Vintage 1958 Palmer & Krisel For Sale in Ramon Rise – Palm Springs, CA

This is a sweet 1958 Palmer & Krisel-designed home in Ramon Rise (aka Little Beverly Hills) in Palm Springs, California. This mid-mod home has been expanded to 1,833 square feet and houses five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a two-car garage on a 10,000 square foot lot with an asking price of $629,000.

The exterior of the home has been significantly modified, with the addition of the projecting two-car garage, white vinyl windows and a heavy stucco finish added. These modifications take away from the mid-mod curb appeal that this home ordinarily would have had, and make it read more like a traditional ranch.

Inside it’s a completely different story. As one walks in through the front door the vintage kitchen greets you and takes you back to 1958. The original cabinets, pulls, range and oven appear to be in fantastic shape – check out the pegboard sliders under the kitchen sink – pure mid-mod greatness! The bathrooms are just as original, with vintage pink tubs, sinks and commodes.  The living area features those signature Krisel walls of glass that surround the fireplace and overlooks the swimming pool.

Also present inside are those great open-beamed ceilings, a design feature which has also been incorporated into the additions which have been placed on the home. We love the interior of this home – lots of potential to add some color and vintage furnishings to make this home shine.

The backyard features the standard Alexander Construction Company 15’ x 30’ rectangular pool, along with a large covered patio. The vintage globe lights under the patio cover add a great mid-mod vibe to the backyard, which holds lots of patio space and a fun outdoor shower area. There’s plenty of opportunity to turn up the volume on the exterior of the home and make the mod-bones of this home really pop – hopefully the new owner will have some fun with this one & keep that kitchen!

Check out the listing photos on Redfin here: 562 South Bedford Drive

Or Zillow here: 562 South Bedford Drive

1958 Palmer & Krisel For Sale in Sunmor – Palm Springs, CA

Here’s a sharp 1958 Palmer & Krisel-designed home in Palm Springs’ Sunmor neighborhood, built by the Alexander Construction Company. With its fantastic curb appeal, this home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms with a two-car carport, in-ground swimming pool all on an 11,700 square-foot lot with an asking price of $642,500.

Situated on a corner lot with only one neighbor, this home features a striking front yard with a floating concrete pad driveway, shady mesquite trees and a simple, low-maintenance yard area with a wonderful large accent rock and an enclosed, private front yard patio area.  Like some of the other floor plans we’ve seen in Sunmor, the entry of the home opens up into the living and dining rooms, with the kitchen tucked off and open to the dining area. The back of the home features the signature Krisel wall of glass, and provides great views of the inviting backyard. The fireplace and hearth have been reimagined, finished in a polished concrete or plaster.

The home features large slate tiles throughout, while the kitchen has been upgraded with (black and) white granite counters, backsplashes and accents and newer cabinetry. The slate carries through to the hall shower, and the master bath features the ever-popular Ikea Godmorgon bathroom vanities, a fixture which seemingly has become a stable of mid-mod renovations.

The bedrooms show light and airy, thanks in part the original open-beamed ceilings. The master features a small sitting area/office addition, which opens up onto the rear patio. The back yard features the rectangular Alexander swimming pool that was a staple of Palm Springs homes, green grass and low maintenance desert landscape. There’s plenty of patio space, both in and out of the sun, and the entire backyard is surrounded by a clean-lined metal fence.

This is a sharp home that shows light and bright, offering up many of the things we love about Palm Springs. There’s lots more photos online, check them out below:

Redfin: 2701 East Plaimore Avenue

Or Zillow: 2701 East Plaimore Avenue

1954 Bartley Grove Estates Palmer & Krisel Home For Sale – Whittier, CA

We’ve found the 1954 Palmer & Krisel subdivision of Bartley Grove Estates in West Whittier, California. Listed in the Krisel Archives at the Getty Museum as being located in Downey, Bartley Grove Estates lies within unincorporated Los Angeles County between the Cities of Whittier and Downey, utilizing Whittier as a mailing address. This made it tricky for us to track down, but after an extensive search we found it and here’s the first home we’ve seen for sale in it.

