The first full decade of Pop Art is celebrated in this Palm Springs home.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY PEAK
Canyon Club Villas
Design by Travis Smith, H3K Home+Design
THE DECADE
Built by Hal Lacy as part of Canyon Club Villas in the Indian Canyons neighborhood in 1965, this property is one of the larger estate homes of the original development. The five-bedroom, midcentury home had been restored to the era of 1960s glamour, framed by flat, elegant rooflines, and original fleur-de-lis motif blocks. After closing, the client enlisted me through H3K Home+Design to furnish and decorate to her taste.
THE DRAW
From the get-go, my client, Wendi Whitmore, wanted a classic Palm Springs house where she, her husband, and her family and friends could enjoy and unwind. She envisioned fun and colorful spaces. Though we needed to check specific boxes (such as a pink-and-green scheme and a “girl power” vibe), it still needed to be comfortable. When they asked for a functional home gym, we realized we could allocate half of the garage to a Peloton, a squat rack, and, of course, pink and green weights. Her house is fresh, modern, and Hollywood glam, with a wink to it.
THE DESIGN
We commissioned local artists to create an array of ’60s pop–inspired art pieces throughout the house, including a bold comic book image of Wonder Woman (by Hank Hudson) greeting guests as they enter the house. A custom graphic of Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Rick Prescott is a focal point of the living room. We continued the scheme outdoors, pairing pink with black-and-white cabana stripes for the pool and patio areas; ’60s Brigitte Bardot lounges over a pink built-in banquet. While there is definitely a midcentury vibe, all of the furnishings are new, giving it a fresh and modern feel at the same time. I’m not afraid to inject some humor and the fun side of glam if it ends up looking easy on the eyes. I think we accomplished that.
MODERNISM WEEK?
This home could be on tour in the future. This year, one of three featured Modernism Week homes is Hi-Sun, designed by Kevin Kemper and Howard Hawkes of H3K Home+Design. This 1963 Charles Du Bois design by the Alexander Construction Company in Vista Las Palmas served as the model home for the neighborhood’s Summit Estates development.