The term "hidden gem" gets thrown around quite a bit in real estate circles. Yet when it comes to describing this William F. Cody-designed home at the Tamarisk Country Club in Rancho Mirage, it would be an understatement. The Ted Riback Residence was designed by Cody in 1973 and completed in 1977, making it one of his last residential commissions. Riback, a Canadian entrepreneur, was head of the Tamarisk Country Club building committee and collaborated with Cody when the architect designed the community's clubhouse.
The home, which just came on the market for $1,895,000, features soaring ceilings and expansive views from nearly every room. It sits on an almost half-acre, south-facing lot where two holes and two tees of the club's golf course converge. "There's a line of clerestory windows in the living room that continue into the kitchen and all face north, like in the best art studios, filling the rooms with the most perfect light without the light ever being direct," says real estate agent Ruben Valerio of The Agency. There are also views of the San Jacinto Mountains to the west and the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south.
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On the exterior, stucco walls and a bronze veneer stripe meld with flat terracotta roof tiles. Many original details have been retained throughout the home's interior, including the original kitchen and most of the bathrooms.
The home's historical pedigree is on full display beginning with the bronze veneer courtyard gates by Forms + Surfaces, a maker of architectural products that were – and still are – popular with high-end architects and designers. A Forms + Surfaces bronze veneer also adorns the perimeter of the house just below the roofline, as well as the columns on the back yard's covered patio, and the door to the pool bathroom.
The floor plan includes three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and two half-baths in over 4,800 square feet. "One of the best original details is the brown Ultrasuede-clad den/office with the original brown Edward Fields inlaid carpet," says Valerio. "Even the vertical blinds are upholstered with brown Ultrasuede."
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"One of the best original details is the brown Ultrasuede-clad den/office with the original brown Edward Fields inlaid carpet," says Ruben Valerio of The Agency. "Even the vertical blinds are upholstered with brown Ultrasuede."
"The original bathrooms all make use of Corian, which was new at the time," he adds. "The shower walls are also slabs of Corian." Other original details include the beveled smoked glass mirror and orange grasscloth wallpaper in the front hall powder room; a Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer that's been reconditioned, Thermador ovens and warming drawers and a Corningware/Amana secondary cooktop – all from 1977; and Formica kitchen cabinets that soar to 10 feet and retain their original bronze drawer pulls and bronze bullet hinges.
The living room features a combination of travertine tiles and original Edward Fields carpet that's been dyed to an updated color. Designer Steve Chase did a light makeover of the house in 1983 and added book-matched marble on the fireplace.
The living room features a combination of travertine tiles and original Edward Fields carpet that's been dyed to an updated color. Newer touches, that could easily be mistaken for vintage ones, include FliePaper wallpaper in the guest rooms, kitchen, and living room wet bar cove that were custom designed for the home. (FliePaper is a wallpaper line designed by the current owners and it's part of the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.)
Outdoors, a round pool boasts a waterfall that splashes into it from the bottom of a shaded platform.
"The current owners are in the process of applying for historical designation," notes Valerio. "Plans were found tucked away in the garage that confirm the house's pedigree. This was a truly significant discovery that adds to the rich history of Cody's mark on Tamarisk."
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The Ted Riback Residence
70843 Tamarisk Lane, Rancho Mirage
For more information, contact Ruben Valerio, [email protected], 818-903-9479; or Jeff Kohl, [email protected], 424-230-3707.
The courtyard entrance is accentuated by bronze veneer gates from Forms + Surfaces, a maker of architectural products that were – and still are –popular with high-end architects and designers.
Newer touches, that could easily be mistaken for vintage ones, include FliePaper wallpaper in the guest rooms, kitchen, and living room wet bar cove that were custom designed for the home.