Cool and Collected

A Palm Springs couple says quirky art and furnishings make their house a home

Ashley Breeding Real Estate

“I have no idea if it has value. I just liked it,” Rich Meaney says of virtually every piece of art in his Palm Springs home. He also shies from the label of “art collector,” despite a vast and quirky assemblage, ranging from a massive portrait of Andy Warhol by Michael Childers, to a $3 poster of The Clash from the early 1980s. Some pieces, like the Warhol, have a story (“A friend put me in touch with Childers, who invited me to his [studio] where he custom-sized, signed, and numbered the portrait for me.”). Others were spur-of-the-moment gallery purchases or “drunk eBay buys.”

The midcentury modern-style house, a 2,400-square-foot end structure located on the west-facing front row of The Morrison, features juxtaposing décor, representative of Meaney’s rocker roots (a former music industry talent buyer, he now owns the local development company that built The Morrison neighborhood with Los Angeles-based DesignARC) and the feminine, elegant taste of his wife, Heidi, with whom he shares the abode — and two sweet mastiffs, Juliette and Gemme. In a downstairs guest room polished in vibrant art deco, hangs a mod photo of Nancy Sinatra, and beside it, a fiery black-and-white portrait from Burning Man. “This says it all,” quips Heidi, dressed in a chic neon shift dress, pointing out the contrast between herself and her husband, whose garb goes unnoticed next to sleeves of ink. 

This personal style is what makes a home, Rich Meaney says of the space, where modern meets Hollywood glamour — as well as Seattle street art, life reportage, punk rock, and Chinese antique, and other genres. “There’s a difference between furnishing your home, and making it your own,” he says. “These cool pieces we love are what make our house. I’m not really concerned if  ‘this’ goes with ‘that.’”  The expressive décor boldly stands out against neutral finishes — off-white walls and cabinetry, muted Caesarstone countertops, and maple wood flooring painted pale gray.

The two-story, 3-bedroom and 3.5-bath house features open-plan living and dining areas with high ceilings. Sliding glass doors at the west end invite in ample natural light. An expansive backyard, boasting epic views of the San Jacinto Mountains, features a pool and spa, outdoor dining, fire pit, and shade structure, extending the living area outdoors. “We entertain a lot,” says Heidi Meaney. “With this backyard, ours is the house everyone wants to come to.” Having a house at the end of the street allowed the Meaneys to expand five feet on each side of the yard, a selling point for a family with two large dogs.

It appears that Juliette and Gemme, who lounge poolside for hours, seemingly gazing at the magnificent view, take full advantage of this feature.