Carmichael, Norman and Florence B., House
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Why it's listed
Set on a ridge in Rancho Santa Fe overlooking a valley to the north, this Spanish Colonial Revival house was designed by architect Lilian Rice in 1930. It began as a large single-story U-shaped building, with a second story added to the north wing in 1935. Walls are white-painted stucco over a wood frame, and the gabled roofs are covered in red clay tile. Overlapping rooflines in the rear patio resemble fans, and a chimney at the east end has a triangular spark arrester made of clay tile. A low wall and a tile-roofed entry gate enclose the patio. The original 1930 garage also survives, while a 1957 pool and a 1960s cottage came later. The house was listed for its architecture and its role in the planned development of Rancho Santa Fe. It shows Rice's placement of buildings as sculptural volumes spread informally across the site and attached to the land, among boulders and arroyos.
Significance in brief: The house is considered an excellent example of Lilian Rice's domestic architecture in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It also represents community planning and development as part of a carefully laid out group of buildings across a large planned area. Its siting shows Rice's treatment of buildings as sculptural volumes closely tied to the land.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91000941, listed August 5, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6855 La Valle Plateada, Rancho Santa Fe |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | August 5, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000941 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1930-1935 |
| Architect / builder | Rice, Lilian Jenette; Carpenter, Armand |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the form reports few alterations, including a 1987 balcony and some interior walls removed to enlarge the kitchen. |
| Acreage | 3.3 |
| Coordinates | 33.02538, -117.18568 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91000941.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q5754453
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.