The classic-modern of a ranch
It was at the turn of the 1950s that this ranch, reminiscent of Cliff May’s but of an unknown architect, was born in Palm Springs, California. It took architect Duane Smith and his office, Hundred Mile House, to restore it to its glory.
Between this mansion with its mid-century style, the life of the Palm Springs desert and the owner of the Hundred Mile House office, a love story, at the origin of the success of the renovation of what becomes the home from the creator. A thoughtful modernization so as not to lose any of the originality of the house, which has kept its beamed architecture and its facade of traditional wooden windows. To this is added a logic of expansion, focused on the relationship between the building and its surroundings and a desire to increase the functionality and efficiency of the home. The new L-shaped structure doubles the area of the whole, while maximizing the outdoor living spaces unique to the californian lifestyle: spacious entrance courtyard, private patios over the bedrooms and, of course, the swimming pool. The materials are chosen to allow the composition to blend into its desert environment. Thus, the rusty steel of the fence adjoins the sand-colored stucco and is reflected in the glass of the windows, framed by the dark wood of their borders. All in an orientation that protects the living rooms from the harsh sun of the region, but takes advantage of the panorama, with full view of the imposing San Jacinto mountain.
