Palm Springs is the center of the World-Renowned Celebration of Midcentury Architecture, Design and Culture. Happy 20th Anniversary!
Beautiful grounds surround this property.
I was lucky enough to be granted a tour of The West House which used to be the desert hideaway for the original Batman; Adam West. Having always been a batman fan, I was so looking forward to this. I used to love the series as a kid and later the movies and all the campy characters.
In the EntrywayI went on Valentine’s Day
This dynamic residence, located in the cherished Old Las Palmas neighborhood, was built in 1954 and has since been reimagined by Michelle Boudreau Design. It was renovated by renowned architect Albert Frey, who incorporated numerous modernism design features.
New owners Bruce and Lynn Gibson requested a complete transformation of the exterior and interior, blending revitalized aesthetics with an innovative twist, while honoring Frey’s legacy and Batman’s iconic influence.
The design features slick curves reminiscent of the Bat Cave, accented by warm tones and signature black edges. Custom designed interiors create a distinct narrative in each room, while expansive glass sliders frame breathtaking views. Lush landscaping by La Riviera Studios, water features and a putting green enhance the seamless indoor/outdoor living. This house is the embodiment of the Palm Springs lifestyle.
I especially loved the bathrooms. Check these out:
Photos: d. king
For tickets to events until February 23rd please visit:
Part of the 36th Palm Springs International Film Festival – 2025.
“The sense for the perception of architecture is not the eyes – but living. Our life is its image” – Rudolph Schindler
Photo courtesy of Palm Springs International Film Festival.
If you love art and architecture, then you need to see this important and informative documentary about great modernist architect Rudolph Schindler. Schindler’s body of work which he referred to as “Space Architecture” was focused primarily on the design of interior space. And it is impressive. Each living space is a work of art.
With so much richness and history here, it occurred to me how difficult it must be to put a documentary together with an over abundance of information on one person with such a wide body of work. Valentina Ganeva manages to give us an educational and stylish film which is sure to inspire. Narrated by Meryl Streep and Udo Kier.
Schindler, for those not familiar, was the first architect to introduce the indoor/outdoor living concept in California. That especially, I can relate to and appreciate. He combined multi-functional space with an abundance of natural light through strategically placed windows, skylights and doors. Light and space play crucial roles in creating a harmonious and inviting environment.
The late Austrian-born, American architect had a unique perspective by creating simple but functional and luxurious designs incorporating an expression of his specific ideas, almost entirely in Southern California in the early to mid 20th century.
He was famous for his style of meeting the needs of each client and site, often designing on the challenging hillside lots that his clients could afford. He worked within the budget of each client. One of his most beloved residential designs is the Tischler House (Westwood, 1949).
Schindler developed a style at once distinctly modern and uniquely adaptive to local culture and climatic conditions. A true blend of artist and engineer, Schindler constantly experimented with materials, construction techniques, and the composition of space.
Schindler was a pioneer who broke from the International Style of the moment to do things “his way.” Richard Neutra was his bitter rival; Frank Lloyd Wright a difficult mentor. Both of these architects took some ideas from Schindler but did not offer credit.
This doc is also a study on human character – it’s good side and it’s disappointments. It would be nice if people gave credit where credit is due, but we find out that this is not the case when both Neutra and Wright purposely keep Schindler out of some very significant acknowledgments. What I like about Schindler is that he stuck to his original ideas without becoming conformist to what other architects deemed were the unwritten rules of the times.
We also find out that both Neutra and Wright decide to make amends at the end of their life but instead of pointing a finger, Schindler decides to gracefully accept their apologies. Bittersweet moments.
At the Q&A at the end of the film, an audience member asked how Ganeva was able to get Streep to agree to narrate the film. Someone she knows is a friend of a relative of Streep’s and as it so happens, the actress knows a few people who live in Schindler designed homes and was more than happy to lend her voice. Udo Kier is a German born character actor who lives in Palm Springs. Both Valentina and Udo were here in person. This is Valentina’s first documentary. Funnily enough, she used to be a movie critic in Bulgaria.
