Seven Lakes was designed with the help of famed architect William Cody.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM LENZ
Seven Lakes Country Club
Design by Mark Williams and Niki Papadopouolos, Mark Williams Design
THE DECADE
Built between 1964 and 1972, Seven Lakes was designed by Rick Harrison and William Cody. Completed in 1969, this home straddles the decades beautifully. Pushing beyond the recorded build date, it captures the mod spirit of the early 1970s with its terrazzo floors that sweep out to the patios, a travertine fireplace, and broad open walls of glass. With white walls, walnut accents, and pops of avocado green, it is designed around welcoming guests for cocktails and entertaining in a comfortable, lounge-inspired environment.
THE DRAW
Our client purchased the home in 2020. They spend half the year in the mountains of North Carolina, with Palm Springs as their home during winter. The clients were looking for a place that they could relax and recharge on a daily basis, but also host out-of-town guests and local friends in a gracious, hospitable way. The layout of the home, combined with the contiguous indoor-outdoor living spaces, allow them to do both.
THE DESIGN
The general layout of spaces and the entire exterior envelope are original to the home, but the aesthetics have been completely reimagined — tailored to our client’s needs. The previous homeowner had enclosed the private courtyard. The resulting loosely formed garden room was marginally successful. We restored that space and recreated an outdoor courtyard perfect for dining, lounging, and gathering around a new outdoor fireplace. Utilizing a classically mod 1970s palette of materials, iconic midcentury pieces of furniture, and the client’s own collection of modern art gives this project a unique and fresh identity.
DIGGING DEEPER
The client came to us with family furnishings that his parents purchased for their own home back in the 1960s. Those pieces have moved from the previous home we designed for them in Atlanta into the guest suite here at Seven Lakes. Key pieces from that collection, including paintings by our client’s mother, are also featured in the home.
THE DETAILS
While many contemporary Palm Springs renovations reflect the 1950s’ Atomic Age style of midcentury classic furnishings in pop colors, we wanted to be true to the era of this architecture and celebrate the 1970s. Reinventing this home was based both on the client’s lifestyle and the pedigree of the original architecture. In collaboration with their existing art and midcentury furnishings, we explored the swanky cocktail lifestyle of the 1970s in a fun way. Referencing the period of the home, the carefully crafted travertine fireplace is actually a custom design. Major brands balance sophisticated luxury with effortless livability and include Monogram, Phillip Jeffries, Knoll Studio, Fireclay Tile, and Brizo.
MODERNISM WEEK?
The home will be featured on the “Beyond the Gates of Seven Lakes Golf and Country Club Walking Tour” on Feb. 20. As the community marks its 60th anniversary, the tour invites a look at the lush grounds, Ted Robinson–designed 18-hole executive course (where President Eisenhower hit his only hole-in-one), and seven distinctive homes.