The Elrod Estate still has the home’s original angled sofa.
PHOTO COURTESY NATURAL RETREATS
Less than 20 years after Palm Springs was incorporated, Arthur Elrod was already redefining the desert aesthetic. Born in the South and trained in Los Angeles, he established a firm on Palm Canyon Drive in 1954 to share his flair for color and tasteful glamour. Elrod hobnobbed with celebrities like Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, designed the interiors of the renowned Kaufmann House, and gave the postwar set permission to paint their beige walls white and dabble in bright hues that felt uplifting and fun.
His own Elrod Estate (also known as the Elrod Escape, the second of his three local homes), boasts all the components of a fantasy time capsule: iconic midcentury design, Hollywood Regency–style custom furnishings, and an important backstory.
Before moving to architect John Lautner’s Elrod House in Southridge, Elrod designed and remodeled this 4,780-square-foot property on Via Lola, even raising the roof to afford 14-foot ceilings. He only sold it to his friends Bill and Frances Hamling when they vowed to honor his work. It remained virtually untouched and within their family for more than 50 years.
Carpets by V’Soske and a 22-foot angled sofa are among the original, Elrod-designed custom pieces. The colors, textures, and finishes here became his signature (until his death in 1974). Guests who rented the home in years past purchased it in 2021, and their restoration continues.
Want to see it in person? Book a stay in the Palm Springs icons’ Old Las Palmas estate through rental management company Natural Retreats.
Arthur Elrod appears to be pretty satisfied with his cabinet organizational skills.
COURTESY PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
