A view from Hilltop Haven, the most expensive home sold in Greater Palm Springs in 2022.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LANCE GERBER
Behind exclusive gates, these grand estates — in Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Springs — fetched the Coachella Valley’s highest sale prices of 2022. Predictably, The Madison Club makes more than one appearance, as does Bighorn Golf Club.
Here's a closer look at the luxury amenities that come standard for big spenders.
1. hilltop haven
$42,000,000
Beds: 7
Baths: 12
Square Feet:20,667
Price/Sq. Ft.: $2,032.23
Year Built : 2007
Cruising the scenic streets of Bighorn Golf Club and climbing higher and higher into the foothills, this spectacular estate slowly slips into view, jutting out from the craggy mountainside like a secret lair.
Thoughtful attention to detail crafts the experience from the moment you pull in, beginning with the landscape design along the steep driveway, which leads to a sublevel porte-cochère. A glass elevator ascends to the main floor, opening on exterior walkways and bridges over shallow water features — all the trappings of an extravagant resort, only you have the entire sanctuary to yourself.
From the mind of renowned architectural designer Guy Dreier, the structures curve and intersect at overlapping planes, adding drama and also allowing the residence to blend into its surrounds. There are no exterior doorknobs or locks, no light switches, and no thermostats; a smart system steers this ship. Automated sliding-glass walls open almost every space to the great outdoors, growing the living area to more than 30,000 square feet, while strategic angles shield the home from wind and the summer sun.
“I tell my clients all the time, ‘You can remodel a home, but you cannot remodel a view or location, ’ ” says dual agent Lorna Ball, at Bighorn Properties. This enclave occupies the highest and largest lot at the club.
It could take the entire issue to document its amenities. Among the most notable: The office, shrouded in rock, sits at the edge of the cliff with 360-degree views. A custom Dale Chihuly sculpture dazzles in the living room. The pools contain 4.5 million glass tiles from Italy. An aquarium tunnel houses two tanks of exotic fish and a third with rare sharks.
2. Modern Refuge
$18,000,000
Beds: 6
Baths: 9
Square Feet: 13,043
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,380.05
Year Built: 2022
Even with the entire family over for a long weekend, it would be easy to go without seeing anyone at this hideout at The Madison Club, the über-exclusive residential community in La Quinta that counts Kourtney Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, and Nike co-founder Phil Knight as members.
The indoor-outdoor paradise sweeps across more than 13,000 square feet (quite a bit more, when you count the ample hardscaping outdoors). Circled by three pools, including a private basin with its own fire pit off the primary bath, the modern refuge comprises a main house and two casitas. It has four top-of-the-line chef’s kitchens, two bars, a wine room, and a game room with a custom sculpted wall by Mario Romano.
Here, space is an art. Ceilings are high; rooms are so wide, they almost never end; and adornments remain sparse, drawing the eye straight through the massive glass walls to the picture-perfect spectacle of the Santa Rosa Mountains and golfers teeing off on the 15th hole of the Tom Fazio–designed course.
3. Coastal Living
$17,550,000
Beds: 7
Baths: 11
Square Feet: 8,834
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,986.64
Year Built: 2020
Unlike other homes at The Madison Club, this contemporary compound does not back up to the golf course or cart path, but rather the prestigious community’s only private pond and sandy, beachfront view. Lined with foliage and hardy palm trees, it hugs the far edge of an expansive event lawn.
Coastal sensibilities shine through in a light color palette, indoors and out, and in natural elements including stone sink basins, driftwood tables, and plush, overstuffed seating options. Designed for groups to gather, the heart of the residence is its oversized kitchen (with double islands) and family area, featuring a lofty vaulted ceiling and receding window walls that open to multiple loggias; stairs lead to upper-level lookout decks.
Two casitas provide all the comforts of home for guests. Meanwhile, the primary retreat exudes the tranquility of a five-star spa, complete with indoor and outdoor showers, a soaking tub, a private massage area, and an upstairs gym.
Whether kicking back in the home theater (with a built-in wine cooler and concession stand) or watching the game poolside at the outdoor bar, it’s clear that cherished memories will be made here for multiple generations to come.
4. Contemporary Canvas
$14,500,000
Beds:7
Baths: 8
Square Feet: 10,046
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,443.36
Year Built: 2022
Perched on The Madison Club’s par-4 fourth hole, said to be the course’s most challenging, this seven-bedroom new build caters to resort-inspired recreation.
