Here’s How to Deck Out Your Home Like a Breezy Palm Springs Midcentury

Cultivate a sunny state of mind with these pieces that channel Palm Springs’ brand of midcentury modernism.

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Evoke the timeless aesthetic that the likes of Donald Wexler, William Krisel, and Charles DuBois solidified in this desert landscape with midcentury modern furnishings that privilege clean lines and bold colors.

Living Room

The Buzyn residence features an open-plan interior.

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Knoll Womb Chair and Ottoman

Design Within Reach

When Florence Knoll challenged Eero Saarinen to create a chair that she could curl up in, she found the right candidate for the task. The Womb Chair and Ottoman (1946) feature enveloping forms that continue as one of the most iconic representations of midcentury organic modernism.

Herman Miller Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant

Design Within Reach

While outfitting his office, architect and Herman Miller design director George Nelson discovered a silk-covered Swedish hanging lamp that he coveted but found too expensive.

Finn Juhl Credenza

Design Within Reach

After studying at the famous Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and working for architect Vilhelm Lauritzen, Finn Juhl set up his own design office in 1945.

"The home has an unusual resonance when you see it," says Kaufmann house owner Brent Harris. "It has a volumetric, spatial beauty that changes throughout the day, particularly at twilight. There are a lot of great Neutra houses, but this has different feel entirely. It's very photogenic."

The home features terrazzo flooring throughout.

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Knoll Saarinen Tulip Armless Chair

Design Within Reach

When Eero Saarinen designed his Pedestal Collection for Knoll in 1956, he created an alternative to the "ugly, confusing, unrestful world" that he thought tables and chairs had become known for.

Knoll Barcelona Couch

Design Within Reach

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Couch (1930) was added to his Barcelona Collection in the year following the introduction of the Chair and Stool.

Knoll Barcelona Chair

Design Within Reach

When Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was chosen to create the furnishings for the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona, he designed an iconic chair that many may not realize was born with royal roots.

An alternate view of the living space and wood-paneled fireplace.

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Louis Poulsen PH 5 Mini Pendant

The PH 5 Mini Pendant by Louis Poulsen was designed by Poul Henningsen in 1958 to create glare-free light. With multiple finishes to choose from, hanging the pendant anywhere is easy. The pendant uses three shades.

Knoll Platner Lounge Chair

Design Within Reach

As America entered into the 1960s, modernism started becoming more expressive, and designers began to celebrate more decorative, graceful shapes.

FLOS Glo-Ball Floor Lamp

The Flos Glo-Ball Floor Lamp was designed by Jasper Morrison with elegant, modern simplicity suitable to any contemporary interior. The careful craftsmanship of the blown White glass shade is fully revealed—and enhanced—when illuminated.

The sitting room features a central fireplace framed by marble and warm wood, a wall of glass, and the original terrazzo floors.

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Florence Knoll Sofa

Design Within Reach

Florence Knoll Bassett took a holistic view of interior space planning. As director of the Knoll Planning Unit in the 1950s, her "total design" approach embraced everything about a space – including the furniture.

Cassina LC1 Sling Chair

Design Within Reach

Sleek and elemental, the LC1 Chair (1928) exemplifies Le Corbusier’s concept of “equipment de l’habitation.” The backrest, attached to the frame by a rod that allows the angle of tilt to change, moves as you shift, offering continuous support. The LC1 is included in the design collection of MoMA.

Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Houses

The most complete in-depth survey of global midcentury modern homes ever published—more than 400 stunning homes from 40 countries, designed by more than 290 of the world’s greatest architects.

The interiors fully embrace the midcentury aesthetic, with high-beamed ceilings, slate floors, custom wood flooring, and a split rock fireplace.

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Herman Miller Noguchi Table

Design Within Reach

Following his apprenticeship with the legendary Constantin Brancusi, sculptor Isamu Noguchi began to experiment in environmental design, theatrical sets – he was the only designer that choreographer Martha Graham would work with – and, eventually, product design.

Yellow Eames Rocker by Laura Browning Print

"Yellow Eames Rocker was inspired by the iconic chair designed by Charles & Ray Eames in 1948," says the artist. "Growing up in California, I have long been inspired by the nostalgic idea of the classic California dream from the mid-20th century.