Photo: d. king – Q&A
This documentary will also be featured as part of Modernism Week here in Palm Springs.
Bravo for a work well done!
Palm Springs International Film Festival Tickets. On until January 13th:
FOLLOW the Festival on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (Instagram: @psfilmfest | Facebook: PalmSpringsFilmFestival | Twitter: @PSFilmFest) and use #PSIFF2025.
I had the pleasure of visiting this intriguing Donald Wexler designed house of steel with my friend Megan recently. This home has an interesting history of who designed it, who owns it and the exhibit now showing – BLAKEHAUS @ WEXLER.
Donald Allen Wexler (1926-2015) was an influential Mid-Century modern architect whose work is predominantly here in Palm Springs. He is known for having pioneered the use of steel in residential design. Some of the buildings he’s designed include the Palm Springs International Airport, Merrill Lynch Building, The Dinah Shore Residence and more.
In the desert, light is everything, and Wexler knew how to harness it.
“Light is not so much something that reveals, as it is itself the revelation.” —James Turrell
Whether inside or outside, you can see why this home was used as the backdrop for countless editorial and fashion shoots; it is owned by Jim Moore, former GQ creative director-at-large.
Palm Springs Life Magazine did a story on him. This next paragraph was taken from the magazine:
Ryan Reynolds, Kanye West, Tom Cruise, President Barrack Obama, and a big posse of other well-known fellas all took heed to Jim Moore’s impeccable fashion consult over the years. By all accounts, these famous gents all came out looking pretty dashing on the cover of GQ, the titanic men’s magazine where Moore has enjoyed a fabulous tenure as creative director for four decades.
Some gossipy history: Reading about the house in Architectural Digest, it was said that Moore had heard that the house once belonged to Billy Wilder. One day, an older neighbor getting her mail told him the truth: Wilder had lived there for only six months or so, and came seldom, but she’d once seen him in the driveway talking with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. The magazine went on to say “At Moore’s house, even the ghosts have pedigree.”
“I’ve never really looked at Palm Springs as being anything but stylish. There’s something glamorous about Palm Springs. It’s the little town that has the style of the big city.’” — Jim Moore
The home is now temporarily occupied by Peter Blake and his wife Stephanie. They reside in Laguna Beach and own The PETER BLAKE GALLERY; also in Laguna Beach.
All the furniture and artwork you see here is from the gallery. Moore’s own furniture was moved out for this special exhibit.
Blake’s wife Stephanie is an artist and floral designer. This is her gorgeous flower arrangement.
The gallery’s program effectively merges the disciplines of Art, Architecture and Design.
This special exhibit of artwork and furniture collection from the gallery places an emphasis on important design from the 20th century. The curated display traverses the decades from Bauhaus to Modern – as shown in these photos.
From the Gallery Website:
Peter Blake
FOUNDED IN 1993, THE PETER BLAKE GALLERY IS THE LEADING EXHIBITOR OF WEST COAST MINIMALISM, WITH A FOCUS ON CALIFORNIA LIGHT AND SPACEAND HARD-EDGE PAINTING. KNOWN FOR ITS RIGOROUSLY CURATED SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS, THE GALLERY HAS EXHIBITED AND PLACED IMPORTANT WORKS BY ESTABLISHED AND MID-CAREER ARTISTS INCLUDING PETER ALEXANDER, LITA ALBUQUERQUE, LARRY BELL, MARY CORSE, RON COOPER, TONY DELAP, FRED EVERSLEY, JOE GOODE, MARCIA HAFIF, JAMES HAYWARD, SCOT HEYWOOD, JOHN MCCRACKEN, JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN M. MILLER, HELEN PASHGIAN, JAMES TURRELL AND DE WAIN VALENTINE.
Photos: d. king (photos of me taken by Megan Abbott).
