Donald Wexler, FAIA, Architect
The Wexler Residence, 1955

Fortunately, the current steward has preserved these elements, along with vertical fir siding, spun metal can lights, and other original finishes that define the essential architecture. In a collaborative intervention by Donald Wexler himself, architect Lance O’Donnell, and interior designer Darren Brown, the home was completely remodeled from top to bottom, winning the Palm Springs Modern Committee’s Residential Restoration of the Year Award shortly after completion. Sympathetic to the home’s original design, new terrazzo floors were introduced throughout, and kitchen and bathrooms were completely redone, with stainless steel appliances, marble slabs, and European fixtures and fittings that have brought the home into alignment with contemporary lifestyle standards. Finally, a painstakingly curated Wexler White paint unifies the composition. New roof, new HVAC, and a new solar system round out the functional upgrades.

The site itself is completely private, surrounded by a hedgerow, invisible from the street. Inside, however, the property opens up to the house, surrounded by ancient boulders, and a mature landscape of native plants, most likely the unsubstantiated work of designer Antone Dalu, who worked on most of Wexler’s projects in the 1950s. A substantial black-bottom swimming pool and detached spa offer views of the San Jacinto mountains in the distance. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is designated as a Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Resource, with substantial Mills Act tax savings.