Love at First Listing for a 1960 Palm Springs Condo

A classic 1960s Palm Springs condo catches a family’s eye and becomes a haven of design.

Some home-buying stories feel like Hollywood-movie magic. They have the serendipity of a classic film and the charm of a sweeping score. This is one of those stories. Our main characters are Drew Downie and Gabriella Baiter, and the setting is a 1960 Palm Springs condominium. The lovable ensemble? Their dog, Stella, and baby, Grayson. A meet-cute for the ages, Gabriella just happened to find the property’s listing only an hour after it went live.

“The home itself is classic desert modernism—quintessential Palm Springs, from the unique roofline to the shadow blocks to the inside/outside vibe brought to life by the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the garden,” Drew says.

modern furnishings in living room with sliding door view into the den — When asked his view on balancing renovation and restoration, Drew gave a thoughtful reply. “It depends on the architect and history of the home. I see it as a blend—a sliding scale, so to speak. The more architecturally significant the home, the more I want to restore versus renovate. As someone who enjoys history, I would feel like a steward for preservation at some level.”

Their Palm Springs paradise is the work of award-winning architect Barry Berkus, whose career largely focused on mass-market housing. Built in 1960, the two-bedroom, two-bath, 1,300-square-foot home is part of the Park Imperial South complex and checked off nearly every item on the family’s wish list.

Creating a Clean Slate in the 1960 Palm Springs Condo

While the home was in good condition, it needed a little love to be ready for its next act. The home had a technicolor twist: vibrant teal walls. While a staple hue in mid mod design, the extensive paint job was overwhelming and needed to go. Proving that color can drastically transform a space, Drew and Gabriella gave the entire house an overhaul with white paint. The result is bright, airy and a perfect backdrop to a vibrant family.

Perhaps the largest renovation was removing porcelain tile and carpet to install concrete floors throughout the kitchen, den and hallway. Every great love story has an obstacle to overcome. For this home, it was the flooring.

“Being naive first-time home buyers, we didn’t feel like anything we did to the house was a major risk,” Drew says. “But we soon learned that budget and time can be risks when you’re dealing with major renovations.” Concrete flooring felt like the obvious choice. With the couple’s impressive collection of furniture and art, concrete made more sense than tile and white carpet, so, up it all went. Unfortunately, the process of refinishing the concrete did not go as planned. After it was initially refinished, Drew and Gabriella noticed cracks. The best solution was to hire another team to refinish the floors—again. Once fresh carpeting was added to the bedrooms, the mid-mod condo refresh was essentially complete.

dining area with view to mountains through the clerestory windows — Clerestory windows follow the complex’s folded plate roofline, keeping the interior connected to Palm Springs’ iconic mountains.

kitchen with yellow and white checkered floor and textured white backsplash — The kitchen has its original sliding interior doors and original glass globe lights. below: Perhaps the most challenging aspect of caring for and styling a mid-century home is finding the perfect balance of architectural authenticity and personalization. Drew and Gabriella have a recipe for success. “We leave floorplans alone and assess which elements of the home bring in the real ‘character’ that we love and find ways to leave those. Then we personalize the rest as needed to make the house feel like a home.” In a complex where every floorplan is identical, if not mirrored, Drew and Gabriella’s home stands out for something it’s missing. “Every home came with a unique bent metal hood range, except for ours,” Drew says. Architect Barry Berkus was just 25 years old when he designed this complex. The folded plate roof design makes Park Imperial South iconic and instantly recognizable.

Personalizing Mod Style

A previous homeowner had removed some of the original features, like cabinets in the kitchen and baths. Luckily, the bones of the home remain untouched, giving a mid mod frame to the couple’s impeccable style. “Our interior design choices are a bit more eclectic modern, blending vintage artifacts, art and ephemera we’ve collected with mid-century and modern pieces,” Drew says.