If you go to this page you’ll see a more in-depth video of the home under “Current Exhibitions” and the gallery at large:
This is another home I’ve wanted to tour for years. This 1960 deemed Class 1 historic site designed by William Krisel, is where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon. It’s also referred to as “the pleasure dome”and “theAlexanderresidence” – as it was the home of designer Robert Alexander, his wife Helene, and daughter Jill. They lived there from 1960 – 1965. Very sadly, both Robert and Helene passed away in a tragic plane crash. Jill went to live with her aunt in Los Angeles.
I’ve always had a thing for unique eye catching doors.
Leonard Alexander, great uncle of Jill’s, leased the house to Elvis and Priscilla Presley. They honeymooned here in 1967.
After that, the house passed multiple hands: from a reclusive wife of a rancher to another owner cited by the city for letting the pool turn into a mosquito swamp. It was then repossessed by a Boston bank in 1987. Leonard Lewis purchased the house from the bank and turned it into a sideshow.
Bringing us to the new owners who had the sensible mantra of “how would the Alexanders do it” and made some renovations like adding a private balcony, raising the kitchen to accommodate modern furnisings and a brand new ceiling in the master bedroom.
The 4,700 square foot home has four living spaces within four 12-sided polygons. The four 30-degree-angled dodecagons (In geometry, a dodecagon, or 12-gon, is any twelve-sided polygon) rest at the four points of two facing , 45-degree triangles. Inner triangles comprise hallways and rooms connecting four main spaces.
The shape of the pool mimics the roof – which creates an ascending orientation.
Doors can be drawn to close off sections of the house away from public gatherings.
Thank you Modernism for opening up this home for our self-guided tour. We’re very happy to have finally seen it.
Here in the desert there is no shortage of gorgeous homes, but for Modernism week our focus is to celebrate and appreciate the preservation of midcentury architecture and design.
Today I got to tour the Wexler house, which interestingly enough, is a short walking distance from where I reside here in Palm Springs. While I always admired the outside of the house and wondered what lay behind the white walls, I had no idea of its importance of retaining the best of mid-century style and elegance. Now I know.
This is a Donald Allen Wexler (January 23, 1926 – June 26, 2015) designed home. Wexler was an influential Mid-Century modern architect whose work is predominantly in the Palm Springs area. He is known for having pioneered the use of steel in residential design.
H3K Home + Design worked with preservation consultant Susan Secoy Jenson (AIA – American Institute of Architects) to take this home back to its historic roots while keeping the original vision along with being able to support today’s lifestyle. No small feat.
Celebrating the home’s elongated flat roof with walls of glass, they delightfully blurred the boundaries between interior and exterior spaces, drawing the eye to the historic slump stone walls and wonderful pool area. The outside area exemplifies desert living and the mid-century modern experience. This home is a model of thoughtful architectural preservation enlivened by the best in modern design. It received a well deserved historic designation in 2022.
Photos: d. king
Modernism is on until February 25th. For tickets please visit:
Palm Springs is getting ready once again to celebrate all things Modernism.
Modernism Week’s signature February Event is an annual celebration of midcentury modern design, architecture, art, fashion and culture. Modernism Week features more than 350 events including the Palm Springs Modernism Show, Signature Home Tours, films, lectures, Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus Tours, nightly parties and live music, walking and bike tours, tours of Sunnylands, fashion, classic cars, modern garden tours, a vintage travel trailer exhibition, and more.
The mission is to celebrate and foster appreciation of midcentury architecture and design, as well as contemporary thinking in these fields, by encouraging education, preservation and sustainable modern living as represented in the greater Palm Springs area.
Feb 16, 2023 to Feb 26, 2023
Here’s one I’m looking forward to and it’s free:
This will be the ultimate street party celebration. Dance in the street to These Boots Were Made For Walkin’ honoring Nancy Sinatra.
For general information and tickets (many sell out fast) please visit:
I love observing how other people live. Very nice of the owners to open up their homes and let others take a peek inside and make them feel terribly envious by doing so. I was feeling very Bleue in this home…but in the most positive way.
