A William Krisel-Designed Midcentury in Palm Springs Lists For Under $1.2M
William Krisel left a strong mark on the city of Palm Springs—one that particularly resonates in the iconic subdivision of Twin Palms, the first modern tract neighborhood in town. A collection of about 90 homes, Twin Palms was a shared project of the celebrated midcentury architect and the George and Bob Alexander Construction company.
Chris Menrad, the listing agent for the property at 1042 E. Apache Road and author of William Krisel’s Palm Springs: The Language of Modernism, notes, "The genius of Krisel is that he was able to show the Alexanders (his customer and the builder of Twin Palms) how to offer a product to the buyer that looked like a custom home, but was quasi-assembly line built with almost a modular concept of commonality of floor plan and construction technique." From the street, each home looks unique, but the floor plans are essentially the same. This winning combination was a hit for the Alexander Construction Company, propelling them to construct almost 2,000 additional units which forever changed the look of Palm Springs.
The long, low-slung facade of carefully masoned stone helps integrate the home into its desert surroundings.
Originally built in 1957, the home features many of the architect’s signature touches. "Krisel's long gable design presents a rugged facade of carefully masoned desert stone," says Menrad.
At the rear of the home, however, Krisel employed a different design narrative, and the home opens up "with delicate panes of glass bracketing the massive stone fireplace." This expansive wall of glass gives the home a true indoor/outdoor connection and floods the living space with natural light, magnificent mountain views, and a rooted sense of place in the California desert.
A wooden pergola shades the entrance to the home.
Classic midcentury features like the wall of glass and clerestory windows provide the home with a connection to the outdoors and flood the living space with natural light. A rough stone-inlay fireplace connects the living room with the facade.
The bright and airy, open-plan layout includes the dining area, living area, and kitchen. Sliding glass doors open to the outdoor terrace and swimming pool.
The kitchen updates remain true to the home’s midcentury character. Terrazzo tiles are used throughout the home.
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Globe pendant lighting illuminates the interiors.
The master bedroom also enjoys outdoor access, while a vaulted ceiling contributes to a sense of space.
The updated master bath gets lots of natural light.
The den also has a strong indoor/outdoor connection.
This room, currently used as an office space, is in an addition added by the original owners as a second master suite.
A new spa and a fully remodeled pool entertain guests outdoors.
The home's plumbing, roof, air conditioning, and electrical systems have been fully replaced and upgraded, and the home is solar ready.
1042 E. Apache Road is now being listed for $1,195,000 by Chris Menrad of TTK Represents.
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