The pool was added by the home's new owners, only the second set since the home was built in the 1940s.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LANCE GERBER
Tahquitz River Estates
Design by Stan Boles, Architect, FAIA
THE DECADE
The home was built in 1947 and designed by A.B. Crist, who was influenced by John Porter Clark and Albert Frey. Since 1964, the property was owned by the same family, which made few improvements to it. (It even lacked a pool.) Jan and David Lansing purchased the home from that family in early 2018. The steel windows (including corner windows), fireplace (red brick now painted white), beamed living room ceiling, and window and door casings have been preserved in our new design. The new casita echoes the design vocabulary of the main house.
THE DRAW
Jan fell hard for the original steel-factory casement windows and the mountain views framed by towering palms. Before escrow closed, the couple encouraged me to articulate her vision of a romantic, transportive retreat imbued with warmth and a strong sense of place. She wanted every element to feel like it could have always been there, from the new clay-tile roofs and the exterior of warm white stucco to the new outdoor spaces. Now, she says, this private compound has become both a refuge and a magnet for their adult children and grandchildren — a gift they are thrilled to share.
THE DESIGN
The original design had elements of both Spanish Colonial Revival and modernist styles. The new neutral exterior accented by dark, contrasting windows and trim is understated, as are the interior finishes. Their unification creates spatial flow from inside to outside, making the house feel larger than its modest size. I revised and simplified the main house floorplan and created a site plan with a series of outdoor rooms defined by the existing house, a new casita, new pool and spa, hardscape, and plantings. Outdoor rooms include a dining pavilion, firepit seating, bocce court, sunbathing area, an entry court, and breakfast patio — all oriented to capture the views. Jan has remarked that “the buildings and garden are seamless.” From every room, she feels connected to the lush outdoors.
DIGGING DEEPER
A restored walnut-and-cane custom hi-fi cabinet and several pottery pieces are from Jan's childhood homes. She says, “Though charming in its original state, Stan made the property sing. Collaborating with him was a dream. David and I strive to honor the architecture and ruthlessly edit. To be sophisticated but not precious or fancy and to beware of trends. And we strive to be authentic to both the 1940s and relevant to real life today.”
THE DETAILS
The transition from Spanish Colonial Revival to modern architecture is evident through original large areas of glass with thin steel frames and grids, several in corners of rooms with lowered sills so that the ground plane and the landscaping are visible from the inside. Making the windows a focus, thereby drawing attention to the views, was imperative in the renovation. The asphalt roof begged for clay tile in an appealing blend of colors. The furnishings and art, a mix of vintage and modern, embrace the original architecture.
MODERNISM WEEK?
The home may be on a tour in the future. (Jan and David’s former home by architect William Cody in Racquet Club Cottages West was on tour several times.) David is an avid historian of Palm Springs and is interviewed in a film about the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway that will be screened at the Annenberg Theater on Feb. 20.