Long cherished as a weekend escape from the urban jungle of Los Angeles, the desert oasis of Palm Springs is a virtual Mecca of Mid-Century Modern architecture and design. The movement we now think of as “Desert Modernism” could only have taken root and bloomed in this particular time and place, thanks to an unexpectedly fertile environment for innovation.
In response to the area’s famously intense climate and dramatic topography, the architects of the day—including Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Donald Wexler—used unexpected materials and new post-war construction techniques to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living spaces. The result was a stark, sophisticated aesthetic that’s still SO relevant.
Furniture, textile and accessories designers answered this asceticism with brash colors, playful patterns and sleek, organic shapes—creating a marvelous marriage of sanctuary and surprise. Luckily, you need not own a Neutra home (which range from just under $2M to nearly $10M) to invite Palm Springs Modern style into your life. Here are 10 ways to get there!