A Well-Preserved Wexler

1965 Wexler Palm Springs home exterior — This 1965 Donald Wexler-designed home is located in the Green Fairway Estates in Palm Springs and was built by the Alexander Construction Company.

The 1965 Wexler home in Palm Springs boasted stunning original details, from the stacked stone and desert views to the in-tact floor plan and vintage appliances. Robert and Jaymi Gottfried knew the home was right for them and were prepared to put in the work to maintain it. “The minute we saw it we knew we had to preserve all the wonderful original features that Don Wexler incorporated into his design and the Alexander’s built so well,” the couple says.

1965 Wexler Palm Springs home exterior door — The current homeowners refreshed the home while staying true to its original Mid Century Modern design through upgrades like the turquoise paint on the front door and xeriscaping around the entry.

An Outdoor Refresh

1965 Palm Springs Wexler turquoise door — The homeowners made serious work of selecting the ideal shade of turquoise for their front door. “Who knew there were SO many colors of turquoise?” they share. “We took a section of wall in the back of the house and painted about fifteen 4″ x 4″ squares until we found the perfect shade, which is Behr Island Dream.” Retro escutcheons and a doorbell from Rejuvenation were added while the pair of sconces are original to the home.

For the exterior, that meant new landscaping and paint. Cypress trees that covered the original rock walls were removed, as was the lawn. New desert landscaping was installed. The door radiates in Behr Island Dream, a shade that ties in with the interior color palette. Refreshing the door revealed more original touches.

“The step actually had indoor/outdoor carpet that was installed almost from the time the original owners bought it (we saw it in photos),” the Gottfrieds share. “When we pulled it off, we found that the wood was pretty much pristine. We use the same wood polish that we use for the interior floating step and the hearth.”

Modwalls backsplash in MCM kitchen — A vivid custom backsplash from Modwalls brightens up the kitchen. The original Gaffers & Sattler oven was restored, as were the cabinets.

Pristine Pieces in the 1965 Palm Springs Wexler

A gorgeous original feature inside the home required considerably less work to discover—the fireplace. “When we walked in and saw it for the first time, I told Robert, ‘We are buying this house,'” Jaymi says. ”It’s all completely original down to the finish on the bowl and chimney, in fact we purchased the house from the daughters of the original owners, who told us that it had never even been lit. Their mom always kept silk plants in it.”

vintage fireplace — The fireplace is not only original, it had never been used! When the Gottfrieds purchased the home from the original owners’ children, they learned it had never been lit and was instead used to hold silk plants. The stacked stone wall mimics the exterior stonework and separates the living room from the dining area. A 1958 Philco Predicta Holiday model in blonde is on display to the right of the fireplace, while a Margaret Keane lithograph sits to the left.

The homeowners and their guests curl up around the fireplace in a collection of vintage and vintage-inspired furnishings. The couch, chairs, side table, lamps and TV stand were sourced from vintage sellers. The stereo was a gift from a friend and the credenza was custom–made.

1965 Palm Springs Wexler living room — The living room showcases beautiful vintage finds including Selig “Z” chairs, a Castiglioni Flos Arco floor lamp, family heirloom glass bottles and a vintage Adrian Pearsall boomerang couch that was reupholstered in a vibrant blue. New pieces include an Isamu Noguchi table by Herman Miller from Design Within Reach and a whimsical carpet tile rug from Flor. The 1968 Telefunken Contessa 205 WK/MX stereo once belonged a friend’s parents.

The living room connects to the dining room and has a view into the kitchen over the fireplace wall. All three spaces share the same color scheme and share an easy stylistic flow. “Since the space is accessible to the dining and kitchen areas, we wanted it to flow nicely,” the homeowners share.

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