2018 Spring Modernism Recap: 11 Days of Inspiration!

03/07/2018 | Sara McLean |

As sure as the arrival of spring, Modernism Week returned for another season of celebrating Mid-century style, architecture, design and color inspiration. Modernism Week’s signature event is an annual celebration of Mid-century Modern design, architecture, art, fashion and culture. This exciting festival takes place in February in the Palm Springs area of Southern California. Modernism Week features more than 350 events, including the Modernism Show & Sale, signature home tours, films, lectures, premier double-decker architectural bus tours, nightly parties and live music, walking and bike excursions, visits to Sunnylands, fashion, classic cars, modern garden outings, and a vintage travel-trailer exhibition.

The mission of Modernism Week is to celebrate and foster appreciation of Mid-century architecture and design, as well as contemporary thinking in these fields, by encouraging education, preservation and sustainable modern living as represented in the greater Palm Springs area.

During this time, we partnered with three design influencers who highlighted the colorful work Dunn-Edwards supported for the show. Jenny and Courtney of A Whimsy Wonderland, Leslie of Splendid Rags, and Sam of Shopwhurl partnered with us this week, spreading the word on the colorful happenings at Modernism Week for Dunn-Edwards. Thank you!

The Dunn-Edwards influencer team at The Saguaro Hotel. Image courtesy SHOPWHURL

Jenny and Courtney of A WHIMSY WONDERLAND. Image courtesy A Whimsy Wonderland

Sam of SHOPWHURL enjoying the casita at Morrocan Modern. Image courtesy Shopwhurl

Leslie of SPLENDID RAGS playing at The Saguaro Hotel. Image courtesy Splendid Rags

With these key points in mind, here are some key highlights of our time spent supporting Modernism Week:

CAMP (Community and Meeting Place)

As the local hub for seminars and tours, CAMP also represents the key meeting location for sponsor vendors to showcase meaningful messages and reference points to customers coming through. At the Dunn-Edwards
booth, our 2018 Color of the Year, The Green Hour (DET544), was the backdrop message to highlight all the colorful projects we are proud to participate in during Modernism Week. SHAG, the local artist, also represented several key prints in the booth and had a book-signing, which was eagerly anticipated by many of
the attendees. With close to 100,000 show attendees, CAMP is an important part of our participation.

The Saguaro Hotel and CHROMOPHOBIA: Desert Edition

In partnership with Dunn-Edwards, The Saguaro Hotel set out to repaint its exterior color palette, highlighting the 14 hues inspired by local desert wildflowers and plants envisioned by the architects. New York-based architects Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat originally designed the hotel with the vision of matching the 14 colors to 14 local plants and wildflowers native to California’s Colorado Desert. Learn more about how Dunn-Edwards colors transformed this unique space.

The Saguaro Hotel. Image courtesy @LORINA DAIANA

CHROMOPHOBIA: Desert Edition introduced Peter Stamberg of Stamberg Aferiat + Associates as he took us on a journey of color through the ages — from Aristotle, to the color palette of The Saguaro. Stamberg joined me as I discussed historic color-matching and how to make paint last in extreme desert conditions, along with modern interpretations of color palettes in historic homes. Rounding out the panel was Matt Crump, whose signature use of bright colors, minimalist compositions and offbeat humor sparked the digital-art movement #candyminimal. Crump shared his thoughts on how and why color has taken Instagram by storm.

Palm Springs Door Tour

Presented by Dunn-Edwards Paints and curated by Palm Springs Style, this self-guided bike tour took enthusiasts through the Indian Canyons and Kings Point neighborhoods where docents at each stop shared information about the homes’ architecture and front door colors. Click here to learn more about all the Dunn-Edwards colors highlighted on the tour doors.

Hidden Frey

Designed in 1966 by renowned architect Albert Frey, this classic mid-century home was originally known as the Hollingsworth and was recently restored by Thomboy Properties. Dubbed “Hidden Frey,” the property is relatively unknown even by Palm Springs architectural historians, because it is constructed below street level, truly hidden from view. WI Hollingsworth purchased the lot where the tennis estate now resides, adjacent to the Racquet Club. Actor and Racquet Club founder Charlie Farrell did not want the eyesore of a chain link fence, commonly associated with tennis courts, in proximity to his club, so Hollingsworth excavated the lot below street level to minimize visibility of his estate. Frey was hired to design the structure.

Hidden Frey Courtyard. Image credit: KORT HAVENS

Tennis court view at the Hidden Frey. Image by Sara McLean

The home demonstrates quintessential Frey characteristics, including a rolled roof, a cantilevered carport, and an elevated pool. At just more than 1,900 square feet, the demure home fronts directly onto the tennis court
with a large outdoor entertaining space, three bedrooms and four bathrooms on a gated lot. This small but remarkable property is a rare opportunity to experience Desert Modernism as it was intended. See more inspiration at #hiddenfrey

Moroccan Modern

“Moroccan Modern” by Thomboy Properties is a late modern home built by Hal Lacy in 1975 in the Indian Canyons neighborhood of south Palm Springs. When guests enter this stunning private property through majestic, custom-carved, 10-foot-high double entry doors, they are immediately surrounded by a private and completely secluded world. While the house is thoroughly modernized, the architect created tremendous drama by adding magnificent touches that evoke the essence of Morocco, including details in the entry and
master doors; decorative medallion cutouts and metal screens visible from the street; and the geometry of the angled walls. This house represents a wonderful blend of design elements known as Moroccan Modern. Read more about the Dunn-Edwards color palette used here.

Image courtesy FRED MOSER

Sunrise L’anai

Palm Springs is alive with a colorful rebirth of Mid-century gems. Case in point – the Sunrise L’anai. In partnership with Dunn-Edwards, this historic condominium complex just completed an exterior renovation.
Highlighting its “Swiss Miss” architecture, the complex is a blend of tropical Polynesian Tiki style with A-frame roofs reminiscent of Swiss chalets. Learn more about the transformation here.