Home tour: A mid-century modern Palm Springs getaway with minimalist charm

Stephanie Brown Inc’s full-scale transformation for this home away from home showcases textural stone and warm woods

Located in the city of Indian Wells, part of greater Palm Springs in California, the single-storey mid-century modern home from the 1960s acts as a vacation home for a Canadian couple with three adult children, escaping the harsh Vancouver weather during the winter months in exchange for outdoor activities of golfing and hiking, and the liveliness of the desert town, with friends who also “winter” there.

What was initially just supposed to be a replacement job for the dated ceramic floor tile transitioned to a full gut renovation when interior designer Stephanie Brown sat down with the clients and proposed the possibility of transforming their 2,187 sq ft getaway into “a calming desert oasis bathed in sunshine and neutral tones and textures.”

“The original home had undergone a few previous renovations but remained quite outdated,” recalls Brown, who has worked on many vacation homes near and far, but this being the first sizable project in the Palm Springs area. “The Palm Springs mid-century modern aesthetic, and the desert ‘oasis’ of Indian Wells are very inspiring, which are exciting for us to create a dream vacation home for them.”

Above Soft, parchment tones paired with consistent and muted walnut

Wonders of walnut

While the mid-century modern aesthetic of the home inspired Brown to work towards an all-neutral palette, she hit a snag when the mid-century modern interiors in the area have “moved on” with the times, most of them choosing to “upgrade” from the monotonous hues to notorious pops of colour and bold patterns typically associated with Palm Springs.

“It was rather challenging finding comparable mid-century interiors with an all-neutral palette. I scoured Palm Springs for design inspiration, but the bright colours and kitschy styles didn’t align with our vision,” Brown says. “So, the team sought inspiration in contemporary design in Mexico and Australia, which feature a beautiful minimal aesthetic that uses monochromatic palettes and simple, natural materials such as textural stone and warm woods.”

Above Minimal aesthetic with monochromatic palettes

Above Textural stone and warm woods

These references influenced Brown to opt for soft, parchment tones on the wall, floor and counter surfaces, which were paired with a consistent and muted walnut for the cabinetry and woodwork, highlighted with warm and textured brass accents.

This resulted in an interior that feels warm, calming and clean, with an expansive and quiet feel throughout. Hence, the affectionately named “Casa Sand Dune” for the vision of the home.

“Our client desired a soft, muted and organic palette that would be tonal and textural, and this aligned well with our taste and vision,” Brown explains. “We felt a neutral scheme would exude a sense of tranquillity and sophistication, resulting in a fresh take—a more calming and sophisticated approach—on the traditional mid-century style.”

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Above Large format porcelain tiles that are extremely durable and cool underfoot

Pile on tiles

Due to the hot climate in Palm Springs and the nature of indoor-outdoor home living, Brown made full use of the variety of tiles available.

Large format porcelain tiles that are extremely durable and cool underfoot spread across the open-concept living/dining/kitchen area and bedrooms; while fluted concrete tiles surrounded the walnut-panelled fireplace.

Terrazzo marble tiles and textural zellige-tiled walls in the primary bathroom ensuite

Soft terrazzo marble tiles in the primary bathroom ensuite

Textural zellige-tiled walls in the primary bathroom ensuite

Off-white mosaic tiles for the secondary bathrooms

Photo 1 of 5 Terrazzo marble tiles and textural zellige-tiled walls in the primary bathroom ensuite

Photo 2 of 5 Soft terrazzo marble tiles in the primary bathroom ensuite

Photo 3 of 5 Textural zellige-tiled walls in the primary bathroom ensuite

Photo 4 of 5 Off-white mosaic tiles for the secondary bathrooms

Photo 5 of 5 Off-white mosaic tiles for the secondary bathrooms

A subtle shift took place in the bathrooms, where soft terrazzo marble tiles and textural zellige-tiled walls were featured in the primary ensuite, and as a nod to retro design, off-white mosaic tiles encased the secondary bathrooms as a budget-friendly offset.

Above The bedroom fireplaces were removed and replaced with built-in millwork

Above The den was repurposed into a third bedroom with moveable twin beds

Making room

Originally, the home had wood-burning fireplaces in the primary bedroom, and an open den with a third wood-burning fireplace.

However, Brown’s team decided that the den was not a practical use of space, and thus repurposed it into a flexible third bedroom with twin beds that can be pushed together for a king-size. The bedroom fireplaces were also removed and replaced with built-in millwork.

Don't miss: Ask a designer: 7 ways to curate a bedroom that exudes quiet luxury

Above The dated kitchen was reworked to incorporate a long island counter

Above Casa Sand Dune with a view of the sweeping golf course

Meanwhile, the dated U-shape layout in the kitchen was reworked to incorporate a long island counter, a coffee station and a bar situated between the dining and living rooms, where the homeowners could entertain their friends in Casa Sand Dune that overlooks the outdoor patio and pool with a view of the sweeping golf course of the Indian Wells Country Club.

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Credits

Photography

Phil Crozier

Topics

Mid-century modern Palm Springs Monochrome Minimalism

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