This is a 1954, 1,254 square-foot home squeezing in three (originally four!) bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a two-car garage all on a tidy 5,400 square-foot lot with an asking price of $390,000. This home features a couple of unique design quirks in addition to the usual Krisel hallmarks. The garage features an off-centered white clapboard siding breaking the standard board and batten façade, while the corner window to the left of the front door was a feature that many other southern California mid-century builders used. Its rare (but not unseen) for Krisel homes to have this feature, along with the double, slightly off-center roofline of where the garage intersects with the dwelling portion of the home. The most surprising Krisel feature not seen in this home (and the entire subdivision for that matter) is a fireplace – usually a living room staple.

There’s not many pictures of the home online so there’s not much to describe, but inside there’s quite a few Krisel traits. Like many of his Southern California homes, there’s no direct access between the home and the garage. The open, vaulted beamed ceilings are still intact, as are the clerestory windows at the east and west ends of the home and the walls of glass in the living areas at the back of the home. The fourth bedroom has been annexed by the living area; however the trusses are still in place creating an interesting added architectural feature.

The kitchen appears to have been updated in the mid to late 1990s, and there’s some fun retro teal carpeting throughout the home. Who knows what condition the bedrooms and baths are in as there’s no pictures. The laundry, most likely originally in the kitchen, has been moved to the garage, while the backyard appears lush and grassy. The listing agent doesn’t seem to be aware of the architectural signifigance of this home, and has humorously noted it as a ‘traditional.’ That just means more mid-mod for the rest of us!

There’s not many photos, but you can check out the Redfin listing here: 11015 Abbotsford Rd

Or Zillow here: 11015 Abbotsford Rd

Solid 1959 Mid-Century Palmer & Krisel For Sale in Northridge College Estates – Northridge, CA

Here’s a pretty solid Palmer & Krisel home located in the big lot community of Northridge College Estates in Northridge, CA. This 1,654 square-foot home features four bedrooms and two bathrooms with an attached two-car garage on a 12,100 square-foot lot with an asking price of $549,000.

This house has been updated over the years and has lost some of its signature Krisel elements, yet still has great bones and shows a lot of potential. Plus the asking price is the lowest in the area making this an appealing property. Situated on a corner lot, the front of the home features great Southern Californian landscaping and a half circular driveway paved in pavestones.

The living and dining area are located at the back of the home, in a light-filled room with walls of glass that look into the backyard. The east wall of the living room features a great full-wall fireplace and stone wall surround. The galley kitchen is open both off the dining area and living, and like many mid-century Palmer & Krisels, holds the washer & dryer.

The home features those wonderful Krisel vaulted ceilings; however, insulation has been added in the spaces between the beams, which results in the loss of those great open wooden ceilings. Two other signature elements that have been removed are the clerestory windows, which would have sat above the windows at the front of the house and above the wall of glass at the rear of the home. Restoration of those windows would help open up the home and return it back to its mid-mod roots.

The bedrooms show pretty light and open, even with the loss of the front clerestories, and feature light-colored laminate flooring.  The bedroom off of the entry has been converted to a den, with a large opening into the entry hall, but could easily be converted back. The bathrooms have also been updated; however the materials and design style materials are somewhat generic and unfitting of the home.

The backyard is pretty much a blank slate, ready to be personalized. With the restoration of a few crucial architectural elements, and a revision of the bathrooms, this classic Palmer & Krisel could be a midcentury modern showplace.

Check out the Redfin photos here: 17500 Romar Street

Or Zillow here: 17500 Romar Street

1955 Palmer & Krisel For Sale in Buena Park – Buena Park, CA

Here’s a fun mid-century modern Buena Park Palmer & Krisel home for today’s Krisel Connection feature.  Situated on an efficient 6,500 square-foot lot, this home features 3 bedrooms (originally 4) and 2 bathrooms with a  two-car garage in 1,257 square feet and an in-ground swimming pool all with an asking price of $489,000.

This model features a really cool roofline – it’s a one-and-a-half butterfly roofed home – the main dwelling potion of the home forms an A-roofline, while the garage portion of the home sweeps the roofline back up in the opposite direction, forming the one-and-a-half butterfly roofline.  This creates a fun and dynamic street view that gives this home a unique presence.

