This Palm Springs home is the definitive example of modern Spanish Renaissance style

Some home renovations require just a few updates, such as a remodel limited to the kitchen, or maybe even an interior paint job and some new flooring. But other home renovations are complete renovations that take several years to complete. For this Palm Springs house, it was the last thing (and it took them two years to rebuild it).

The owners, a mortgage broker husband and a model-turned-author ex-wife, purchased the three-bedroom, four-bathroom home from its original owner. And since the house was practically intact when they bought it, the new owners decided to start over and reduce the entire structure down to the last detail.

The couple has three young children, travel the world and divide their time between their homes in Idaho and Palm Springs. So, their goal was to create a space that was “comfortable, yet sophisticated; contemporary with a nod to the past; and easy to live in.” And they also wanted the house to honor the husband’s Hispanic heritage and reflect a modern culture. Spanish design aesthetics. A tall order, but its Newport Beach-based designer Mindy LavenHe was up to the task.

“Because this house had virtually no updates, almost every surface was touched,” Laven explains. “New air, heating, plumbing, electricity, etc. All systems were updated. The floor plan was opened up to reflect an open concept, more conducive to modern living. “We were careful to give all rooms a private bathroom to maintain the privacy of the common areas.”

And since the owners also have a furniture and accessories import business, they were deeply involved in the design process. For inspiration, Laven and the owners used historical images. spanish houses in the Palm Springs area as a guide, and even toured several nearby homes to gather ideas for the project.

“The vision was to stay true to the Spanish architectural style in which the house had been built,” says Laven. “We used materials such as Saltillo tiles, hand-painted terracotta tiles, distressed wood and wrought iron to reflect this. “We also used a lime plaster on the interior walls that give this house a historic, aged feel.”

Many of the beautiful antique pieces in the house were collected by the owners. “Our team also searched property sales for this facility. We sourced the wicker-backed chair, the small paintings and many of the decorative pieces this way, giving authenticity and provenance to the design,” explains Laven.

Walking through the house, you see a rustic and refined space, with a lot of character. In the great room, the ceiling was raised and beautiful beams and tongue and groove were added. All cabinets and interior doors throughout the home were built with a custom design and custom stain. Saltillo tiles come from Rustic Tile—They are authentic and imported from Mexico.

Matte porcelain tiles were used in the kitchen. “This material has the beauty of marble but is infinitely more practical for family living!” Laven says. “The kitchen just got bigger with plenty of storage for a family of five.”

And all bathrooms have a mix of traditional and contemporary tiles. The powder room has a gorgeous custom made porcelain sink that looks like a work of art.

Of course, the beautiful details extend to the exterior of the home. “I love the hand-carved door and arch at street level of the property. It creates modern privacy but with a traditional design,” explains Laven. “I also love the tiles from Arto Brick that we embedded in the plaster in various places on the exterior and interior of the house. I think it gives this space such a historic feel! “The owners custom-commissioned the exterior lights based on an original Spanish design.”

Customers love the space. “They originally considered selling the property, but fell in love with it once it was completed and decided to keep it as a family home.” Laven adds.

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