Reviving a William F. Cody Landmark
Designer Michelle Boudreau recently completed a renovation of a desert modernist home in Palm Springs, originally designed by architect William F. Cody. The project focused on aligning the interior design with the landscape. The property, which includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms, needed a shift from its previous neutral gray palette to something reflecting the local environment.
Boudreau worked closely with the homeowner, who requested a connection between the interior spaces and the desert sunset. The design process prioritized the original architectural intent while updating finishes. The team chose to retain existing structural elements like the flooring and kitchen layout rather than tearing them out. Instead, they applied custom millwork, textured tiles, and updated hardware to refresh the rooms. The project took one year to complete from start to finish.
Designing for the Desert Lifestyle
The entrance to the home serves as a primary example of this new approach. Boudreau installed a custom wet bar right by the front door. The area features terracotta tiles and a chrome tap, signaling that the house is intended for social use. Soft, rounded millwork covers the walls near the door. This choice provides a tactile contrast to the sharper lines of the building's architecture.
A central feature of the living area is the fireplace. It now acts as a vertical anchor for the room, clad in the same handcrafted tiles found in the entryway. While some might question the need for a fireplace in a desert climate, Boudreau notes that temperatures drop significantly after dark. A large custom sofa, covered in cut velvet with geometric patterns, sits on a textured rug to provide warmth and visual interest.
Practical Transformations and Material Choices
In the kitchen, the team opted for an additive approach. They kept the original white cupboards but added custom wood handles and reeded details underneath the bar. The walls now feature four-by-four tiles that mimic designs common to the period of the home's original construction. Lighting fixtures, including wood pendants with terracotta and pink accents, contribute to the updated atmosphere.
The dining area was kept modest to maintain its relationship with the surrounding mountain views. Boudreau painted the low ceiling in a warm tone to make the space feel inviting. Each element, from the custom banquette seating to the lighting, was designed to complement the scale of the room.
Private spaces, such as the bedroom, received similar attention to detail. Boudreau used grasscloth wallpaper with a palm motif to ground the room in the local aesthetic. An open vanity area separates the bedroom from the shower, featuring copper-toned fringe wallpaper. This material choice appears again in a converted den, formerly a bedroom, maintaining consistency across the residence. The final result blends the structural history of Cody’s work with the personal, artistic interests of the owner.