#psmw palm springs modernism week: time capsule in marrakesh

I have been saving this post for the end of the week. One of the most pleasantly surprising events of my time at Palm Springs Modernism Week 2013 was the Marrakesh Designer Showcase. More about that next week (no I can't stop).

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

Let's talk about this wallpaper, shall we?

But first the intro. Marrakesh sits about 16 miles east of Palm Springs in Palm Desert and is a private golf course, country club and condo complex built in the 70's. The developer was Johnny Dawson, the designer was John Elign Woolf and the architect was Richard Harrison. It is a gorgeous piece of property and very Hollywood Regency in its decor both outside and inside the units. The Marrakesh Designer Showcase was two years in the making, according to Chair Gina Corbett, and featured five homes specially decorated and staged by designers. They also decided to include one very special home they titled, "Marrakesh Then."

From WindermerSocal.com

We arrived at the property right on time and were ushered into the club house by the lovely volunteers of the Designer Showcase who checked us into the tour and the luncheon. Then we were instructed to wait outside for a golf cart. We quickly spotted a lineup of golf carts with polite and handsome men (nothing wrong with that) waiting to whisk us around the property on our home tour.

This was our first stop.

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

Although the surroundings were pleasant, I was still on the fence. This was the second event of our third day of home and garden tours, running around from dawn to dusk. We had seen homes by every major mid-century modern architect working in Southern California. Go ahead. Wow me.

Um. Wow.

The above color coordinated scene in my favorite color is exactly what you see when you walk in the front door. I immediately sensed a distinctly 70's vibe and had a quick side bar with the volunteer and discovered that, in fact, we had struck late mid-century modern gold. This was a time capsule home, virtually untouched from 1971. Yee-haw!

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

I was able to reach the owner of this little 70's miracle, Ann Judy, who was given the condo in 2000 by her late parents, Bud and Dede Clary. God bless all three of them for hardly touching a thing in this house.

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

From Marrakesh Designer Showcase FB Page.

Ann told me that Bud and Dede were the third owners of the home and purchased it in the 90's. Ann says the only thing her mother contributed to the decor was she swapped out the BRIGHT GREEN shag carpet for white and also recovered the sofas in white fabric as they were upholstered in the same print as the drapes. OMG. It had to be bright. But delightful.

When the Marrakesh tour publicity photos came out, the original designer for the condo, Ed Carlmark, saw the published photos of Ann's condo and realized that he was the decorator, some 40 years ago, and the condo looked virtually as he had designed it.

Ann Judy with Ed Carlmark showing him the original china purchased to match the condo.
From Mydesert.com

Darn good designer. Check out this kitchen. Original Formica. Original stove. Original everything.

Ed was kind enough to help Ann with staging the home for the tour. Ann said she gave him free rein to rearrange anything he wanted and go digging through the cupboards. Ed found, neatly packed away by Ann's mother, the original bedspreads, dining room chandelier green shades as well as original towels (bright yellow and green). Thank you Dede.

The table is decorated with original china and silverware purchased to match the decor.

In this photo you see the original lampshades Ed found in a closet.

At this point, in the tour I was nearly hyperventilating. How could this home get any better?

Ignore the artificial pet. Apparently Ed has a sense of humor.

Having this sofa at the foot of your bed would certainly wake you up every morning.

Look at the stenciling detail on the desk. Incredible.

Ann said her mom found the place happy and cheerful. How can you not smile looking at these bright and pleasant rooms?

And then I walked into the guest bathroom.

BOOM.

Seriously. Foil wallpaper. Have I just died and gone to 70's heaven?

 The towels coordinate and are original to the home!!! Pretty exciting stuff.

Ann Judy in MyDesert.com article

I staggered out of the bathroom heading down the hall towards the other bedroom.

Then BOOM again.

This 70's wallpaper is insanely pink and madly busy.

The yellow daffodil lamp. How can you not love it?

Ann said her mother prized the view of the golf course and the mountains behind it, and her dad adored golfing. The little condo in the desert was a win-win.

Ann says it best, "Good style, good taste, and quality materials stand the test of time."


Related #PSMW Posts

• PSMW 2013: Ten Tips for Visiting Palm Springs Modernism Week Next Year
• PSMW 2013: Bringing the Outdoors In
• PSMW 2013: Ten Decorating Tips from Marrakesh
• PSMW 2013: 1970s Time Capsule Marrakesh Home Tour 
• PSMW 2013: Hedge Tour
• PSMW 2013: Garden Tour
• PSMW 2013: Palmer and Krisel House Tour
• PSMW 2013: Frey House II
• PSMW 2013: Liberace
• PSMW 2013: Desert One by Jim Jennings
• PSMW 2013: Margaret Joplin Glass Garden Lights