Summerland, California
The Big Yellow House
A landmark reborn — where 140 years of soul meets the art of what's next.
COMING SOON
Our Vision
A new chapter for a storied landmark
The Big Yellow House is becoming Summerland's premier community arts center — a refined gathering place where exhibitions, workshops, and live events breathe new life into one of the California coast's most cherished landmarks. Thoughtfully restored and reimagined, the space will honor the warmth that has drawn people through its doors for generations while opening an entirely new canvas for creativity, culture, and connection along the Southern California coastline.
“The same walls that welcomed a village now invite the world.”
Our History
Rooted in 1884
Erected by Summerland's founder as the young seaside colony was just finding its voice, The Big Yellow House began its life at the crossroads of ambition and spiritualist wonder. By the 1970s it had transformed into a vibrant family restaurant beloved for its coastal charm — and the legendary tradition of pricing children's meals by their weight. It weathered the devastating Thomas Fire of 2017 and emerged standing, a testament to the resilience woven into its bones. Now, after more than a century of reinvention, it prepares for its most purposeful chapter yet.