This home is like stepping into a vacation. It’s a nod to the owners’ appreciation of beauty and being by the ocean with a modern nautical theme (despite being in the desert) as variations of water colors flow throughout, from vibrant turquoise to rich navy blues. It’s just gorgeous. I’m aware that I overuse this word but I just can’t think of another better word to describe this house and many others on the modernism open home tours.
Michelle Boudreau (pic below) recently re-designed the 1958 William Krisel originally designed Alexander Company home. She seamlessly merged materials and new spaces with modern technology while respecting the existing mid-century cherished design details.
“The philosophy of the renovation was to establish a good relationship with the existing structure as it had beautiful bones.” Boudreau states. I did notice that she herself has beautiful bone structure. Just had to add this tidbit of info.
To create a poetic home that embraces the Palm Springs lifestyle, Boudreau selected from brands such as Brizo, Dunn-Edwards Paints, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting, Hunter Douglas & Tidelli.
Check out that wall paper!
The 2,400 square foot artful interior space boasts four bedrooms & four bathrooms. And lots of gorgeous attractive coffee-table books which I adore. The home and the books are inspired by the owners’ colorful personalities and passion for sailing and travel.
Check out that bedding and wall paper!
The home is nestled below the San Gorgonio mountain range in Vista Las Palmas, Palm Springs.
Simply breathtaking!
All photos: d. king
Modernism week is on until February 27th. Get tickets for events while they last here:
Welcome to the start of Modernism week here in Palm Springs…home to the largest concentration of Mid-Century Modern architecture in the United States.Modernismweek is an annual celebration and appreciation of all things midcentury modern. Think design, architecture, art, fashion and culture. This is one of the busiest times of year for tourism in Palm Springs when hundreds of events take place that include the modernism show & sale, fabulous signature home tours, films, lectures, premier double decker architectural bus tours, nightly parties, live music, walking and bike tours, fashion shows, classic cars, modern garden tours and even more. Of course numbers to events are a bit more limited now and keeping a safe distance is still in place, however it feels like things are getting back to normal.
Today I toured the stunning 1975 Palm Springs residence referred to as the “Seventies Sackley” home, as it was designed by noted architect Stan Sackley. The home was recently reimagined by interior designers Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker of Grace Home Furnishings who purchased it in 2012.
Located in the prestigious Indian Canyons neighborhood, the house boasts deep mid-century roots and a distinctive architectural style. Situated on nearly a quarter acre lot, the 3,044 square foot home contains three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a beautiful saltwater pool and spa. It has brilliant mountain views, high ceilings, clerestory windows and walls of glass. The formal entryway is expansive and the dining area leads to a step-down living and media room, while walls of glass line the back of the house that open to the pool with a wondrous view of the San Jacinto mountains.
A favorite feature for the couple is the combo living room and media room which is separated by one of Sackley’s signature touches, a see-through fireplace with stacked stone detail.
The house’s custom glazed floor tiles were another coveted element, as they’ve believed to have been designed for the house by Sackley himself.
Stan Sackley is described by Ostrow and Stoker as an architect who left a great body of work but has remained somewhat under-appreciated until recent years. Ostrow shared that following Sackley’s death in 2001, his work archives were sold at a yard sale. “Soon after, someone would go up and down the street asking people if they wanted to buy the floorplans to their house,” he says. “We’re lucky to have it so we can see how the kitchen was configured.” When they gutted the kitchen, they located a piece of laminate that was from the old cabinet and found the old countertop, a walnut laminated material and a matte white glazed tile. “What we put back in makes it almost look like the original kitchen,” Ostrow says.
When it came time for an update to the home, Stoker and Ostrow decided to implement changes that remained sensitive to the architect’s original design. Eventually, the pair decided on a modest renovation of the kitchen and bathroom with no structural changes. Luckily, the couple got their hands on Sackley’s original furniture floorplan.
