A 1962 home by architect Charles Du Bois will be open to the public during this year’s Modernism Week in Palm Springs.
(James Schnepf)
Dazzling Midcentury Modern homes you don’t want to miss at Palm Springs’ Modernism Week
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- The 11-day festival of midcentury design will feature more than 500 events, including bus tours, films, lectures and the always-popular home tours.
- At this year’s Modernism Week, get a rare chance to step inside stunning Midcentury Modern homes, from Elvis’ honeymoon hideaway to the house that inspired the Pixar film “Incredibles 2.”
As we grapple with the brave new world of artificial intelligence and ChatGPT, the prospect of traveling back to a simpler time is hard to resist.
Case in point: At the 20th Modernism Week, an 11-day design festival in Palm Springs, elements of the city feel frozen in time, thanks in part to preservationsists’ efforts around the city’s Midcentury Modern architecture, interior design and vintage culture.
Last year, more than 130,000 people flocked to the desert to peruse Midcentury Modern furnishings at the Palm Springs Modernism Show, enjoy double-decker architecture tours, parties and fashion shows.
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But for those of us lookie-loos who love to peek inside other people’s homes, the house tours are always a highlight. The tickets to tour Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms estate and Sunnylands are sold out, but there are still plenty of other fascinating homes to explore, including those of Elvis and actor Adam West, a.k.a. TV’s Batman.
Here, we offer a list of home tours that are still available as of our deadline, promising a diverse range of experiences to suit every taste. (Note: Given the historic nature of the homes, most are not ADA-accessible, and in some cases, children under age 13 are not allowed.) And to help you plan your trip to the desert, check out our roundup of Old Hollywood-style hotels, fun independent stores, the best restaurants and places to find Midcentury Modern furnishings. For a comprehensive list of all events, we encourage you to visit the Modernism Week website.
Showing Places
Atomic Ranch Talk & Tour: Sackley Chase Sensation
Riverside Historic Home
(Modernism Week)
Tour the 1970s-era Indian Canyons home designed by prolific midcentury architect Stan Sackley and legendary interior designer Steve Chase, who was known for his opulent California interiors. After the tour, which is expected to last an 90 minutes, designers Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker of Grace Home Furnishings will discuss how they preserved many of Chase’s original design elements while updating them for the 21st century. At the poolside chat, they will be joined by Atomic Ranch editor Jickie Torres and Dunn-Edwards color expert Lauren Hoferkamp, who will delve into the home’s vibrant Midcentury Modern color palettes.
Date: 4 p.m. Feb. 17
Tickets: $65
Date: 4 p.m. Feb. 17
Tickets: $65
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Morse House Tour
Riverside Historic Home
(Modernism Week)
Initially built in 1961 by the Alexander Construction Co. and designed by noted architects Dan Palmer and William Krisel, the Morse Residence carries a rich history that has served as inspiration for the Water House in Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” and works by the artist Shag. The sleek four-bedroom, four-bath home features vintage white terrazzo throughout, from the floors to the countertops, offset by colorful interiors and a swim-up bar.
Date: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21
Tickets: $50
Date: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21
Tickets: $50
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Vibe House Tour
Riverside Historic Home
(Modernism Week)
You may need sunglasses for this outrageous time capsule tour: a paisley, plaid, pink and orange 1970 home inspired by the fantasy “One Thousand and One Nights.” In what feels like an “only in Palm Springs” vibe, the former home of “Plumber to the Stars” Jack Stephan features an ochre and avocado green kitchen, a curved bar in the living room, a surplus of wallpaper, and, of course, given the ’70s vibe, shag carpeting.
Date: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 20
Tickets: $50
Date: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 20
Tickets: $50
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Modernism Week Featured Home Tour: The West House
Riverside Historic Home
(Modernism Week)
Holy midcentury modern, Batman! Built in 1954 and renovated by renowned architect Albert Frey, this Modernist home in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood was once owned by actor Adam West, who is best known for his role as Batman on television. Recently, it was updated by Michelle Boudreau Design, bringing a fresh, modern feel to the home. The updates blend Frey’s Modernist vision with subtle nods to Batman, including Gotham-inspired details, a moody black exterior and curved shapes that bring to mind the sleek “Bat Cave.”
Dates: Feb. 14-23
Tickets: $40
Dates: Feb. 14-23
Tickets: $40
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Green Gables Home Tour
Riverside Historic Home
(Modernism Week)
Interior designers Kevin Kemper and Howard Hawkes of H3K Design, a prolific team that has transformed many Palm Springs homes, have left their mark on this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home designed by Palmer & Krisel and built in 1958 by the Alexander Construction Co. Nestled in the Twin Palms neighborhood, this home with its high gable roofline, glass walls and colorful furnishings is a testament to H3K Design’s colorful approach to living and the laid-back Palm Springs lifestyle it evokes.
Dates: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23
Tickets: $40
Dates: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 16 and 23
Tickets: $40
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Celebrating a Decade of Palm Springs Modern Living by James Schnepf: A Special Home Tour
Historic Home
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
This self-driven tour of seven homes marks the 10th anniversary of photographer James Schnepf’s book “Palm Springs Modern Living,” which celebrates not just the architecture but also the people behind it in Palm Springs. The tour includes a custom-built 1956 time capsule in Tahquitz River Estates, a meticulously restored William Krisel home in Twin Palms, the legendary Edris House by E. Stewart Williams in Little Tuscany and the family home of architect Lance O’Donnell, who collaborated with the late Donald Wexler on several projects.
