Archive for the ‘Palm Springs’ Category
King Of Cool In Palm Springs
We are going to Palm Springs for a few days next week, so the desert has been on my mind. These fantastic shots of Steve McQueen and his first wife actress Neile Adams were photographed by LIFE‘s John Dominis over a three-week period in 1963. The photos were taken at their Palm Springs home, designed by William Krisel, built by Alexander Construction Company.
McQueen’s home was in Racquet Club Road Estates and features an original movable kitchen island.
Check out the mosaic Krisel fireplace, which McQueen used for his record player… “Steve is a jazz lover–he takes his portable stereo with him wherever he goes,” Dominis wrote in his notes. There are LPs by Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Frank Sinatra and Count Basie scattered at his feet.
McQueen later owned a home in Palm Springs’ Southridge community, where he lived with his second wife, Ali MacGraw. The Southridge house was built in 1968 by Hugh M. Kaptur. It has a steel I-beam structure, gorgeous mountain views, a three-stall carport, and expansive parking area, which was perfect for McQueen, a notorious cars and motorcycle lover. He had two Porsche 911s and six motorcycles on the property, according to a 1971 Sports Illustrated article.
The Southridge house is currently on the market for $3,470,000. If you’d like to see this home or find out more information, email Rob or call him at 323-775-6305!
To see the rest of LIFE‘s Steve McQueen photos, go here.
“The Jet Set”
I’m late to this party, but I’ve recently gotten hooked on Mad Men. I’m on Season 3, but I’m still hung up on something that happened in Season 2. In the episode The Jet Set, Don Draper goes to Los Angeles for work and winds up in Palm Springs with a group of wealthy strangers at the most amazing mid-century home. Ever since I saw the episode I’ve been dying to know what house it was…
On the DVD commentary for the episode, Matt Weiner says the house wasn’t actually in Palm Springs, but in Chatsworth. He also says it’s a Case Study House and that it works for “Palm Springs” because it doesn’t have a view. I’m confused by this description because there actually aren’t any Case Study Houses in Chatsworth.
Online speculation pointed to the Stahl House, Case Study House No. 22 by Pierre Koenig, but it couldn’t have been the Stahl House because it’s in LA and definitely has a view!
Other views thought it was a Palm Springs house, like the Kaufmann House or Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate, but you can rule those out since, well, they’re in Palm Springs.
I think Weiner’s comment that it was a Case Study House must have been incorrect. My best guess follows some online information that the home in the episode was the Fox Residence located in Chatsworth, once owned by Frank Sinatra. There are no pictures of it online, but it seems to fit the bill since it’s used for filming and is located Chatsworth.
Also, the staging in The Jet Set episode was incredible! The Saarinen tulip table and red womb chairs, the colored glass, wall screens, red foo dogs, and that light blue telephone–it was all amazing.
And as always, the costumes were outstanding. I particularly loved the swimsuits. Joy’s gorgeous bikini and the creepy doctor’s amazing Speedo and blazer combo were great.
Still wondering about the house though…
Update 12/3/2011:
The house is now for sale for $12,000,000.
Palm Springs Modernism Week
This year’s Palm Springs Modernism Week runs from February 17-27, and will be sure to satisfy even the most die hard lover of mid-century modern. The nine day celebration of modernist design, architecture, and culture includes the annual architecture symposium, Architecture and Design film series, lectures, vintage car show, parties, and other events throughout Palm Springs.
The ever-popular architecture tours, which often sell out, will now be available daily during the week and twice during weekends running Feb 19 – 27.
There are several noteworthy home tours to check out, including a presentation from renowned modernist architect William Krisel followed by a tour of a Krisel home, tour of Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate designed by architect E. Stewart Williams, tour of The Edris House in Little Tuscany Estates also by E. Stewart Williams, a tour of Frey II by Albert Frey, and much more.
For more information on the event, check out the Modernism Week website.
Palm Springs Design District
We spent Christmas in Palm Springs this year, and what better way to spend the day after the holiday than shopping with the masses? Rob and I headed to the Design District along Palm Canyon Drive between Tamarisk Road and Tachevah Drive where many home decor and furniture stores are located. It was great to see some original pieces in person, like Jacobsen Egg Chairs, Saarinen Tulip Chairs, Bertoia Bird Chairs, and a really great Eames Fiberglass Shell Rocker in salmon-orange that I really wanted to take home! I spend a lot of time cyberstalking this furniture, so it’s always fun to see it in real life. There’s also a good assortment of Hollywood Regency and Asian inspired furnishings in the District too. For those of you planning a trip to Palm Springs in the future, here are a few standout shops to check out…
Modern Way
745 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.320.5455
Modern Way is a great place to find original modernist pieces in good condition, like these Saarinen armless dinning chairs from Knoll. They also sell art work by ModOp Design’s Alexandra Becket.
House 849
849 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.325.7854
House 849 has a large selection of high end contemporary and antique furniture, art, accessories. There’s some entertaining/crazy stuff here too, like the giant silver pinwheel sculpture that was in the yard.
a La MOD
768 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.327.0707
a La Mod had a nice selection of mid-century pieces too, like Eames, Wanger, and lucite pieces from Charles Hollis Jones.
