Passing the Torch On A Palm Springs Vacation Rental

They didn’t want to remodel — and it was the best decision they ever made. Here’s how an LA couple turned a fully-furnished 1958 Palmer & Krisel into the ultimate Palm Springs vacation rental escape.

The mark of a well-maintained mid-century home is its ability to live multiple lives, stories and aesthetics through various owners. For Santa Monica residents Matthew and Perry Helderman, their Palm Springs vacation rental on Orchid Street is one of those stories.

“We love design, art, history and architecture, and Palm Springs was always really a retreat for both of us as we’re building our careers and our life out in LA,” Matthew explains. With his career in the film industry and Perry’s in ceramics and interior design, weekend escapes to the desert became a regular respite and the couple quickly started learning more about the history and architecture in the area. “We toyed with the idea of getting a house in the desert for a few years,” Matthew says.

What Makes A Palm Springs Vacation Rental The Perfect Fit

While it wasn’t the first home they made an offer on, this 1958 house, designed by Palmer & Krisel architects and built by the Alexander Construction Company, immediately captured their attention. “When we first walked into the house, it was impressive given the open floor plan,” Perry says. Since they were looking for their second home and a place they’d eventually list on as a vacation rental, the couple didn’t want to undertake a major remodel or something that would require a lot of work.

“We always wanted to keep with the mid-century design but add our own special eclectic taste to the house.”

A Palm Springs vacation rental living room with a stone fireplace and two green mid century modern chairs around a simple wood table. — The home’s original features include the cement flooring, the wood-paneled ceilings and a stunning stone fireplace. “Another of my favorite pieces that came with the house are the two wooden figurines that hang above the fireplace,” Perry points out.

The interior of a Palm Springs vacation rental showing an Adrian Pearsall sofa and a large potted cactus to the right of floor to ceiling windows. The view outside is of the pool and a wall of green hedges. — This space was originally the garage. A previous owner’s remodel used it to extend the living room. “I think one of our favorite pieces from the previous owners was the coffee table with the carved wood,” Perry says.

Fortunately for them, the home was being sold fully furnished and they liked everything inside. “For me, it was actually really surprising to find a home where I actually wanted to purchase the furniture,” Perry says. “The previous owner had done a really good job.” The aesthetic was simple and straightforward, with a few furnishings the couple loved. Previous remodels made changes that benefited the couple’s lifestyle, like turning the garage into an extended main living space. “Any of the remodeling that had been done was very simple,” Perry says. “It was kind of a blank slate as far as the furniture additions.”

a modern sectional sits in the middle of a open plan space. And archway in the background revelas the kitchen jsut beyond. A colorful shag tapestry hangs on the wall. — On top of it sits a small chess set the couple found at the Palm Springs flea market. “That’s one of my favorite things in the house,” Perry says.

The Mid-Century Canvas

Purchasing the Palm Springs vacation rental during the pandemic made it a frequent escape and an opportunity for the couple to take what had been started and make it their own. “We always wanted to keep with the mid-century design but add our own special eclectic taste to the house,” Perry explains. Many of the home’s original features had been preserved, such as the stone fireplace and the wood-paneled ceilings—the perfect backdrop to add finds from the local markets, antiques shops and galleries. “For me, as a designer, it’s always about the thrill of finding the next exciting piece, and I know Matt and I together share that as a couple,” Perry says. “We’re always on the hunt.”

Inspired by The Parker Hotel

In the kitchen, Perry and Matthew used this passion to create a tribute to one of their favorite places: the Parker Palm Springs hotel. “If you’ve walked around the Parker, you’ve probably seen that open area by Norma’s with its collection of mid-century glass in different sizes, shapes and colors,” Matthew says. Inspired, the pair began hunting for their own collection.

A look at the kitchen of this Palm Springs vacation rental with light wood cabinets. Above the cabinets is a collection of colorful glass decanters, vases and pitchers is different shapes and sizes. — “We originally thought about remodeling the kitchen,” Perry says, “but honestly, just keeping it simple and then adding the glass felt like enough of just keeping the mid-century style of simplicity, color and clean lines and shapes.”

