Even Santa Feans who know and treasure the hidden spots and teensy little roads that make up the town’s east side might find this one a baffler—Miller Lane—its prosaic name signaling an era when Anglo families began to influence the growth of the community in the late 1920’s.

While the lane’s name may seem very un-Santa Fe, the rambling home at its end is a classic old adobe that sprawls its way with old walls and trees across a curving, irregular plot of land. It was in its most classic state when Steve and Caroline Thompson first saw it a few years ago—that is, a near ruin. Its disrepair was so great that they steadfastly refused to get out of the car to look at it. But another year of thought and looking, along with another year of the home’s deterioration, gave them a chance to reconsider what they might bring to what might realistically be labeled the “mother” of all projects.

With more than two dozen home building and renovation projects to their credit, the Thompsons reasoned they could find a way to make the house work again. In their mind’s eye they could see its potential as an elegant home on a wonderful little hidden lane. It would have all the signature elements that make architecture and design in the City Different an aesthetic and soul-satisfying experience. No doubt there were moments of numbing anxiety—like when the entire roof of one wing began to slide off—that gave them pause, humbled them with visions of fluttering dollar signs, and convinced them that their first response was the right one. But they have endured and now they have a house that looks properly rooted to its spot, here for the next four-score years. Even more remarkably, they seem to have enjoyed the experience, are ready to take on the next one, and are full of enthusiasm for their home and what they have learned.

Perhaps the most valuable lesson in a design project of this magnitude and age is that old adobes, no matter what their state of disrepair, require respect and restraint. The Thompsons took the carefully designated rules established by the Historic Design Review Committee not as obstacles, but as true guidelines that would help them find their way to maintaining the integrity of the home. Always white stuccoed, it was to stay white. The pale facade would give the house a distinct look and make the dark,

contrasting brown trim on exterior woodwork a strong and classic element. This heightened contrast on the exterior is foiled by a subtle uniformity on the interior, where white on white dominates. By using this whitewashed effect on the heavy vigas and wood planked ceilings of the home, the Thompsons have achieved a special softness by visually lightening the thick walls and massive ceilings.

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Copyright 2001
Hacienda Press