Wrong design, right place. That was the dilemma faced by the couple who own this home in Cathedral City.
Their house was a cookie-cutter tract home designed in a faux-Spanish-Mediterranean style. And while the homeowners prefer contemporary architecture and interiors, they wanted to remain in this neighborhood because of the local amenities and the many friendships they had forged in the community.
The oil painting by Steven Miller compliments the blue color palette chosen for the kitchen cabinets. The pendant over the table is from Flos.
Their solution was to hire Mark Nichols, of Mark Nichols Modern Interiors, to create the contemporary vibe they desired. Nichols established his Palm Springs-based firm in 2005.
“We are a full-service design firm specializing in modern and contemporary interiors,” he says. “Our designs have a focus on sustainability and our design studio is the only LEED [Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design] certified design firm in the entire region. Our work is mostly residential, although we have done some commercial and multi-unit as well.”
This project, which took a year, was a down-to-the-studs remodel of the entire home, including exterior hardscape and landscaping. “We agreed that we had to change the interior envelope by removing the pitted orange-peel walls, re-drywalling the entire home with a smooth finish, and squaring off all the archways as the first steps toward creating a contemporary interior,” says Nichols.
“The client had seen a blue kitchen I designed that was featured on HGTV,” says Nichols. “Typically, I don’t like to repeat myself, but she made it very clear that if I wasn’t willing to build her a blue kitchen she would find someone else who would!” The cabinetry was custom designed by Nichols and fabricated by Technique Design.
“The biggest challenge from a space-planning perspective was the clients’ wish to have a comfortable dining area to seat eight in what was originally left over space in the kitchen,” he adds. “This was in addition to having pull-up stools at the island. What was the dining room was then incorporated into what became the Great Room.”
The result: Very happy homeowners and a finished product that won the American Society of Interior Designers top honor for a renovation under 3,000 square feet in the Coachella Valley.
Mark Nichols Modern Interiors, 3700 East Tachevah Drive, Palm Springs, 760-864-1747
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