Palm Springs’ Glorious 1955 Koerner House, $3.35M

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Where: 1275 Calle de Maria, Deepwell/Palm Springs
Asking: $3,350,000
What: Simply put, one of architect E. Stewart Williams loveliest houses. In outstanding condition and set in its original Garrett Ecko-designed gardens on almost an acre, this 4-bed, 4-bath home was built in 1955 and like all of Williams’ projects, would set a standard for Mid-Century Palm Springs.

Photo Credit: Lance Gerber

Photo Credit: Henry Blackham

Photo Credit: Dan Chavkin

A perfect example of Desert Modernism, the Koerner House was built for Leon and Thea Koerner, a pair of Canadian snowbirds, in a deftly-handled composition of stub stone, glass and wood. On the market for the first time in two decades, and if the decor’s not for you, look beyond it.

Photo Credit: Herny Blackham

What We Love: No Sheetrock, and textures in the hands of a master. The ceiling tongue-and-groove planks move down the wall and into the hallway, contrasting with the slub stone exterior wall, a deep board-and-batten wall, plus random flagstone pavers and a smooth wall of flush closet doors.

Photo Credit: Henry Blackham

In one of the bedrooms, below, more impeccable woodwork.

Photo Credit: Henry Blackham

Details: Clockwise below, cabinets and drawers; the renovated kitchen; a softly luminous atrium off the master bedroom; deep fir paneling. When these houses were first published in black-and-white, the images gave no clue as to how warm and sheltering they could in real life.


Photo Credits: Dan Chavkin

More: Check out the listing for additional details, floor plans, and historic images like the one below, but first you may want to have a look at the very seductive video here. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Koerner House is represented by Deasy Penner’s Maureen Erbe and Henry Blackham.

Photo Credit: Julius Schulman ©J. Paul Getty Trust, Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles

Palm Springs Modernism Week
February 15th to 25th