Before Cliff May became a household name among design aficionados and midcentury preservationists—before he was sought after for high-profile commissions in Malibu and beyond—he was a young furniture maker with a deep respect for California's Spanish and ranching heritage. His earliest homes, crafted between 1932 and 1952, laid the foundation for what would become one of the most recognizable residential styles in American architecture: the California Ranch.
These early decades were characterized by experimentation, craftsmanship, and a profound understanding of how people wanted to live. Never formally trained as an architect—May never joined the AIA—he had something more important: a working knowledge of materials, a clear point of view, and an intuitive understanding of how to bring the outdoors in.
Designing for the California Lifestyle
From the very beginning, Cliff May homes rejected architectural pretense. Instead of working in styles imported from Europe or the East Coast, May fused Spanish colonial elements with the Western ranch vernacular and added modernist touches—like open floor plans, floor-to-ceiling glass, and indoor-outdoor flow.
His homes were designed not as status symbols but as environments in which to live well. Kitchens opened into family rooms. Large windows overlooked private courtyards. French and sliding glass doors framed gardens, patios, and distant ridgelines. The idea wasn't just about luxury. It was about livability—an architecture grounded in climate, terrain, and lifestyle.
By the 1940s, May was already being recognized for his unique contributions to home design. During this time, he developed prototype homes that would become models for the postwar building boom and helped pioneer modular and prefabricated design techniques. But his roots—as seen in the homes he designed during his first two decades—tell the most revealing story about who Cliff May was and what he stood for.
His homes were designed not as status symbols but as environments in which to live well. Kitchens opened into family rooms. Large windows overlooked private courtyards. French and sliding glass doors framed gardens, patios, and distant ridgelines. The idea wasn't just about luxury. It was about livability—an architecture grounded in climate, terrain, and lifestyle.
By the 1940s, May was already being recognized for his unique contributions to home design. During this time, he developed prototype homes that would become models for the postwar building boom and helped pioneer modular and prefabricated design techniques. But his roots—as seen in the homes he designed during his first two decades—tell the most revealing story about who Cliff May was and what he stood for.
Early San Diego Residences
Cliff May's architectural journey began in San Diego, where he transitioned from crafting furniture to designing homes that reflected California's casual, climate-driven lifestyle. These early residences—a small sample of the more than 50 homes he designed and built here—established the DNA of the California Ranch—courtyards, open layouts, and a seamless connection between indoors and out. May's most acclaimed San Diego residences include:
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O'Leary House (1932), 4725 Norma Drive, San Diego
May's very first home, built for his in-laws, using salvaged materials and custom furnishings. It marked the origin of his courtyard-centered design and architecture as a lived experience.
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Lindstrom House (1933), 4669 East Talmadge Road, San Diego
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this residence advanced May's ideas about indoor-outdoor integration and refined spatial planning.
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Porterfield-Beardsley House (1933), 3130 Shadowlawn Street, San Diego
May's first commissioned home showcases his emerging style: low-slung, single-story construction, clay tile roofing, and casual elegance grounded in Southern California's mission and ranch traditions.
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Highland House (1934), 2400 Presidio Drive, San Diego
Now on the City of San Diego's Historic Register, this hillside residence signaled May's evolution toward more sophisticated plans and finishes, exploring light, flow, and views —hallmarks of his future work.
Notable Cliff May Homes in Los Angeles County, 1936 to 1952
Though his work would eventually take him to cities across the U.S., May was most prolific across Los Angeles County, where the majority of his more than 1,000 custom residences and 18,000 tract houses were built. Many remain in private hands, but each is a landmark in its own right, whether formally designated or admired for its influence on American domestic architecture. The following residences represent some of the most important homes of Cliff May's early career.
Smith House (1936)
760 Via Miguel, La Habra Heights
One of May's earliest forays into Los Angeles County, the Smith House expands upon his San Diego concepts with more spatial drama and sweeping exterior views. Built on a hilly lot in La Habra Heights, the home capitalized on elevation and open space while maintaining the horizontal lines and rustic materials that defined his early work.
One of May's earliest forays into Los Angeles County, the Smith House expands upon his San Diego concepts with more spatial drama and sweeping exterior views. Built on a hilly lot in La Habra Heights, the home capitalized on elevation and open space while maintaining the horizontal lines and rustic materials that defined his early work.
Cliff May House No. 2 (1937)
1867 N. Mandeville Canyon Road, Mandeville Canyon
As his own family grew, May moved into a new residence in Mandeville Canyon. This home served both as a personal residence and an experimental design platform. The home was widely published and helped spread his design ethos to an even wider audience. It's considered a critical bridge between his early San Diego houses and the larger tract developments to come.
As his own family grew, May moved into a new residence in Mandeville Canyon. This home served both as a personal residence and an experimental design platform. The home was widely published and helped spread his design ethos to an even wider audience. It's considered a critical bridge between his early San Diego houses and the larger tract developments to come.
Cliff May House No. 3 (1938)
1500 N. Old Oak Road, Riviera
Often cited as one of the most essential ranch homes ever built, House No. 3 was the first home in Riviera Ranch—a May-designed enclave of California Ranch homes in what is now Sullivan Canyon. The house, open to the public upon completion, was highly publicized and used as a demonstration model. It perfectly encapsulated May's vision: expansive glass walls, casual floor plan, deep overhangs, and seamless garden integration.