The colorful glass pieces they’ve discovered over the years found their home in the kitchen, where a previous owner’s remodel kept the space simple and fresh. “We ended up with around 20 or 30 pieces,” Matthew says. “And while we’re taking a few of our favorites with us, most will stay in the home to give it that extra pop of color and keep that Palm Springs vibe.” Displayed on a high kitchen shelf, the glass adds vibrancy and character—a legacy the Helderman’s will pass to the next owners.

A bedroom with a wooden mid century modern style bed frame, blue bedding and a colorful throw blanket folded at the end of the bed. there is a sliding glass door which leads to the backyard which has a pool. — Adjacent to the pool, the primary bedroom features an owl art piece by Perry’s mom. “Almost all of the art in the home is by my mom,” Perry says. “She was clearing out her art studio in Connecticut when we owned the home, so we incorporated so much of it into the house and it fits perfectly with the pops of color.”

Another guest room in the Palm Springs Vacation rental with a simple white bed and a vintage frame repurposed as a headboard. There is a pink, yellow and blue psychedelic artwork hangin on the wall. There is a window that looks out onto the front street. — The three-bedroom Palm Springs vacation rental is relaxed and warm throughout, a perfect weekend getaway with friends or family. The bold pops of color as seen here were something that drew the couple to the home from the beginning. “There were some really fun, bold colors. I really felt like I had stepped back in time,” Perry says.

Transforming the Outdoor Space

Perhaps the couple’s most dramatic impact on the home is the backyard remodel. “We wanted it to feel like an oasis and separate the areas to make them more intimate,” Perry says. “It’s definitely something we’re proud of.” The couple also added five large palm trees, expertly using landscaping to create cozy gathering spots around the pool and fire pit. This goal of intimacy extended to their complete pool and hot tub overhaul. “We redid the pool and added recycled glass tile from Portugal to the outside of the hot tub. The idea was to make it a little jewel box, a destination within the space,” Perry says.

A round fire pit with 4 modern chairs arranged in a circle around it. The area sits on a round cement pad which is surrounded by gravel and bordered by agave plants and palm trees — The backyard overhaul is the biggest change the couple made to the home. Their goal was to create an oasis with distinct and secluded areas like this one. “The space is really large and there was an area that really just had an open gravel behind where the fire pit was without much landscaping, so we added five palm trees in that area,” Matthew says.

A big rectangular pool with a raised spa at the far end. The spa has a small waterfall feature that pours out onto the main pool. — “We completely redid the pool and the hot tub and added recycled glass tile from Portugal to the outside of the hot tub,” Perry says. “The idea was to kind of make it a jewel box.” The finished area is a dreamy desert escape.

Palm Springs Vacation Rental: Passing on a Legacy

The arrival of their first son, along with life taking them in new directions, prompted the couple to sell the home. While they know they’ll always go back to Palm Springs, both Perry and Matthew feel a sense of bittersweet closure. “We had so many amazing memories here with friends and family, so it feels like we’re passing the torch to the next.” Matthew reflects. For them, this sale is part of the cyclical nature of homeownership, a chance to pass on a space that’s been enriched by their time, vision and memories. And as they bid farewell to their desert retreat, they know they’re leaving behind a legacy for someone else to build on.

How to find Your Own Rental in Palm Springs

Erbe + Blackham realtor Maureen Erbe, who sits on the board of Palm Springs Modernism Week has some tips for you if you’re looking to get your own dream rental in the desert. There’s a magic in these mid-century homes that just fits with the landscape here,” Maureen says. Preserving or enhancing authentic mid-century features can be a huge selling point if you’re not necessarily looking to buy a forever home. “Look for the original details—those are what make these homes so special,” Maureen says. Elements like clerestory windows, breeze blocks and period-appropriate landscaping not only add value but capture the essence of Palm Springs’ mid-century allure.

Want to see more Krisel & Palmer through a different lens? Check out this Krisel & Palmer in Las Vegas and then this one in from the archives in San Diego!

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