Walking up the ample driveway, the home is entered from the side, essentially at the midpoint of the 

property. Walking in the home, one enters the great room, a concept that Palmer & Krisel had down by the mid-century. The kitchen is open yet private, with a small demising wall separating the oven and range from the living area. The demising wall is covered in a brick veneer, to match the fireplace, which is vintage but most likely not original. The kitchen looks like it has been removed in the mid 1980s, but there’s one nifty relic from another era – there’s a built in Nu-Tone Kitchen Center countertop blender sited next to the sink. We hope this still works!

The living room features a brick fireplace, with what looks like a non-original mantle. While the mantle has been added for practicality purposes, removing it would definitely streamline the look of the fireplace. Down the hallway, there are two built-in cabinets featuring original wood finishes and hardware. The bedrooms are located towards the front of the home, and two of the four original bedrooms have been converted to one large master suite. Not bad considering four bedrooms tucked into 1200 square feet is pretty tight. Both bathrooms have been updated, and while are clean and livable, do not quite match the clean-lined mid-century roots of this home.

One of the great things about this home is that the clerestories are all intact, as are the original open-beamed ceilings. The flooring found throughout the home is busy and chaotic, but livable. Out back there’s a diving pool and a huge covered patio perfect for outdoor living. This is a great example of the forward-thought that Palmer & Krisel were known for, and reads much newer than a 60-year old property, and thanks to the walls of glass and ample patio space feels significantly larger than 1,257 square feet. At its $489,000 price it’s not going to last, so hurry up and grab this one.

Check out the Redfin photos here: 8621 Los Altos Drive

Or Zillow here: 8621 Los Altos Drive

Polynesian-inspired Palmer & Krisel Home For Sale in Paradise Palms – Las Vegas, NV

On quiet Chippewa Drive in Paradise Palms sits this Palmer & Krisel-designed Polynesian-inspired home. The home is 1,800 square feet, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms under the 1,400 square-foot main dwelling, and 400 square feet housing a bathroom in the casita carved out of the former carport. Sited on a 9,500 square-foot lot, the asking price of this home is $219,000.

This home was a Model 4H, or ‘Hawaiian’ styled home that was based off of the existing Model 4 floor plan. Subtle elevation changes gave this home its distinctive Hawaiian look, most of which have now been downplayed. The roofline on the 4H was steeper and more radically raked than its standard counterpart, while the sides of the home and front of the carport featured a hipped roof with a partial gable end for that casual island look. Horizontal wood detailing on the front facade and carport (removed from the carport and replaced with heavy lace-stucco on this home) also helped give this home a more Polynesian look, while narrow bands windows gave completion to the Hawaiian look.

This property has recently been flipped, but the good news is that it hasn’t been ruined. There are plenty of hallmarks of a flipper who doesn’t quite understand mid-mod design or architecture – granite counter tops, slate accents, unfortunate boob lights and vessel sinks. But that’s the worst news. The good news is that there’s still quite a bit of original still left. The original aluminum framed windows are still intact; the vintage flat-panel front door was left in place and beneath that predictable granite the original kitchen cabinets are still intact, with some crown molding added (minus the signature Krisel floating island).

The living and dining area features trademark walls of glass looking into the backyard with fantastic four-pane windows , and there’s a signature Krisel-fireplace on the east end of the room. Under that big box store slate tile is the original concrete block hearth and surround, hopefully in a restorable condition. The bathrooms have been updated, with very polar design choices – granite slab counter with a vessel sink in one bath; dark traditional vanity in the other. Original that can been seen are the sunken bathtub (we wish that floor tile wasn’t used as a tub surround), luminous ceiling, and the glass mosaic tilework is still present in the master bath shower.

The carport has been converted to a casita with its own kitchen and bath, and interesting design choices. There’s access to the backyard and pool area, and if desired could be converted back into a carport or two-car garage. Out back there’s an in-ground pool, covered patio and lots of space for entertaining.

One of the great things about this home is that it holds fantastic potential to be restored into that tropical oasis that it was intended to be. With revised landscaping, paint, lighting and baths and acknowledgement of the intended mid-century Polynesian roots this home will truly be a spectacular tropical resort-like showplace.