Often cited as one of the most essential ranch homes ever built, House No. 3 was the first home in Riviera Ranch—a May-designed enclave of California Ranch homes in what is now Sullivan Canyon. The house, open to the public upon completion, was highly publicized and used as a demonstration model. It perfectly encapsulated May's vision: expansive glass walls, casual floor plan, deep overhangs, and seamless garden integration.
Oakmont House (1939)
39 Oakmont Drive, Brentwood Park
Built for a prominent client, the Oakmont House demonstrated May's ability to scale his ranch ideals for more affluent homeowners. Located in Brentwood Park, the house was larger and more formal, but it retained the same accessible warmth and understated elegance that marked his smaller homes.
Built for a prominent client, the Oakmont House demonstrated May's ability to scale his ranch ideals for more affluent homeowners. Located in Brentwood Park, the house was larger and more formal, but it retained the same accessible warmth and understated elegance that marked his smaller homes.
Sullivan Canyon Ranches (1941–1949)
Brentwood Park / Riveria
Between 1941 and the early 1950s, Cliff May played a pivotal role in transforming Sullivan Canyon, located along the convergence of the Brentwood Park, Riviera, and Mandeville Canyon neighborhoods, into a residential enclave inspired by the California Ranch style. Properties like 13233 Riviera Ranch Road, the William H. Theobald Residence (1831 N. Old Orchard), and the L.E. Tucker House (13222 Riviera Ranch) all featured sprawling layouts, multiple fireplaces, open sight lines, and deep connections to nature. These homes helped turn Sullivan Canyon into one of the most architecturally distinctive pockets of postwar Los Angeles.
Between 1941 and the early 1950s, Cliff May played a pivotal role in transforming Sullivan Canyon, located along the convergence of the Brentwood Park, Riviera, and Mandeville Canyon neighborhoods, into a residential enclave inspired by the California Ranch style. Properties like 13233 Riviera Ranch Road, the William H. Theobald Residence (1831 N. Old Orchard), and the L.E. Tucker House (13222 Riviera Ranch) all featured sprawling layouts, multiple fireplaces, open sight lines, and deep connections to nature. These homes helped turn Sullivan Canyon into one of the most architecturally distinctive pockets of postwar Los Angeles.
Hirth House (1951)
2337 N Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz
Perched above Los Feliz and near the Greek Theatre, the Hirth House embodies a mature May design. The signature "V" shaped floorplan embraces the garden and pool, while new materials and improved fenestration mark an evolution in design. May's ability to balance mid-century elegance with his ranch roots is on full display here.
Perched above Los Feliz and near the Greek Theatre, the Hirth House embodies a mature May design. The signature "V" shaped floorplan embraces the garden and pool, while new materials and improved fenestration mark an evolution in design. May's ability to balance mid-century elegance with his ranch roots is on full display here.
Dawson House (1951)
11681 Valleycrest Road, Studio City
In Fryman Canyon, the Dawson House shows Cliff May's range. The home plays with curves and sectional divisions while adhering to his preference for open-beam ceilings, indoor-outdoor continuity, and the gentle horizontality that defines the ranch aesthetic. It's a well-preserved example of his early-'50s sensibility.
In Fryman Canyon, the Dawson House shows Cliff May's range. The home plays with curves and sectional divisions while adhering to his preference for open-beam ceilings, indoor-outdoor continuity, and the gentle horizontality that defines the ranch aesthetic. It's a well-preserved example of his early-'50s sensibility.
Cliff May Experimental House (1952)
1831 Old Ranch Road, Mandeville Canyon
Designed as a personal laboratory for new ideas, the Experimental House marked the end of May's first major chapter. With a dramatic 288-square-foot skylight and modular interior spaces defined by movable walls, this residence was ahead of its time. It tested materials, form, and function—and became the precursor to "Mandalay," his final family home. The Experimental House has since been restored and stands as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
Designed as a personal laboratory for new ideas, the Experimental House marked the end of May's first major chapter. With a dramatic 288-square-foot skylight and modular interior spaces defined by movable walls, this residence was ahead of its time. It tested materials, form, and function—and became the precursor to "Mandalay," his final family home. The Experimental House has since been restored and stands as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.
Ready to Explore More of Los Angeles' Architectural Heritage?
The period between 1932 and 1952 was a time of fearless exploration for Cliff May. What began with handcrafted furniture and courtyard homes in San Diego soon evolved into regional prototypes, Hollywood residences, and full-fledged community developments. Before the Cliff May name was tied to the postwar housing boom, there were these homes—personal, inventive, and beautifully adapted to the land.
Bill & Daniel Moss have been representing architecturally significant homes in Malibu for 40 years, including works by Craig Ellwood, Ed Niles, David Gray, Doug Burdge, and many other influential Architects throughout the years. Bill & Daniel understand that these residences are a piece of art more than just a home, and those details can be seen in every aspect of the house. Bill & Daniel's admiration and understanding of the nuances each of these architects used to create their independent identity is what allows them to showcase architecturally significant properties to the standard they deserve. If you would like to discuss finding a specific property or are fortunate to own one yourself, we would love to work with you.
Bill & Daniel Moss have been representing architecturally significant homes in Malibu for 40 years, including works by Craig Ellwood, Ed Niles, David Gray, Doug Burdge, and many other influential Architects throughout the years. Bill & Daniel understand that these residences are a piece of art more than just a home, and those details can be seen in every aspect of the house. Bill & Daniel's admiration and understanding of the nuances each of these architects used to create their independent identity is what allows them to showcase architecturally significant properties to the standard they deserve. If you would like to discuss finding a specific property or are fortunate to own one yourself, we would love to work with you.