Dining Room

Many of the home’s original finishes could not be salvaged, including the walnut plywood in the dining area and kitchen. The siding was replaced with a fresh veneer of the same wood. Recessed baseboards give the kitchen island, topped with a Whitehall Cambria countertop, the appearance that it is levitating. The gilded hanging lamp by Peill & Putlzer was purchased secondhand in France.

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Palm Springs Modern: Houses in the California Desert

This classic volume, now available at a lower price, showcases jet-set homes designed by the likes of Neutra, Frey, Lautner, and others. Palm Springs is famous as a mecca for the international jet set.

Oversized, full-height glass sliding doors provide easy access to the patio and a strong indoor-outdoor connection. The original terrazzo floors flow directly into the outdoors.

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Case Cross Fixed Table

Design Within Reach

After earning his degree in furniture design from Kingston Polytechnic in 1979, Matthew Hilton opened a design studio in London, and he’s been creating innovative, classic pieces ever since.

Case Narin Folding Chair

Design Within Reach

If David Irwin hadn’t become a designer, he’d be working as a chef. Fortunately, he kept his focus locked on front of house with his Narin Folding Chair (2016). Irwin was determined to ensure this folding chair would be as comfortable as a non-folding one, and he insisted that it be made of wood.

Case Dulwich Extension Table

Design Within Reach

Since graduating from London’s Kingston Polytechnic in 1979, Matthew Hilton has built a following for his innovative furniture and lighting, with pieces held in the permanent collections of London’s Geffrye and Victoria & Albert Museums, among others.

Kitchen

The kitchen has been updated with a vintage vibe and seamlessly integrates into the home's clean midcentury style.

The kitchen was restored in 2001 following guidelines from its original configuration.

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Hip Haven Bullet Planter

Design Within Reach

Originally manufactured by several companies in the 1950s, the Bullet Planter (2011) was never trademarked, and its designer never identified. One version of the story attributes its creation to a resourceful man who worked for a company that produced satellite dishes.

Herman Miller Nelson Platform Bench

Design Within Reach

For Herman Miller's influential design director George Nelson, utility was as important as beauty. Originally designed for his own office, where Nelson hoped the slatted top would discourage visitors from sitting too long, the Platform Bench (1946) is both timeless and functional.

Mid-Century Modern: Icons of Design

This gift book, featuring sophisticated illustrations of classic pieces, is a must- have for lovers of Mid-Century Modern design. Mid-Century Modern remains one of the most popular, collectable, and dynamic styles of international design.

The kitchen updates remain true to the home’s midcentury character. Terrazzo tiles are used throughout the home.

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Design Within Reach

Constructed of laminated wood of graduating thicknesses, from 5 ply at the seat edge to 15 ply at the slender waist, the Cherner Stool (1958) possesses exceptional structural strength and dramatic sculptural beauty. It's braced with a solid steel crossbar that also serves as a comfortable footrest.

Cavaliere-Euro 900 CFM 36 Inch Wide Island Mounted Range Hood

Features: Island Mounted Low Noise Dual Chamber Centrifugal Motor Six Speed Touch Sensitive Controls with Blue LED Lighting Constructed from High Quality 19 Gauge Stainless Steel 30 Hour Cleaning Reminder with Programmable Delayed Auto Shut Off (1-15 Minutes) 4x 35W...

Vitra Eames House Bird

Design Within Reach

The Eames House Bird rose to stardom in the 1950s when Charles and Ray Eames pulled it from their own living room and positioned it with a group of Eames DKR chairs for a poster.

Bedroom

The interior of the Menrad residence, with a raised ceiling and glass walls. "The house felt like the ultimate expression of what postwar residential architecture in California was all about," resident Chris Menrad writes in the book.

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Knoll Saarinen Side Table

Design Within Reach

Architect Eero Saarinen was a genius at creating expressive sculptural forms. From his TWA Terminal (now the TWA Hotel) at New York’s JFK Airport to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to his Pedestal Table (1956), there’s a magic in everything he created.

