One of only 15 homes built in the Valley of the Sun
subdivision in Rancho Mirage, CA is this 1958 Palmer & Krisel-designed midcentury modern home
built by builder George M. Holstein and Sons. Recently undergoing a
significant renovation, this home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms in
1,680 square feet, a two car garage and an in-ground pool all on a 10,000
square-foot cul-de-sac lot with an asking price of $769,000.
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| Front of home |
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| Night view - great job on the lighting! |
The home last sold four years ago at less than half of the
current asking price and has undergone some very extensive renovations. The
front exterior of the home has been cleaned up and given a makeover, including freshened
desert landscape and a new scored concrete block courtyard wall which replaced
the original Krisel board-and-batten design. A matching scored block mailbox
pedestal sits adjacent to the front walkway, while the exterior of the home has
been painted a muted desert taupe.
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Front of home c. 2012 - notice the original board and batten courtyard fence which has been removed
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| Entry hall - blank wall on right was original opening into the kitchen |
The entry hall carries through the board and batten texture
on the wall, now slightly lost without original context (the lines of this wall
would have visually extended outside following the lines of the original board
and batten fence), and leads into a light-filled voluminous space. The living,
kitchen and dining rooms all sit along the south side of the home, while the
three bedrooms face north.
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| Kitchen |
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| Kitchen - note dark lowers and white uppers |
The kitchen has been opened to the dining and living rooms and
features new white upper cabinetry with dark shaker-style lower cabinets, clean
lined and low profile in style, replacing a non-conforming 1980s kitchen.
Composite counters, multi-tonal grey mosaic tile backsplashes and stainless
steel appliance round out the room. Original east-facing clerestory windows are
still in place allowing the room to fill natural morning light.
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| Dining and living room |
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| Living, dining and kitchen |
The living and dining rooms overlook the south-facing pool
and patio area through floor-to-ceiling walls of glass. Open beamed vaulted
ceilings add height to the space, while the western wall is comprised of thick
desert stone and anchored by a signature Krisel modernist fireplace. White porcelain
tile keeps the room light and bright, and west facing clerestories add
additional natural light into the room.
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| Master bedroom |
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| Master bathroom |
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| Secondary bedroom |
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| Secondary bedroom |
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| Guest bath |
The master bedroom sits at the northwest corner of the home,
and includes a large west-facing sliding glass door leading out to a private
patio and additional rear yard area. The master bath has been updated with floating
vanities, new fixtures and a large step-in shower. The secondary bedrooms face
north and remain in their original configurations while the guest bath has been
updated with clean, sleek materials that well represent the modernist roots of
the home.
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| Pool and back yard |
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| Pool and back of home |
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| Outdoor kitchen & patio area |
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| North half of backyard |
The backyard features several thoughtful touches, including
an outdoor kitchen and barbeque area immediately off of the inside kitchen. This
in turn leads into a small patio area defined by the exterior wall of the
two-car garage. The large, rectangular swimming pool takes up a majority of the
rear yard area, and lots of flexible entertaining hardscape makes up the rest
of the area. The northern half of the yard has been preserved as low-maintenance
desert landscape.
Overall this is a stellar example of a well-renovated home
with thoughtful details and well-chosen materials that respect the origins of
the home. Most likely this property will be a quick sell, and offers a great
piece of midcentury architecture for those looking to make a home Rancho
Mirage. For a location map and a few additional photos of Valley of the Sun, take a look at our Valley of the Sun Gallery page.
