Only in Laguna : From Cottages to Castles, Area's Architecture Is Unique

"The 603-square-foot yellow clapboard house with the turquoise trim is the perfect abode for a woman whose words and drawings chronicle the colorful history of Laguna Beach architecture from the 1880s to 1940. "The Cottages & Castles of Laguna," self-published by Turnbull last May, is a 50-page, large-format book featuring 80 pen-and-ink renderings of homes in Laguna Beach and South Laguna."

"Thumbing through "The Cottages & Castles of Laguna" is like taking a Sunday drive through the art colony, whose neighborhoods are dotted with a diversity of architectural styles ranging from provincial and Tudor to Mediterranean and mission, from Art Deco and moderne to bungalow and beach cottage. "You can," said Turnbull, "find virtually everything here.""

"A fourth-generation South Lagunan whose grandparents, George and Grace Wilson, ran the Aliso View Grocery and campground at Aliso Beach in the '20s, Turnbull earned a master's degree in California history from Cal State Fullerton and works part time for Heritage Orange County, a nonprofit historic organization in Santa Ana."

Karen Wilson Turnbull, a fourth-generation South Lagunan with a master's degree in California history, has created a comprehensive visual chronicle of Laguna Beach architecture. Her self-published book, "The Cottages & Castles of Laguna," contains 80 detailed pen-and-ink drawings documenting homes built between the 1880s and 1940s. The book showcases the area's diverse architectural styles, including provincial, Tudor, Mediterranean, mission, Art Deco, moderne, bungalow, and beach cottage designs. Turnbull, who works part-time for Heritage Orange County, grew up in South Laguna as a descendant of early settlers who operated a grocery and campground. Her work captures the unique character of the art colony's neighborhoods and their architectural diversity.

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