Check out the photos on Redfin here: 1652 Chippewa Drive

Or Realtor.com here: 1652 Chippewa Drive

Million Dollar Monday: Midcentury Palmer & Krisel Home For Sale in La Jolla Scenic Heights – La Jolla, CA

Happy Memorial Day to everyone! Today’s Million Dollar Monday features a 1961 Palmer & Krisel-designed home in the La Jolla Scenic Heights subdivision in the beautiful seaside community of La Jolla, California. This solid mid-century modern was a one-owner home sited high on a double-wide flat lot overlooking Sugarman Drive. This Drogin Construction Company-built home is 2,086 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and a two-car garage on just over a half-acre flat lot. Asking price is $1,484,000.

There’s a sweeping driveway that pulls you through the tiers of double-scored cinder block landscape tiers up to the front doors as you enter off of Sugarman Drive. The front doors feature the original square escutcheons over period flat panel doors, and are painted in a fun mid-mod turquoise color. The home strongly reads as a Krisel from the street view, with a fantastic roofline and presence.

The original crinkle-glass clerestories have recently been replaced with clear, presumably dual-pane white vinyl windows, which does change the intended architectural look of the home somewhat. The original look can always be recreated with adhesive film, but unfortunately there’s nothing quite like the original on these mid-mod homes. The front chimney features a wonderful subtle feature – nine of the blocks on the vertical left side of the exterior have been pulled forward slightly creating a slight shadow line.

 Inside, there have also been a few more recent updates, including a new wood floor and thick, ornate baseboards. Typically mid-century modern architecture was about clean lines with a lack of ornamentation, and eyes were meant to be drawn through a space, not down to the floor line. Interestingly, the original open-beamed ceilings are still in place, however trim has been added at the beams creating a curious detail.

Luckily the living room features that knock-out signature Krisel fireplace, and barely visible in the photos is a small in-hearth planter filled with white rocks – very mod. The kitchen has been updated in a functional way – the backsplash is definitely on trend while the cabinetry sticks out as being somewhat traditional for a mid-mod home. The bathrooms have also been updated, however neither the kitchen updates nor the bath create any real value – they both don’t fit the home stylistically and create a situation where the new owner is essentially forced into a immediate renovation. There would have been more value if the originals were still in place, presuming condition was good. There’s also a breakfast nook/family room addition off the kitchen with its own fireplace, and care was taken to mimic the open beamed ceilings.

Out back, the yard is flat and grassy, and is actually located on the ‘side’ of the home, visible from the front and entry. This is a great home; however, it’s unfortunate that the white vinyl window, baseboards, kitchen and bath updates were made as they just don’t fit the house right. This could have been a great renovation but was definitely misguided. The price is one of the best in the area, and will no doubt be the leading factor in the sale – which means the new owner can afford a fitting renovation & make this property shine like the stellar gem that it is.

Check out the Redfin photos here: 8356 Sugarman Drive

Or Zillow here: 8356 Sugarman Drive

1958 Krisel for Sale in Ramon Rise (aka Little Beverly Hills) – Palm Springs, CA

Ramon Rise is a fantastic pocket of late 1950’s Palmer & Krisel homes in southest Palm Springs. Given the nickname of ‘Little Beverly Hills’, Ramon Rise features street named after those found in Beverly Hills – Canon Drive, Beverly Drive, Roxbury Drive and Bedford Drive, and sits on the northeast corner of the Mesquite Golf & Country Club.

This home was built in 1958 and features three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,673 square feet on a  10,400 square-foot lot with an asking price of $609,900. Situated on Compadre Road, the home actually fronts the Mesquite Golf and Country Club with fantastic views of lush fairways and Mount San Jacinto beyond. The original carport was enclosed; however a secondary covered parking structure has been added to the front of the home.

Inside the home the living room offers walls of glass looking into the private backyard. There’s a few different design styles represented within the interior of this home, which may be the reason for the length of time this property has been sitting on the market. Most of the paint, light fixtures and furniture represent modernistic styles, while the some of the darker paint colors, kitchen, bath and flooring stylistically represent southwestern, craftsman and mid-2000’s design styles.

The kitchen opens directly to the living room and the dining area features an awesome sputnik chandelier handing from those great open-beamed ceilings. The living room also features a wonderful Krisel fireplace which could significantly pop if repainted with more modernist colors. The bathrooms are semi-updated, with what looks like both 1980s and early 2000s updates. The bedrooms show dark, but could be more spacious if the heavy draperies were removed.

