Rancho Mirage Residence

Rancho Mirage Residence

Studio-MLA created this calm desert oasis for clients as a second residence to escape the cold Midwest winter in collaboration with Interior designer Michael Smith and Architects Marmol Radinzer.

Located in a golf course community in Rancho Mirage, the residence had undergone a renovation to open up the dark interiors to the outdoors to strengthen the outdoor/indoor relationship. The surrounding majestic hills that define the desert are reimagined right by the house through the use of light colored stone for walls and paved areas. By adding a retaining wall to the rear of the property, the horizontal space expanded fifteen feet, to allow for a zero edge pool which acts as a carpet within a bed of drought-resistant lawn. A coral tree was added as a sculptural focus. The planting palette is composed of drought tolerant plant material in simple masses to soften and contrast to the surrounding rocky environment. The flower colors, whites and blues, compliment the warm hues of the desert. The vehicular access was redesigned to deemphasize the car. A new pedestrian entry, flanked by oak trees, was created to bring the mass of the home to a more human scale. This also allowed the space to create an outdoor garden off the family room with a simple bubbling fountain.