of the elements
are handled with simplicity and restraint, a key lesson in creating a new old house..”

Kathryn Masson “With its harmonious blending of ornamental and architectural features,
Casa de la Torre (House of the Tower) captures the romance and charm inherent in Santa
Barbara’s older Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.”

Bob Easton | Wayne McCall “…this house (like so many of George Washington Smith’s
Spanish-styled houses) is based upon the Andalusian farmhouse…a handsome turret,
typical of Santa Barbara’s Spanish Colonial revival during the 1920’s serves as a focal
point to the building’s rear facade.”

Janice Randall Rohlf “Architect Thomas Bollay creates an authentic Spanish Colonial
house in California’s Montecito foothills.”

Bryant Rousseau “Meet the man who very wisely acquired the Architect.com
Web site,…

Events and Affairs, highlighting the American Institute of Architects “Architects Home
Tour” in Santa Barbara including, Casa del la Torre, “Santa Barbara’s signature 1920’s
style.”

“Bollay’s revivals perfectly capture the look of the 1920’s with indoor and outdoor spaces
reflecting the lifestyles of modern families. His 2002 expansion to the 1920’s -era Four
Seasons (Santa Barbara Biltmore) Resort is seamless.”

Eve M. Kahn“A house by Thomas Bollay Architects is identifiable at first glance. With
Thomas Bollay’s signature tiles, as well as his other distinctive architectural elements,
his Spanish Colonial Revival residences create a unique, powerful mood. … Bollay
bases all his measurement decision, … on decades of study of 1920s structures and
drawings. He is virtually a self-taught traditionalist.”

Danial Gregory “…The fluid indoor-outdoor relationship, the thick, white washed
walls, the brick and tile accents recall the architectural traditions of Spain. Indeed
Bollay studied the courtyard architecture of Andalusia before beginning his design”

Linda J. Barkman “An architect’s Santa Barbara home is as much a tribute to the past as
it is a present-day pleasure”

Danial Gregory compares past to present “the ornately patterned tile work …recalls the
ceramic traditions of Andalusian Spain— a favorite source of inspiration for revivalist
architects like George Washington Smith and Reginald Johnson, who designed many of
area’s great estates in the early part of the century. Bollay carefully studied their work
before designing his own house.”

David Gebhard picks five standout architects, “of these designers, Thomas Bollay comes
closest to the revivalist atmosphere of the 1920’s. His Own house in Montecito 1990-
1992… captures the flavor of the earlier buildings of George Washington Smith, Reginald
D. Johnson and Wallace Neff. He is especially close to Johnson’s domestic work of the
1920’s with its romanticism countered by a degree of coldness and rationalism.”