A golf-simulator room, an office that doubles as a gym, gallery-style hallways filled with large-scale artwork, and a spa-like primary suite with a sauna and steam room account for only some of the draw.
Wood detailing with few windows along the home’s modular façade belies its bright interior, filled with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows at every turn. The two-story residence opens to an oblong infinity pool and space to soak up the sun. Upstairs, guest quarters include a separate kitchen, living room, and outdoor lounging areas.
Even with so many activities and offshoot spaces to gather, the design is sparse, sleek, and smooth — a contemporary, almost blank canvas, done up in pale shades of stone, that appears ready for the vibrant life of its residents to bloom around it.
The Butterfly House takes its name from an obvious source.
PHOTO COURTESY VALERY NEUMAN, COMPASS
5. the Butterfly
$13,750,000
Beds: 6
Baths: 8
Square Feet: 9,974
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,378.58
Year Built: 2016
Sprawling across an acre and a half — with more than an acre of HOA-maintained green space beyond the property line, ensuring total privacy — this bright and spacious Madison Club retreat sits only a few doors down from the No. 4 home on this list.
A meandering, tree-lined driveway leads to a circular central parking area. To one side sits the luxurious primary residence; to the other, the separate guesthouse. Approaching the home, a pathway guides visitors through an outdoor reception area and over an illuminated water feature that instantly sets the mood with its tranquil soundtrack. An abstract silver sculpture rises like an island from the shallow pool and seems to gesture toward the front door.
High-gloss floors in the great room reflect the greens and blues of the gorgeous outdoor vista, visible through walls of glass. The window walls disappear on command, of course, extending the living space to the covered front and back gathering areas and blurring the line between what’s in and out.
There is a sound-proof theater room. A gourmet kitchen accommodates the entire family, but the dirty work is easily relegated to the catering kitchen tucked behind it. A pair of massive statement chandeliers and a glass wine display define the formal dining room. The many fire features include a wall that flanks the infinity pool, whose curvature mirrors that of the butterfly roofline.
One of the most famous homes in Palm Springs sold last year.
PHOTO BY DAN SOLOMON, COURTESY GERARD BISIGNANO
6. Kaufmann Desert House
$13,062,500
Beds: 5
Baths: 5
Square Feet: 3,162
Price/Sq. Ft.: $4,131.09
Year Built: 1946
Among the most recognizable homes in Greater Palm Springs, the 1946 Kaufmann Desert House is regarded by experts as a 20th-century masterpiece.
Commissioned by a department store tycoon known for his architecturally significant homes, the five-bedroom residence designed by Richard Neutra has been immortalized in photographs taken by Julius Shulman (1947) and Slim Aarons (1970); more recently, it made a cameo in the 2022 Harry Styles flick Don’t Worry Darling.
Tucked behind privacy gates and lots of greenery, the single-story home sits on 3 acres in Palm Springs’ Little Tuscany neighborhood. Four wings accessible via semi-open breezeways radiate out from the main living area, which steps down to a large rectangular pool. An exterior staircase ascends to the “gloriette,” a covered outdoor hangout. On ground level, a complementary pool house addition hides a bar. Elsewhere, a tennis court encourages sportsmanship.
The legendary home, meticulously restored in the ’90s by design-build firm Marmol Radziner, was designated a Class 1 Historic Site in 1996.
This Thunderbird Country Club standout named after the tire magnate traded hands last year.
PHOTO COURTESY NELSON-MOE GROUP, COMPASS
7. Firestone Estate
$12,750,000
Beds: 5
Baths: 7
Square Feet: 7,280
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,751.37
Year Built: 1958
Designed by architect William Pereira, known for the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, this low-slung midcentury gem at Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage originally belonged to tire magnate Leonard Firestone of Firestone Tires. At the time, neighbors included Ginger Rogers, Hoagy Carmichael, and Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Two decades after the completion of his own estate, Firestone built President Gerald Ford his retirement home on the adjoining lot.
Hidden away on 3 acres, the Firestone Estate typifies the minimalist sensibilities of International Style architecture. A decorative metal grille adorns the sliding glass front doors, while exposed steel beams uphold the three horizontal planes forming the roof. Glass walls look out upon a courtyard pool and casita. Sited along the 13th fairway, the property features a private tennis pavilion, date palms and olive trees, and a reflection pond, which was added during the the last decade.