The interiors now feature a classic modern take on Palm Springs style, with a bold green and blue color palette. Vintage pieces are used throughout the home alongside contemporary pieces from Ostrow and Stoker’s own Grace Home Furnishings Collection and showroom lines.
Try to contain yourself as you have a browse through some luxury lifestyle homes for those who like to think “outside the box” for price souring housing solutions.
Numerous shipping containers are artfully arranged in a starburst pattern for this Joshua Tree Home – the brainchild of London based Whitaker Studio.
These home are made from shipping containers. That’s right. Some ranging from small “tiny house” structures featuring a single container to larger, more ambitious projects that combine numerous containers that result in opulent luxury homes. These shipping container spaces offer something for every budget and lifestyle.
Affordable Housing – two shipping containers built on a low budget.California-based Kubed Livingoffers multiple different shipping containers such as this 160 sq. ft. studio built from one container.
I just spent a little time in a winery built out of two shipping containers with windows cut out large enough to have a view of the vineyard. I couldn’t believe it!
Canadians looking for a chic container home can contact Alberta based Honomobo. Built from rigid steel to provide durable, efficient living space.Toronto based Storstacis in the business of selling new and used shipping containers. This one is made from two containers.The main floor includes two shipping containers that saddle bag a wedge-shaped space . I’m still trying to wrap my head around this one.
Every time I see a container now I envision what the inside would look like if I wanted to make it into a home. The way things are going you just may see them becoming more mainstream.
If you love style, architecture & design, here’s a unique and fun way to kill a little time while getting a luxurious dose of total home inspiration…
T. Jones Groups – Elements Estate, Vancouver
Focusing on the residential sector, we step into the world of luxury and extravagance to celebrate the best in design, outstanding architecture, interior design and product designs.
I loved perusing through all the categories of the International Design & Architecture Awards and then placing my vote for “best of” in each respective category. You can too, until March 19th (link below).
Who are they?
The International Design & Architecture Awards, are hosted by design et al, a leading UK interior design magazine. Their aim is to commend design, recognize talent, create opportunities and quite simply to offer inspiration. That to say the least, is an understatement.
These Awards are not judged by a panel. Shortlisted entries are presented online, and voting is open to industry professionals as well as design et alreaders, clients and customers. Only 16 projects are shortlisted per category. A unique part of their voting system is that votes have to be cast in every single category, which in turn, gives all shortlisted projects maximum publicity from international industry professionals.
T. Jones Group – Elements Estate, Vancouver
I’m delighted to learn that Amanda & Cameron Jones (friends of mine and my sister from T Jones Group) have received 5 nominations for their @elementsestatevancouver project. Looking through the photos we can see why.
Amanda & Cameron Jones
Elements Estate has received 3 Interior Designs Category nominations; Cat. 13 – Kitchen over £150,000 Cat. 18 – Best Living Space Cat. 29 – Residential Project Value over £5 million
Plus 2 Property Category nominations; Cat. 4 – Luxury Residence Cat. 19 – Residential Value £10 million +
A bit more on T. Jones Group and some of their amazing projects:
T. Jones Group. Elements, Vancouver
T. Jones Group represents their clients From Conception to Completion.
When you are surrounded by beautiful scenery, the standard for every project is raised. Vancouver, British Columbia pushes that standard to its absolute limit. The sights are breathtaking. Inspiration is everywhere.
And yet, the T Jones Group builds homes that set them apart from their neighbors. The passion brought to every project is sustainable because the goal remains the same: Learn what the client truly wants, and build it better than they ever imagined.
I love this…
The T. Jones Group has built a foundation dedicated to philanthropy. The Jones Family Foundation.
A project most near and dear to us has been building a four story residency in Tanzania for young womenin school in the medical field. We also funded the building of fresh water for the town.
See link below for more info. on Tanzania project:
The International Design & Architecture Awards, are hosted by design et al, a leading UK interior design magazine. Their aim is to commend design, recognize talent, create opportunities and quite simply to offer inspiration. That to say the least, is an understatement.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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