Out back there’s a grassy yard and the standard Alexander 15’ x 30’ swimming pool. The backyard offers lots of privacy and greenery, making it that sought-after oasis in the desert. Theres a few tweaks that could be made to the landscape, both front and back, to make this home pop and show like the mid-century modernist piece of architecture that it is. It’s a neat opportunity to own a great home in a superb location.

Check out the Redfin photos here: 608 South Compadre Road

Or Zillow here: 608 South Compadre Road

Two Krisel Condos in the Ocotillo Lodge – Palm Springs, CA

For those of you looking for that perfect vacation home there’s no better place than the 1957 Palmer & Krisel-designed Ocotillo Lodge in Palm Springs, California. Here’s a pair of 525 square-foot one bedroom, one bathroom condos waiting for their new owner.

The first condo available is a second-story unit, featuring one bedroom and one bathroom, with an asking price of $130,000. The monthly HOA fees are $360/month. This small unit features an original kitchenette, signature Krisel open-beamed ceilings and original bathroom.

These units aren’t huge, and there’s some color choices in this one that seem to enhance the diminutiveness of this condominium rather than enlarge it. The beige tile also make this unit feel somewhat smaller than it is. This home is begging for a white terrazzo or quartz floor to brighten it up. We definitely dig that vintage oven and the mosaics in the bath.  This is a fun unit with loads of potential to be that oasis getaway we all want. Here’s a chance to make it your own!

Check out the Redfin photos here: 1111 East Palm Canyon Drive #223

Or Zillow here: 1111 East Palm Canyon Drive #223

The next unit available is another second-story unit that’s been completely remodeled. The remodel on this one is very traditional, which unfortunately does not quite fir the mid-mod origins of the building. The original open-beamed ceilings have been drywalled over, and crown molding has been added. The kitchen has been interestingly opened up, making the space feel a bit larger.

The unit is in good condition and shows well. There’s just something about the heavy use of beiges and browns that make this unit feel older and more generic than a mid-mod gem. It’ll definitely appeal to someone’s tastes, and may eventually make a good restoration candidate. If you’re looking for a long-term investment, this may be a good opportunity, as all furnishings are being sold with the unit.

Check out the Redfin photos here: 1111 East Palm Canyon Drive #215

Or Zillow here: 1111 East Palm Canyon Drive #215

Folded Plate Roof Tri-Level Krisel For Sale in Paradise Palms –Las Vegas, NV

Here’s a uncommon opportunity to own a Palmer & Krisel-designed tri-level home with a fairly rare zig-zag folded plate roofline on the 15^th fairway of the Las Vegas National Golf Course. This is the Plan 11A, of which only 5 were ever built. Featuring three bedrooms, three bathrooms in 2,661 square feet, this home sits on a 10,400 square-foot lot with an in-ground swimming pool, golf frontage and a two-car carport, all for an asking price of $488,888.

The home maintains the original street side massing, roofline and the two elongated hexagonal windows on the front bedroom, but most other features have been modified or updated. The front exterior features a simple, low maintenance yard with shrubs, agave and cacti. The original signature-Krisel checkerboard lower block façade has been covered over with a dark stone veneer, reminiscent of that found on newer homes as opposed to what is typically found in midcentury modern design.

The main living level features an open kitchen, living and dining room with sweeping views of the backyard, pool and Las Vegas National Golf Course and beyond. The kitchen has been completely updated and expanded, opened to the living room and occupying the space that once contained the family room. All the current trends are found there – wide two-tone cabinetry, glass mosaic back splashes, high end appliances and composite countertops. The signature Krisel fireplace has been minimized in the renovations, creating a simple firebox opening in the wall.

The three bedrooms are upstairs, with the master featuring inspiring views of the Las Vegas National Golf Course through added French doors which lead onto a private balcony & a mirrored ceiling above the bed. The master bath features a cavernous shower, Jacuzzi tub and square vessel sinks.The hall bath features tiled walls, round vessel sink and unique stone countertops.

The backyard features lots of patio space, oblong swimming pool and trellis. There’s also a small grassy area, palms, and an older, open wrought iron view fence to the golf course. This is a pretty great opportunity to own a truly unique home in one of Las Vegas’ hippest areas.  

Check out the Redfin photos here: 3539 Pueblo Way

Or Zillow here: 3539 Pueblo Way