It continues to exude all the charm of Firestone’s era thanks to a restoration by the previous owners and designer Sam Cardella. The Palm Springs Modern Committee recognized their work with a 2015 Preservation Award.
This compound boasts two 3-bedroom homes.
PHOTO COURTESY GILLIAN JONES, THE AGENCY
8. two for one
$12,750,000
Beds: 6
Baths: 8
Square Feet: 8,717
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,462.66
Year Built: 2014
Why settle for one three-bedroom home when you could have two?
Accessible via its own private cul-de-sac, this ultra-modern family compound at The Madison Club boasts a spacious three-bed, three-bath guesthouse. Equipped with a full kitchen, an indoor-outdoor living room, and a front-loaded pool and spa surrounded by fire features and an expansive sun deck, it could easily be confused for the primary residence. But pops of color give it away: This space was designed with kids and grandkids in mind.
The main house raises the bar — and the elegance factor. Bright whites and handsome wooden ceilings play well with slick finishes and rectilinear shapes. If not for the zero-edge pool and golf course views drawing the eye to the covered patio and beyond, the marble-slab fireplace would take center stage in the great room. The property features five statement fireplaces in total, including another wall that warms the primary suite.
A state-of-the-art home theater, a playground, and an expansive indoor-outdoor bar are just some of the perks of this place.
“[My clients] loved that there is room to grow with the adjacent lot, which they also purchased,” says buyer’s agent Gillian Jones of The Agency. “All the homes at The Madison Club are beautifully appointed with stunning vistas. [This one] stood out with unique features for multigenerational entertaining. Two pools? Too fun!”
Northern Italy meets the desert at this villa.
COURTESY VALERY NEUMAN, COMPASS
9. Tuscan Villa
$12,750,000
Beds: 5
Baths: 8
Square Feet: 8,246
Price/Sq. Ft.: $1,546.20
Year Built: 2011
One glance at its sprawling, stone-covered exterior and manicured gardens, and you’d be forgiven for assuming this Tuscan-style villa sits amid rolling vineyards.
While it does contain a temperature-controlled wine room, the Madison Club estate trades grapes for golf. Its 1-acre lot borders the 12th fairway.
Arched double doors with thick wood frames welcome guests into a long foyer that branches off in either direction to the two primary wings of the house or, optionally, leads you out an identical set of doors to the backyard oasis and pool.
At one end of the estate, when the massive glass pocket walls are slid open, the great room and country-style kitchen become even greater, connecting to an alfresco entertainer’s dream setup: a barbecue kitchen with a pizza oven, a cocktail bar and dining area, sunken seating surrounding a fire pit, and upon further exploration, a professional bocce ball court.
At the other end, a three-story “retreat tower” offers multiple spaces to steal away, opening on the second floor to a rooftop patio and ascending to a third-story lookout/sunroom with 360-degree views. Wood-paneled ceilings, Italian tile flooring, and stone fire features add warmth throughout the home, while open-air walkways encourage constant proximity to nature.
Moroccan building style suits a hot climate.
COURTESY BIGHORN PROPERTIES
10. Moroccan Palace
$11,500,000
Beds: 5
Baths: 7
Square Feet: 12,650
Price/Sq. Ft.: $909.09
Year Built: 2009
Sited like a watchtower over Bighorn Golf Club’s Canyons course, this haven invites you to step into a storybook world. Moorish design influences — in pointed arches, star motifs, tile work, and hanging lanterns — take on a regal quality with their opulent finishes. The magic unfolds across 12,650 square feet of interior space and an additional 16,000 outdoors.
The multilevel main house centers around a spacious atrium with handcarved decorative plaster details and a glass ceiling that retracts at the touch of a button. A wraparound mezzanine peers down into the lush hangout, animated with plant life and concealing one of several soaking pools. The largest swimming pool stretches out from the back of the house in a perfect circle with an infinity edge and one of the property’s best views.
Meticulously built over four years with the help of Moroccan artisans, the estate features a separate guesthouse, a fully appointed spa and hammam-style bath with a cozy fireplace, an enviable wine cellar, and an outdoor theater. That, of course, only scratches the surface. Take it from buyer’s agent Brian Wilson of Bennion Deville Homes: “I haven’t seen another home during my career that displayed such attention to artistry.”