The Capwell mansion 300 Park lane, district of Montecito, Santa Barbara

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Built on the heights of the city, the imposing Capwell mansion dominates all the Santa Barbara bay. Away from the city, it throne in a greenery environment. It is the nerve centre of the Capwell life, just like the Southfork ranch can be for the Ewings of Dallas.

Built for Americans in a Mediterranean style by C.C.'s grandfather, Emmett Capwell, the mansion comprises many rooms. It is in fact, for us, a Spanish mansion of colonial style, as we can find some of them in California, as in Mexico. The mansion presents large oval openings, supported by a central pillar, on its various frontages which let enter at the same time the sun and the freshness the ocean. Of ochre color and surrounded by gardens, the mansion is almost exclusively presented to us by the same frontage.

Of the outside we mainly know only the heavy main door, in carved wood, at the end of a long gravel path.

The "main" room of the mansion is the hall and the atrium which prolongs it. It is the heart of the mansion. The walls are painted in red brick, which accentuates the contrast with the heavy gray and white pillars which support the ceiling, and the amphoras charged with house plants which decorate the vast room. The feet of the pillars are true flower vats in which push among others birds of paradise and fatty plants.

At the door, right on entering, a small imitation marble table welcomes a bouquet of flowers, a telephone and the mail of the day.

Just beside the entry, on the left part, we see the staircase which leads to the upper floors. The steps are covered with Mexican azulejos (blue and white ones), just as the various stages which are used as slopes. On the wall are exposed various Masters paintings.

Along the staircase is located a piece of furniture within which are stored papers and photo albums. On the top is another telephone.

Continuing along the stairs, we reach two doors. The one on the left, after the stairs, leads to C.C.'s study. The one opposite leads to the kitchen.

Then comes the atrium, which has a rectangular form and is entirely surrounded by columns linked the ones with the others by vaults.

Posed against one of the pillars near the entry, can be found a cane table with a glass plate (on which generally throne a heavy bouquet of fresh flowers) and four armchairs with high files in round-offs. It is very often here that the Capwell family members take their meal alone or in small committee. It is in this "room" that will occur some great scenes of the show. For example, it is here that will take place the wedding ceremony of C.C. and Gina, of Mason and Julia.

In the center of the atrium, can be found a heavy stone fountain of octagonal form (Brandon appreciates it). This fountain was transported by Emmett from Spain.

At the beginning of 1989, some new sculptures come to decorate the atrium, in depends of the fountain, relegated in the background.

On the right of the atrium, a bench covered with cushions is built between two pillars, often surrounded by armchairs.

Behind a row of pillars, a path provides access to a double glazed door to the living room. On its right, a console leaning against the wall is used to host the third telephone on the ground floor.

Inside the living room can be found a large fireplace, a white sofa and some armchairs. It is there that the big family meals are taken or where Christmas is celebrated. The walls are in olive green color and the room seems suffocating because of the numerous masterpieces hung on walls. In the middle of the paintings, forged iron wall lamps throw light and heat. It is between these walls that Kelly and C.C. will be in confrontation as she will come to announce to her gathered parents her engagement with Jeffrey Conrad.

At last, a door gives access to the cellar since the "main" room. In addition to the great wines collected by C.C., it is there that will find refuge Kelly and Jeffrey when they will be fugitive sought by the police in 1987. In 1988, Ben Clark will hold as hostage Pamela and C.C., whom he accuses to have killed his brother, Hal.

If, at the beginning of the show, several rooms of the mansion are presented to us, this small guided visit will disappear after some time. In this year 1984, the most important room is the study of the powerful C.C. Capwell, the place of the murder of the young Channing Junior. It is a room located at the ground floor, and whose window gives a view on the gardens.

At the bottoms of the room is a heavy wood desk and a black leather armchair. On the desk are posed many documents and a telephone in box made of wood carved, while on a rack, can be found photographs of all the Capwell children, but none of Sophia.

