When the Los Angeles–based firm Stayner Architects purchased Wave House in 2018 for  $360,000 from the City of Palm Desert, little did they know what lay buried beneath. The house had remained vacant and in  disrepair for years before father and son began the  painstaking process to assess and upgrade the home’s infrastructure and efficiency.

 “For us, historic preservation is not about turning back the clock,” says Christian, the junior Stayner, in reference to reinvigorating the 900-square-foot,  one-bedroom, two-bath abode. The firm gently coaxed it back to its original state, stripping layers of paint, while removing, restoring and replacing windows,  cabinets, paneling, ceilings, and doors.

The house, originally built by Walter S. White—an architect who designed more than 40 homes in the Palm Desert area—was listed under the National Register of Historic Places in 2018, and debuts this week during Modernism Week 2020.

Before: Exterior

After: Exterior

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

Shop the Look

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

After: Bathroom

The home’s structural details include the strategic installation of a high-efficiency, HVAC system and hot water heating equipment buried underneath the concrete floor, while the three L-shaped, self-braced walls are made to resist seismic events.

“Good architecture stands the test of time,” says Christian. “We foresee the Wave House becoming a destination for fans of midcentury, but also a space for cultural discourse and exploration.”

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