Mesa Modern: A Featured Home of 2020 Modernism Week

At the base of the Mount San Jacinto Mountains, nestled in Palm Springs’ The Mesa neighborhood, is Mesa Modern, an exceptional home highlighted by an extraordinary desert-scape and luxury design.

Originally conceived by the project’s producer Karen Okner, the design vision was created and curated by interior designer Michelle Boudreau of Michelle Boudreau Design and John Feldman, principal of Ecocentrix Landscape Architecture, who created the exterior environments. Juniper House provided the furnishings, lighting and décor, while Dunn-Edwards, as the exclusive paint sponsor of Modernism Week, donated paint.

The Neighborhood: The Mesa

The Mesa is a Palm Springs neighborhood was originally created in the 1930s by Edmond Fulford, a successful Los Angeles-based businessman who envisioned a quaint and private community with a single
entrance. As one of the first gated communities in the Palm Springs area, The Mesa hosts an array of home styles, including the butterfly-style homes designed by Mid-century modern architect Donald Wexler.

The neighborhood has quite a storied history and has been home to movie stars such as Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Sonny Bono, Barry Manilow, Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and Suzanne Somers to name a few.

The Architecture and Design

Mesa Modern is a newly created estate — situated so every room enjoys the gorgeous mountain vistas, as well as seamlessly integrate into the surrounding environment. The landscape surrounding the property celebrates Palm Springs outdoor living at its finest.

The interior design has been carefully curated with unique custom details, shapes and textures inspired by the local geographical elements. The home is an exploration of modernist perspectives on California
elegance with an edge, in addition to subtle nods to the past.

The Color Palette

Okner perfectly summarized the project, “I was given an amazing opportunity — a 24,000-square-foot lot to create a 3,200-square-foot home and a 700-square-foot guest house, both newly constructed. Mesa Modern is deeply inspired by a global perspective on art and architecture, as well as both traditional and forward-looking interior and landscape design.”

All images by Bethany Nauert Photography