Inside the heavy wood piece of furniture there is usually a gun : the weapon which was used for the murder of Channing Junior, and which will be found by Brandon (as if the master of the place feared to be attacked inside his own home). It is also here that the first big confrontations between Mason and his father will take place.

Behind the desk, the wall is only one library on which can be found in addition to the books, photographs of all the family members (in particular Channing Junior). The library upright swivels and opens the access to a tunnel, which connects the Capwell mansion to the Lockridge mansion (Read the presentation of the tunnel connecting the Capwell and Lockridge mansions).

The room will be also entirely remade in 1987, and it is in a "very other" study that will take place, in 1991, the strange face to face between Eden / Channing Junior and Sophia, which will accompany Eden's departure.

Thereafter, other rooms of the mansion will be presented to us, specially on the second floor.

It will be at first Kelly's bedroom, when she hesitates between Joe and Peter, then again at the time of her wedding with Jeffrey Conrad. It is a big room in blue tone, furnished with a large bed and some cane pieces of furniture. The bedroom has its own bathroom.

Another bedroom of the mansion will know its hour of glory, it is neither more nor less that the one of the master of the place, since at the time of his coma during the year 1985, it is there that will occur the moving scenes between C.C. and his daughter Eden

At the bottom of the bedroom, a door gives access to a big bathroom.

Some other bedrooms will be afterwards also revealed to us : at first, Brandon's one in 1985.

Then Gina's one, during C.C.'s coma at the end of 1985.

Then will come Mason's one.

And at last Eden's one in 1986, after her wedding with Kirk Cranston.

The whole mansion will know some big damages following the earthquake of 1984 (destruction of some interior pillars).

During the year 1990, the mansion will be entirely rebuilt on C.C.'s orders.

The imposing main door is replaced by two smaller doors in carved wood.

A large staircase in angle gives access to the first floor. On its right, we access to a big living-room while passing under arches.

Very more sober in term of colors, the "main" room of the new mansion is strewed with works of art : paintings, sculptures...

An immense fireplace makes its appearance at the bottom of room.

This new version of the mansion sees moreover one new room making its appearance on the screen : the kitchen, place privileged for the confidences and some domestic fights.

Read also : Recreating the Capwell castle

Presented as a big property throughout the show, we actually know only a few things of the gardens of the Capwell mansion. At the beginning of the show, we only know of the property that it has swimming pool, a tennis court (never appeared on screen) and stables for the horses.

Then, we will discover a part of the park, when Santana and Cruz seek around the gazebo for clues of the murder of Channing Junior. It is this same gazebo which was used as set in 1987 for Sophia and C.C.'s second wedding.

In fact, it is mainly at the time of Kelly and Jeffrey Conrad's wedding, always in 1987, that we will be able to really judge the ostentation of the gardens of the Capwell mansion. It is actually the park of the Greystone property. Can be remembered the many cypresses, the stone staircases which allowed Cruz to escape from Keith, and then of this long alley bordered of shrubs and stones and the fountain. It is besides this so romantic decoration which served as principal framework for the union of Kelly and Jeffrey. We easily can, by closing the eyes, see again the long ivory carpet, the white chairs, and the many guests turning their glance towards the fountain to see advancing, radiant, at the arm of her father in the show, Robin Wright to whom it was the good-bye gift, before leaving the show. Moreover, this is here that on a June 14 of the beginning of the 50's, C.C. married Pamela Pepperidge.

Built near the Capwell mansion, it allows to offer to the guests a space independent of the mansion.

Constituted of a main entrance with a kitchen, a large living-room and a bedroom, the guesthouse welcomed Sophia, Mary, Lily, Hayley (after her rape), Gina (during her blindness in 1987, then her pregnancy in 1991) and Megan. It is also where Kelly helps Robert to hide in 1989.

The wall separating the entrance and the kitchen from the living-room will disappear at the beginning of 1989, making the kitchen very more visible on screen.