Sol 1 in Palm Springs is part of an Ultra Modern Development in Central Palm Springs.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been watching the development of this complex with great anticipation during the last year.  With the majority of the units now in escrow, it’s safe to say that Sol in Palm Springs is a resounding success.

This model home has a simpler vibe than the other town home that I wrote about, however, there’s still so much to like about it. For starters, look at the simple yet effective color palette the designer chose. Turquoise and orange are used very effectively in every room of the home. Orange is used primarily as a ‘spike’ color, while the turquoise/pale blue is used to cover larger volumes, from wall paint to linens. The biggest variable in this equation is the hand painted wall in the dining room, which also uses shades of brown and beige. This mural is one of the first things you see when entering the home from the pool/patio area. Therefore, it has tremendous impact.  The other basic principle about this palette that is so easy to overlook, is the fact that blue and orange are opposite each other on the color wheel. This creates a dynamic tension that gives a lot of bang for the buck. When a designer uses a color palette that is analogous, meaning  colors side by side on the color wheel with no opposing color, then the vibe created is very calming. Think red, red orange and orange, or blue, blue violet and violet. Regardless of how saturated or diluted these tones are, when they easily flow into one another visually, the overall effect is usually calming.   You can see by looking at the photos above how much tension is created when the orange and turquoise are placed next to each other.  Thus they’re  energizing as opposed to calming.

I LOVE the master bathroom in this home. What you can’t see from my photo is that fact that there’s an outdoor shower that you can access through the indoor shower, just beyond the lux bathtub. There’s nothing more relaxing then taking a shower outdoors once the temperature hits 100 and beyond… and yes, it’s very secluded so you won’t have to worry about the neighbors prying eyes.

As you can also see, this town home has excellent views of the San Jacinto Mountains. Since the living room and kitchen are positioned next to the patio, with doors that slide back like an accordion, you can take full advantage of the indoor outdoor living that Palm Springs is so famous for. There’s nothing like an evening cocktail party in one of these environments as the night sky turns violet blue once the sun has set. And speaking of which, if you’re one of the new home owners at Sol and you’re reading my Design Diary, feel free to send me an invitation to your next soiree.

Sol 2 in Palm Springs is part of a new ultra modern development in Central Palm Springs.

I’ve been watching the construction of this chic new project that sits opposite the Palm Springs Convention Center for the better part of a year. I was beyond thrilled to see that their doors were open to the public, as I was making my way to the Fine Art Fair at the convention center during modernism weekend.  The exterior views of the homes remind me of Frank Lloyd Wrights Falling Water, with their elegant overlapping horizontal and vertical planes. They had two home models open: Sol 1 and Sol 2, each with a different floor plan. Todays post is about Sol 2, and I’ll follow up with images from Sol 1 at a later time.

I will tell you right now that this homes kitchen is my dream kitchen. I love everything about it, especially the surface materials. In fact, the overall vibe in this home is spectacular. It’s fresh, modern, tranquil and masculine in an understated way. I’ve been to homes and hotels in the desert that go for an over the top kitschy ‘Palm Springs’ look that can be a bit predictable after awhile. I loved this home so much, that I came back later in the day with a friend and was delighted to meet the designer who’d created the smashing interior. His name is Dino Raimondi. 

Dino happily shared his process with me. Since he didn’t have an actual client, he created a fictional character and gave her a remarkable backstory, the same sort of thing an actor does. With her backstory in place, he set out to create the interiors. Muted violet tones are grounded with chocolate brown and gray. He brilliantly mixed multiple patterns that I never would have thought of. The kitchen backsplash has a geometric pattern that reminds me of a Karl Benjamin painting. While it may be hard to see, there’s also a subtle horizontal pattern in the kitchen cabinets, with a completely different pattern on the island where the sink is located. You’ll see that he also used multiple patterns in the master bath, to great affect. And the violet wall treatment in the guest bathroom is something I’ve been dying to do in white, in the entry hall of one of my properties.

Something else that became quite apparent after I examined my photos, was how effortlessly the interior color palette blended with the colors of the San Jacinto Mountains. I don’t know if this was a conscience choice on his part, but it’s super dreamy. And as you can well imagine, this model home is already sold. I wish I could have coaxed the budget out of our designer, but no luck.  These properties start in the mid $600,000’s and are well on their way to being sold out.

You can learn more about Sol here

Check out Dino Raimondi’s other projects here