Date: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18.
Tickets: $160
Date: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18.
Tickets: $160
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Details
The House of Tomorrow (a.k.a. Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway) home tour
Riverside Modernism Week
(Modernism Week)
Originally designed by Modernist architect William Krisel as a custom family home for Robert and Helene Alexander of the famed Alexander Construction Co., the futuristic House of Tomorrow is best known as the site where Elvis and Priscilla Presley honeymooned in 1967. The home, which sold for $5.6 million in 2022 and is currently for sale for $8.6 million, was built in 1960 and features four circular “pod” wings, a sunken living room with a beaker-shaped fireplace hood and floating hearth, stone walls and floor-to-ceiling windows. Note: The house is not ADA-accessible.
Dates with ticket availability: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb 13-23
Ticket: $55
Dates with ticket availability: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb 13-23
Ticket: $55
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The Lautner Compound Tour
Riverside Modernism Week
(Modernism Week)
John Lautner fans will want to drive to Desert Hot Springs for this once-a-year opportunity to tour Tracy Beckmann and Ryan Trowbridge’s award-winning Lautner Compound, which includes four simple concrete, redwood, glass and steel units designed by innovative architect Lautner, who studied as an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright. Each unit in the 1947 fourplex, formerly known as the Hotel Lautner, has slanted roofs and expansive windows overlooking a cactus garden. The tour includes an open-air event space, a 1957 California Bungalow and the newly acquired clubhouse, which is available for events.
Dates with ticket availability: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb 14 and 15; noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 16; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 21-22.
Ticket: $60. (The owners will also host a twilight wine reception at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23. Tickets are $100.)
Dates with ticket availability: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb 14 and 15; noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 16; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 21-22.
Ticket: $60. (The owners will also host a twilight wine reception at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23. Tickets are $100.)
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Frey House ll Tour + Museum Day Passes
Riverside Modernism Week
(Modernism Week)
In a breathtaking introduction to Palm Springs architect Albert Frey, the Palm Springs Art Museum offers self-guided tours of Frey House ll, Frey’s residence perched atop a hillside at the western end of Tahquitz Canyon Way.
Like renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Frey was fascinated by the interplay between nature and architecture and the allure of the desert. He incorporated the desert terrain, including a large boulder that juts in through the living room and bedroom glass walls, into his 800-square-foot home, which features a corrugated metal roof, simple concrete slab floors and glass windows overlooking the desert.
After the tour, guests can visit the David Hockney show at the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Architecture and Design Center (300 S. Palm Canyon Drive) daily from Feb. 13-23, except on Feb. 19.
A shuttle van will transport ticket holders from Palm Springs Art Museum’s Buddy Rogers Box Office to the house for the tour.
Dates with ticket availability: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 22 and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23.
Ticket: $75. (A twilight tour and Champagne reception for a limited number of guests at Frey House II are available at 4:30 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $125.)
Like renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Frey was fascinated by the interplay between nature and architecture and the allure of the desert. He incorporated the desert terrain, including a large boulder that juts in through the living room and bedroom glass walls, into his 800-square-foot home, which features a corrugated metal roof, simple concrete slab floors and glass windows overlooking the desert.
After the tour, guests can visit the David Hockney show at the Palm Springs Art Museum and the Architecture and Design Center (300 S. Palm Canyon Drive) daily from Feb. 13-23, except on Feb. 19.
A shuttle van will transport ticket holders from Palm Springs Art Museum’s Buddy Rogers Box Office to the house for the tour.
Dates with ticket availability: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 22 and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23.
Ticket: $75. (A twilight tour and Champagne reception for a limited number of guests at Frey House II are available at 4:30 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $125.)
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Twin Palms: It Started Here!
Riverside Modernism Week
(Courtesy of Modernism Week)
Tour Twin Palms, the desert’s first Modernist neighborhood designed by William Krisel and built by the Alexander Construction Co. Krisel’s economic, exuberant designs featured flaring butterfly roofs, wide expanses of glass and clear colors that resonated with California’s rising middle class in the 1950s and ’60s.
The Twin Palms: It Started Here! tour will include a bungalow at the historic Ocotillo Lodge, a renovated 1958 home built by Don McKinney, two houses built by Milton Seidner, an updated 1964 home designed by Cary Bigman and a 1969 Hollywood Regency time capsule with original interiors designed by Ian Phillips.
Date: Feb. 11:20 to 1:40 p.m. Feb 17.
Ticket: $95
The Twin Palms: It Started Here! tour will include a bungalow at the historic Ocotillo Lodge, a renovated 1958 home built by Don McKinney, two houses built by Milton Seidner, an updated 1964 home designed by Cary Bigman and a 1969 Hollywood Regency time capsule with original interiors designed by Ian Phillips.
Date: Feb. 11:20 to 1:40 p.m. Feb 17.
Ticket: $95
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El Rancho Vista Estates Modernism Home Tour
Riverside Modernism Week
(Modernism Week)
Step back in time in this tour of eight homes built between 1959 and 1962 by developer Roy Fey in El Rancho Vista Estates, a neighborhood of cul-de-sacs just east of Palm Springs International Airport. Designed by architects Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison, all of the homes on the tour honor the original Midcentury Modern aesthetic, even as their owners, who will be on hand to answer questions, have updated their homes for modern living.
Date: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 22
Ticket: $85
Date: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 22
Ticket: $85
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