One duo finds a desert house that fuses new and old For David Kearney and Chip Graves, the allure of Palm Springs was in the weather and the landscape, not the midcentury architecture that helped make the region famous. ?In fact,? Kearney says, ?we imagined living in something more Mediterranean.?
But when they saw this contemporary home that was built in the style of midcentury dwellings, they fell under its spell. ?It wasn?t what we sought out, but midcentury architecture and design are really quite playful,? Graves says. ?Something about this style is conducive to inviting neighbors over for a drink and good music?you think of Sinatra and a martini.?

When David Kearney and Chip Graves purchased this home, it had a good deal of lawn surrounding it. Today, all of that has been replaced with drought-tolerant plantings and hardscape.
The home is part of a small development by Contempo Homes made up of new houses built with the attributes of midcentury architecture, along with a full complement of green features. ?It?s actually like a midcentury home that?s on steroids,? says Kearney. ?It?s very similar to a classic midcentury house with a butterfly roof. But where many of those homes would be 1,700 square feet, ours is 3,000.?
Earth-friendly features include solar energy, water-saving systems and appliances, and low-VOC paint?things nearly unheard of in the middle of the 20th century. ?We absolutely love and appreciate the style,? says Kearney. ?B...