The Court of Mysteries on Fair Avenue in Santa Cruz. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Detail of the gate of the Court of Mysteries property on Santa Cruz’s Westside. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Artina Morton describes herself as a “Jill of all trades,” a mix of English major, artist, tech industry veteran and hairstylist, with a side of general contracting knowledge. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Douglas Harr calls himself “a child of the Santas and Sans — San Fernando Valley, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco.” (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
A stairway inside the brick temple structure goes nowhere now, but the builders intended to add a second floor. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
A gathering space in the original brick building separates a pair of one-car garages, which Artina Morton and Douglas Harr used as an art studio and a music room/man cave, respectively. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
The restored fireplace is flanked by angle nooks, which each has a view into the fireplace itself. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
The brick structure, built more than 80 years ago, has a one-car garage on each side that owners Douglas Harr and Artina Morton used as studio space. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
The 70-foot lap pool and spa behind the original brick structure has plenty of privacy. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Custom-made windows were added in the restored brick temple structure. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
The builders, the Kitchen brothers, had a special way of making bricks that helped the structure withstand the ravages of earthquakes and time with very little damage. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Looking out to the new fountain in the courtyard, with the gate and Fair Avenue beyond. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Capitola stonemason Michael Threet was crucial in restoration efforts. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Abalone shells, either original or collected as part of the restoration project, are a distinctive feature. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
More abalone and brickwork detail. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
The 3,000-plus-square foot Spanish-style house sits on the south side of the Fair Avenue property. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Some of the dozens of tiles unearthed under what was originally a bathroom. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Artina Morton in the brick structure’s new bathroom, the lower part of which was where the tiles she’s holding were buried. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
The project also unearthed old railroad spikes. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
More abalone shell and brick detail. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
Looking out onto Fair Avenue. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
