A Butterfly Roofline's Lifted Wings

The iconic butterfly roofline of this Twin Palms Krisel home served as the muse for its stunning and respectful restoration.

It’s hard to improve on a classic, especially when that classic is a Krisel home. Yet, with a combination of love and respect for the original design and a vision for functional and aesthetic updates, designer and landscape architect Michael Norpell elevated the exterior of this home without sacrificing all the elements that make it an MCM desert gem. The butterfly rooflines drew Michael to the project as did the beautiful, rugged desert landscaping that played an integral role in the architectural design.

Catching the Vision

The owners of nearly 20 years of this mid-century marvel located in the famous Twin Palms neighborhood of Palm Springs, California, reached out to Michael after their vacation home became a permanent residence in the wake of the pandemic. “They wanted a landscape that would reflect their new lifestyle in Palm Springs,” Michael says.

The property had been cared for, but was noticeably needing a designer’s embrace to create a cohesive and enhanced look and feel. “The original landscape saw better days and needed a ‘wow’ curb appeal worthy of this home’s original design,” Michael says. “The ‘good enough’ backyard had a small concrete pool deck that lacked space for outdoor living with little shade options. The landscape lacked any seasonal color and texture through plantings.”

renovated backyard of home with butterfly roofline — The balance of green and hardscape to achieve the homeowners’ lifestyle needs was an important part of Michael’s design. “The original pool concrete deck was very small and a large area of natural lawn was in the rear yard,” he says. “The element of lush green lawn was important.” He utilized an artificial turf to keep it water-wise in its desert context.

backyard of Palm Springs Krisel home with butterfly roofline prior to renovation — BEFORE

Michael drew from Krisel’s original landscape architecture to create his vision. The book William Krisel’s Palm Springs: The Language of Modernism, edited by Chris Menard and Heidi Creighton, gave him the historical background of the Twin Palms neighborhood, while examining Krisel’s original plans and elevation drawings provided the foundation for his design process. To set the home in context, he toured the Twin Palms neighborhood several times to glean architectural cues for a cohesive, blended design. “I did a quick ‘cocktail napkin’ sketch of what I envisioned,” he says. “I worked from that first impression sketch to develop the final landscape plan.”

raised platform with fire pit and lounge seating outside Krisel home with butterfly roofline — This outdoor “lounge” with its cantilever deck is a mixture of style of function. “I added a custom, motorized louvered-shade structure creating visual interest in the foreground to frame the stunning mountain views in the background,” Michael says. “It is the oasis my clients have dreamed of, and one that celebrates the original intent of William Krisel.”

From Drab to Fab

With plans in hand, Michael and his team got to work crafting their diamond in the rough. He named the project “Lifted Wings” due to the quintessentially mid-mod butterfly roofline—a Krisel original. “I wanted to celebrate Krisel’s architecture by reflecting that soaring, elongated butterfly shape down on the ground plane to create and define the pool deck and lounge areas,” Michael says.

Retaining the original pool shape, Michael expanded the original concrete pool deck to provide more recreational living space. “While the backyard was spacious, it lacked intimate spaces allowing guests to relax together, whether sunbathing, enjoying happy hour at sunset or sharing a meal,” he says. “My priority was to create those spaces: a lounge area that could be shaded, an outdoor fire feature for gathering, a shaded dining area and a simple kitchen area for grilling.”

renovated backyard with new and improved pool — The homeowners did not want any changes to the exterior color palette, so Michael selected complementary shades for the new additions to the backyard. “I selected a rich chocolate brown for the new shade structures to tie into the exterior trim color,” he says. “White tile was used for the pool and spa to complement the stucco color.”

butterfly roofline of Twin Palms Krisel home refreshed with landscaping — The home’s new curb appeal is both stylish and functional, with Michael’s addition of a new steel retaining-wall planter and breeze-block wall for privacy. Taking his cues from the butterfly roofline, Michael designed the lines of the landscape to reflect the architecture of the home. “The home lacked a true front-entry walk from the street and was blocked by a raised berm, so I added a new entry walk that sliced through the berm,” he says.

In the front of the home, Michael designed a Corten steel retaining-wall planter, once again referencing the home’s roof lines. He also built a new breeze-block wall for added privacy for guests. “For the entry, Krisel homes often incorporated a breezeway between the carport and the home,” he says. “Using breeze block, I created a more intimate entry courtyard by adding a ‘screen’ near the main entry door. The breeze-block screen creates a ‘wow’ reveal moment for guests entering the backyard.”

With careful and thoughtful nods to the original palette, architecture and landscape of the home, Michael made sure these additions do not detract from the heart of Krisel’s vision. “What began in 1956 as an exciting new look still enchants us today,” Michael says.

jacuzzi and fountain feature in backyard of Palm Springs William Krisel home — Hardscape breaks up the different gathering spaces in the backyard. “Playing with the shape and size of the poured concrete pads that are separated by the decorative gravel bands defined the key outdoor rooms,” Michael says. “In keeping the hardscape materials cohesive throughout the front and rear-yard landscape design, the whole space flows from one outdoor room to another.”

For more butterfly roofline inspiration, read A Palm Springs Butterfly Home Gets a Fresh, Blue Refresh. For more stunning curb appeal and landscaping, don’t miss our Exteriors issue! And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube for more Atomic Ranch articles, house tours, and ideas!