Architecture Wednesday: Elvis and Priscilla's Honeymoon House

I am not an Elvis fanatic but I am a Midcentury Modern lover and if I had a spare $5.65 million I might plunk it down on this Palm Springs gem … the home where Elvis and Priscilla Presley celebrated their honeymoon.

Dubbed the “House of Tomorrow” when it was built in 1960, the 4,695-square-foot, four-bedroom, five-bathroom is created from four circular sections under an angular sloped roof, designed by Modernist architect William Krisel.

Back in 1960 the home was heralded as a landmark representing the future of home design. Its electronic temperature controls, outdoor lighting and sprinkler systems were cutting-edge for the era. In 1962, Look magazine described the structure as a “$300,000 pleasure dome that proves California has only begun to show how luxurious things can be on this planet.”

Last purchased for $2.6 million in 2020, the house underwent thoughtful renovations and restorations over the last two years while staying faithful to its original design and subsequently earning an historic site designation.

Inside, the home’s circular rooms are lined with exposed-rock walls and floor-to-ceiling glass. A 60-foot-long cream couch follows the curve of the living room, enveloping a floating hearth topped by an eye-catching beaker-shaped white steel fireplace hood that juts out of the ceiling.

A matching hood tops the circular kitchen island, which houses five gas burners and is lined in light wood paneling. A connecting family room boasts a fireplace and opens to the pentagon-shaped pool outside via sliding glass doors.

Upstairs, are four ensuite bedrooms; the primary bedroom is lined with windows, open to sweeping views of the palm-tree-dotted property and nearby mountains.

It’s glamorous and elegant and funky and fun.

Architectural Digest

Architecture Wednesday: The White Box

Yes, I know, it’s a lot of white and it’s kind of a box, but the setting is beautiful, with south and west views of the San Jacinto Mountains. And the inside has been completely reimagined and remodeled home with custom finishes.

The White Box is located in the sought-after Araby neighborhood in south Palm Springs—close to Southridge, and just minutes from downtown—the home offers a seamless blend of modern luxury and the iconic Palm Springs midcentury aesthetic in nearly 3,000 square feet with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an office area.

Not to mention a pool for those steamy Palm Springs days.

And nights.

Dwell

Architecture Wednesday: New Century Mid-Century Modern

I love a good MidCentury modern home because I love the open spaces, the sleek, clean lines, windows for days; plus, I look good drinking a martini in a suit in a MidCentury modern house.

And if it’s in Palm Springs, all the better, because even when it’s hot in the dessert, it’s cool.

This home is what I’d call a New Century MidCentury modern home. I love all the glass, the views, the cacti and stone gardens; the wide open spaces. I love that every room has a little something special in it, and, well, who wouldn’t love a pool on a hot dessert day or a cool dessert night?

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