Fritz Hansen Swan Chair

Design Within Reach

Designed for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, for which designer Arne Jacobsen was the architect, the Swan Chair (1958) permitted guests to spin on its swivel base, thus becoming active participants in the busy hotel atmosphere.

Design Within Reach Sonno Pillow

Design Within Reach

If you ask any chiropractor what kind of pillow he or she sleeps on, the answer will most likely be memory foam, the reason being that this material comfortably supports your head, neck and shoulders in a natural position, which leads to deeper, more restful sleep.

The master bedroom.

William Krisel designed the Ocotillo Lodge, a hotel that features a number of his signature design moves: post-and-beam construction, walls of glass, and seamless indoor/outdoor connections. Pictured here is one of the hotel’s bungalows.

Outdoor

The rear patio was refreshed with new concrete pavers. A strip of grass accents the perimeter of the pool and hot tub. The boulders by the hedge are all that remain of a previous owner’s rock grotto.

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Knoll Bertoia Side Chair

Design Within Reach

Featuring delicate filigreed construction that's supremely strong, the airy seats of the Bertoia Seating Collection (1952) are sculpted out of steel rods and have a relaxed sit.

Poolside Glamour by Slim Aarons Art Print

A desert house designed by Richard Neutra for Edgar J. Kaufmann, Palm Springs, California, January 1970. Lita Baron approaches, while in the foreground Nelda Linsk (right) wife of art dealer Joseph Linsk, is talking to her friend, Helen Dzo Dzo.

William Krisel’s Palm Springs: The Language of Modernism

This first major monograph chronicling the work and architectural philosophy of William Krisel features examples and insights from Krisel's own papers, culled from his personal collection as well as the extensive archives of the Getty Research Institute.

A look at the pool area of Steel House #2. Each major room features floor-to-ceiling glass panels and sliding doors that are all eight feet high.

Homeowner Jay Longtin served as the general contractor and performed the majority of the remodel work, aside from the outdoor floors, concrete, and pool, which were done by Architectural Blue.

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Palm Springs Poster Retro Travel by Jim Zahniser Wall Art

Take a permanent vacation to fabulous Palm Springs with this Pop Art print by Red Robot! A great gift for a hometown resident or a friend that's moved away.

California Captured: Mid-Century Modern Architecture

The style and mythology of Mid-Century Modern California architecture as seen through the expert lens of Marvin Rand.

The vantage point of the famed "poolside gossip" photo that made Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House so well-known.

Exterior

Seen today, it’s hard to imagine that Jessy Moss and Steve Jocz’s glistening white home in Indian Wells, California, was marketed as a teardown only two years ago. Sparing it the wrecking ball, Jessy, an interior designer who used to be a singer/songwriter, and Steve, a realtor who was once a member of the band Sum 41, embarked on a restoration. During the project, they uncovered evidence that the home might be an unrecognized work by iconic architect William F. Cody. The circular pavers in the driveway, replicas of originals, are strikingly similar to those Cody used for another midcentury motor court.

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Design Within Reach Neutra Modern House Numbers

Design Within Reach

In 2001, renowned design studio House Industries partnered with the estate of late architect Richard Neutra – whose notable projects include the Kaufmann House (1947) in Palm Springs, the Lovell Health House (1929) in Los Angeles and the Kronish House (1955) in Beverly Hills, among others – to...

Desert House Party by Slim Aarons Art Print

Desert House Party art print by Slim Aarons. Our prints are produced on acid-free papers using archival inks to guarantee that they last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All art prints include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting, if desired.

Mid-Century Modern: Icons of Design

This gift book, featuring sophisticated illustrations of classic pieces, is a must- have for lovers of Mid-Century Modern design. Mid-Century Modern remains one of the most popular, collectable, and dynamic styles of international design.

This updated 1957 home in the Twin Palms Estate features the subdivision’s signature palm trees front and center.

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Related Reading:

Here Are 20 of the Best Midcentury Renovations in Palm Springs

This Palm Springs Prefab Is a "Living Lab" for its Designer Residents

Design 101: What Are Alexander Homes, and Why Are They Still So Beloved?

Published

February 20, 2020

Last Updated

April 19, 2022

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