Seeking a reprieve from Chicago’s bitter winters, one couple found the ultimate antidote: a Palm Springs midcentury modern home defined by endless sun and outdoor living.
“This project is one of many that I have assisted this couple with over the years,” says Alida Coury, founder of Alida Coury Interiors. “They are friends who have known me since I was in college. We always have such a fun time collaborating on out of the box design ideas. This project celebrates how they truly enjoy the arts, the entertainment community, and have a vast understanding, as well as respect for interior design and architecture. It was so fulfilling to get together in creating on a deeper level in regards to an era that demands such high respect.”
A hidden gem in one of the desert’s most storied neighborhoods in California, this 1959 midcentury modern home held immense potential from the start. “What makes this home unique is its genuine character and quirk,” says Mark W. Daniels, founder and architect at MWDA. “The original architect gave it angled ‘spider-leg’ posts, large river rock embedded in the patio concrete, and most strikingly, rotated the entire house diagonally on the lot. Those angular spider-leg posts ultimately became the organizing language for the entire project. The home doesn’t sit politely on the property line; it has an opinion.”
The original terrazzo floors, brick fireplace, and desert landscaping were preserved, but the property required a gut renovation to align with contemporary living and the owners’ personal style. “The opportunity was honoring the original home’s funky, irreverent character while expanding it significantly,” says Daniels, who reconfigured the interior, replaced the windows, and introduced two new freestanding structures: an office casita and a pool pavilion.
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“The key challenge was making the additions feel inevitable rather than appended,” he continues. “I kept coming back to Kazimir Malevich. The site plan has a Suprematist quality, where abstract forms in space create something that feels both intellectual and viscerally alive.”
In the interior spaces, Coury pushed boundaries with pattern and colour amid a curated selection of midcentury vintage furniture. “The bright dashes of art, fabrics, wallpapers, and accessories breathe life into this historic home,” she says. “We preserved the brick fireplace wall and complemented it with a Tom Green Brutalist brass chandelier housed inside the original niche.” In the office space, Coury explored shades of pink, yellow, green, and blue that wind their way into the neutral backdrop of the main space. Washes of more saturated pinks and orange hues soften the contrasting grasscloth wallpaper while providing a playful statement.
The eye-catching decor of the Palm Springs midcentury modern home is rounded out by the owners’ collection of iconic photography and local artworks, including the living room's lighting installation by Phillip K. Smith III. “It sets the tone through its diffused, changing colours – when in use, it speckles flecks of light off the disco ball,” Coury describes. “It’s a mood and a moment of bathing in soft, changing tones – a gorgeous art form in its play on shadow and light.”
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Outside, the ‘California dreaming’ vibe continues. A newly built outdoor kitchen and dining area sit adjacent the pool for entertaining, while an outdoor shower and a colourful powder room invite guests to freshen up after a swim. The grounds also feature a firepit lounge and bocce ball court. “The property is along a well known, historic golf course, allowing the owners to conveniently take advantage of entering the green from their home,” says Coury. “In addition, a private putting green was added next to the casita for a bit of practice time before joining the course.” Deeply rooted in Palm Springs’ design heritage, the home has been reinvented to create an experience of “midcentury modern sophisticated whimsy,” as Coury aptly describes it.
