Julian Treasure: Hubbell Open House

Grab a rare chance to look around the casa behind the art-minded Ilan-Lael Foundation.

FERVENT HOUSE-ADMIRING, as a practice, is something many people engage in, from those who have their ultimate dream home picked out to those lookie-loos who simply like to stroll the streets of their town, discussing yard ornamentation and front door colors and window treatments. But to be able to enter a famous casa, during a yearly open house, is a "get" that almost all domestic devotees share. Such a chance is going to come around on Sunday, June 19 when the one-of-a-kind Hubbell House near Julian opens its doors to a day of tours.

ILAN-LAEL FOUNDATION: This is indeed the home that serves as the home base for the Ilan-Lael Foundation, an "arts education foundation celebrating nature and the aesthetic of the built environment." James Hubbell, who built the earthy, stained glass-laden landmark, hoped that this place would contain "the ability to help see ourselves and the world in a new way." Goal met, and how. The foundation was founded in 1982, and has since hosted a number of "design-build programs" on the gorgeous grounds, as well as a host of creative seminars. Even the fire that swept through Santa Ysabel in 2003 couldn't dim the Hubbell House's star; half the structures in the compound were damaged, but those who love the property, and all of the positive and imaginative things it stands for, came together to rebuild.

EVEN IF YOU NEVER TAKE A CLASS... at the foundation, you can admire the Hubbell House's swooping lines, soft curves, straight-from-nature inspirations, and beautiful wild edges. Tickets are $50 for the general public, and there's a shuttle to reach the home from Julian Station/Wynola Farms Marketplace. Is this perfect place to greet the arrival of summer, and all of the sweetness it can bring? A location that has art at its heart, and a distinctive character, and the spirit of the earth in all of its corners and crannies, makes for a lovely location to be in, just days ahead of the solstice.

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