Trina Turk Boutique
891 N Palm Canyon Dr
760.416.2856
Trina Turk is a rare clothing boutique in the Design District, but it seems right at home thanks to it’s many design connections. It’s housed in a 1960s Albert Frey-designed building, and the interior is designed by Kelly Wearstler. The boutique is a vintage/modern mix of 1970s Palm Springs style with lots of white, gold, mirrors, shag carpets, bursts of color, and gorgeous prints. The boutique carries a selection of Trina Turk clothing, as well as some resort, vintage, and menswear.
Design With Reach Annex
830 N Palm Canyon Dr, Ste F
760.322.8750
While having original modernist pieces is great, there’s also a place for reproductions too, of course. If you’re looking for replicas for less, Palm Springs Design Within Reach Annex is worth checking out. It features a changing assortment of returned and discontinued merchandise. Everything is marked down and ready to take home immediately.
Commune
Commune is the Los Angeles-based design firm behind the amazing Ace Hotel and Swim Club in Palm Springs (pictures above and below). Commune was founded in 2004 with a diverse staff of interior designers, architects, and graphic designers. Using a collaborative mindset, they assemble a team for each project, whether it’s a residence, commercial space, retail environment, website, or corporate identity.
Aside from the Ace Hotel, Commune’s past commercial spaces include Heath Ceramics in San Fransisco, Oliver Peoples in Malibu, Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, retail design for the Standard Hotel in New York, and many more. Commune has designed residential spaces throughout LA, as well…
650 North Dry Falls Road In Palm Springs
650 North Dry Falls Road
Palm Springs, CA 92262
3 BR, 3 BA
$1,195,000
This stunning example of mid-century architecture is located in the prestigious area of Vista Las Palmas. It’s one of only fifteen Swiss Miss mid-century homes built by the Alexander Construction Company in 1958. The 2,926 square foot home rests on .39 acres of private, artfully designed grounds with mature and lush landscaping, maximizing the dramatic mountain views.
The home has undergone a recent and extensive renovation to create a seamless blend of past and present. It provides a warm and inviting atmosphere with superb lighting, a rock fireplace, soaring ceilings, vast expanses of glass, and Travertine floors.
The Kaufmann House: A Look Back
When we were in Palm Springs last month, we checked out Richard Neutra Kaufmann House, a 1946 glass, steel and stone landmark. Today, I came across an interesting New York Times article from 2007 when the Kaufmann House was up for auction at Christie’s New York. It sold for an astounding $19.1 million, but the sale would later fall out of escrow for unknown reasons. Last year, the Kaufmann House was listed slightly below $13 million by Crosby Doe. I believe it is now off the market, and is occupied on alternating weekends by Brent and Beth Harris, who restored the home in the mid-90s. The Kaufmann House has a fascinating history and was hugely influential in shaping post-war Modernism. It also played a part in reviving interest in mid-century homes, thanks in part to the Christie’s auction.
The Kaufmann House was originally commissioned by Edgar J. Kaufmann Sr., who also commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build Fallingwater in Pennsylvania. Read more…
Shag Apparel
You are probably familiar with the Orange County artist Shag, even if you aren’t aware of the name. His kitschy artwork portraying mid-century modern lifestyle has been put on everything from mugs to stationery to mouse pads to salt and pepper shakers. And next month, Shag is entering the fashion world with a men’s line that will include jackets, blazers, sweaters, T-shirts, button downs, pants, and hats.
Kevin Rheault is the president and creative director of the Long Beach-based Shag Apparel label, which has licensed Shag’s artwork for the line. He told the L.A. Times that his goal for the label was to “have people look like they’ve jumped out of a Shag painting.” Clearly, the look is vintage inspired, but the there’s also an updated, slim silhouette. Retail prices range from $34 up to $350. The line will be available beginning in June at R & R Menswear in Palm Springs, Disney Vault 28 in Anaheim, and Hansen Surfboards in Encinitas. The collection will also be sold online through Posterpop.com and at Shag Apparel‘s own site by mid-July.
For those of you who would rather collect Shag art than wear the clothes, Shag: The Store in Palm Springs sells exclusive products and artwork not available online. And the store is having a grand opening party this Saturday, May 8th at 6pm.
Palm Springs Desert Modernism
Yesterday I hopped in the car with my fiance and mom, bought a map at the Palm Springs Visitor Center and drove around checking out some of Palm Springs’ notorious desert modernism architecture. For decades architects traveled to Palm Springs to design the sleek and modern homes the region is famous for. For those of you who love this stuff, do yourself a favor and see it in person. Photos simply don’t do these works of art justice.
My favorite house was Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House. Designed in 1946 this was one of the visionary architect’s most famous homes. It’s one of the best examples of a home connecting with the desert landscape you’ll ever see.
Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner
Few architects made a bigger impact on the California landscape than John Lautner. One of the most significant Modernist architects, Lautner’s six decades of work produced more than 150 built works. To celebrate this amazing career, The Palm Springs Art Museum will be exhibiting Between Heaven and Earth: The Architecture of John Lautner from Febraury 20th until May 23rd.
Lautner’s work is well-known in the Palm Springs area as he designed a mountain cabin in the trees, a motel as desert retreat and a showcase home for designer Arthur Elrod, so this exhibit should be a perfect fit with the Museum.
On display will be 115 original drawings and sketches, ten original models, six large-scale architectural models, and the documentary film Infinite Space: The Architecture Of John Lautner (a movie I’ve been dying to see). I will definitely be checking this exhibit out when I go to Palm Springs in March.
For more information about the exhibit click here.
Palm Springs Art Museum
101 Museum Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
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