Consider the den, where custom sofas from Casara Modern anchor the space. Proudly displayed is a collection of vintage radios, including a Raymond Loewy-designed original. The entirety of the home balances this blend of new, custom, vintage and modern to weave a uniquely personal design story into their 1960 Palm Springs condo.

vintage floral art above master bed with rust and gold color scheme — Perhaps the most challenging aspect of caring for and styling a mid-century home is finding the perfect balance of architectural authenticity and personalization. Drew and Gabriella have a recipe for success. “We leave floorplans alone and assess which elements of the home bring in the real ‘character’ that we love and find ways to leave those. Then we personalize the rest as needed to make the house feel like a home.” In a complex where every floorplan is identical, if not mirrored, Drew and Gabriella’s home stands out for something it’s missing. “Every home came with a unique bent metal hood range, except for ours,” Drew says. Architect Barry Berkus was just 25 years old when he designed this complex. The folded plate roof design makes Park Imperial South iconic and instantly recognizable.

retro style stove and multi-dimensional backsplash in kitchen with clerestory windows in Palm Springs condo — In a complex where every floorplan is identical, if not mirrored, Drew and Gabriella’s home stands out for something it’s missing. “Every home came with a unique bent metal hood range, except for ours,” Drew says.

“So much of the mid-mod aesthetic is the structure of the home itself. After that, it’s a matter of filling the interior with a mixture of old and new, that’s what keeps things interesting,” Drew says. “We both love historic and vintage pieces, and putting them in places surrounded by new materials only makes them feel more special.”

Creating With Color

Open floor plans, like the one that connects the home’s living, dining and kitchen spaces, are beloved for their spaciousness. Designing them in a way that creates zones is key to their day-to-day functionality, but it’s the use of color that can truly make or break the space.

Drew and Gabriella created a blank canvas with all-white walls. Light to mid-tone woods, burnt oranges, brick reds and dusty yellows work together to convey the home’s desert setting. Expertly placed hits of deep blue keep the design refreshed.

Nestled off to the side of the main living space is the den, a serene multipurpose space with a slightly different approach. Warm wood tones are sharply contrasted by black accents and tied together with brushes of gray.

folded plate roofline fire pit and conversation area in Palm Springs condo patio — Architect Barry Berkus was just 25 years old when he designed this complex. The folded plate roof design makes Park Imperial South iconic and instantly recognizable.

One Room, Many Roles

In this Palm Springs condo, the den has taken on several roles. By day, it is the couple’s home-office space. However, as new parents, the couple knew they needed a space to steal away for peace and quiet. Rather than a typical or stuffy office design, they created a design that could also function as a serene escape. “We wanted to be able to close the doors and connect, read or just relax,” Drew says.

den with built in shelves graphic patterned rug and throw pillow — Graphic and warm, the den serves as a home office, quiet retreat and entertaining space.

Yet another key role played by the den is as a warmer space to use when hosting friends. Making both of these roles possible is a pair of low-slung couches. A set of round ottomans from Blu Dot anchor the space and help support its multipurpose functionality.

Change of Scenery

This serendipitous home-buying journey almost didn’t happen. Drew and Gabriella had initially focused their search on Los Angeles. Unable to find the right home, in the right location and at the right price, the couple broadened their search to Palm Springs. Still, finding just the right space for their family took time and patience. They were focused on single-family homes and still not having any luck. That’s when the idea of condominiums entered the scene. With numerous mod communities scattered around Palm Springs it would be possible to buy a home with authentic mid-century architecture in the right location and at the right price.

Not long after deciding to shift their search yet again, Gabriella checked Zillow for condominiums. Listed just an hour prior was a unit that answered all their hopes. Moving quickly, Drew and Gabriella were the first to tour the space they now call home.

Find more inspiration from another Palm Springs condo renovation. Read on for A Racquet Club Cottages West Condo Revival and A Garden Apartment Makeover. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube for more Atomic Ranch articles, house tours, and ideas!