A Garden Apartment Makeover

This small Palm Springs vacation condo was transformed from a tired “tennis unit” into a retro gem.

Tucked away in the sleepy Palm Springs neighborhood of Araby Commons is CoCo Cabana, a former Mid-Century Modern garden apartment hotel that, for many, is the picture of desert leisure living.

The “CoCo,” as it’s known, was built in 1955 as a vacation destination for the “inconspicuously affluent” and later became a magnet for Palm Springs tennis fans when the sport captured the zeitgeist in the 1970s. To capitalize on this fervor, 16 new apartment accommodations were built at the CoCo in 1971, doubling its capacity. They were branded as the “tennis units.”

I procured one of these coveted units some 40 years after the CoCo’s 1977 condominium conversion, and while the intervening years had been gracious enough to this iconic property, my one-bedroom, 700-square-foot vacation home was in need of a facelift.

All the Right Moves

Its terra-cotta-red floor tiles, brown marble countertops and obtrusive kitchen bulkhead all made it feel very dark and dated; and, despite the CoCo being surrounded with beautiful mountain views, you had to step outside to fully enjoy them.

Wanting to meld indoor-outdoor living and create an open layout that was bright, welcoming and harmonious with the CoCo’s mid-century origins, I set to work with these goals in mind.

Coco Cabana apartment refresh — The wooden screen is an Eames molded plywood screen that’s traditionally used as a room divider. THE AUTHOR put it there to define the eating/dining area. Also, because the entire wall is mirrored, HE didn’t want the bathroom to be reflected. As a result, the plywood screen also serves a practical purpose: It blocks the reflection from the bathroom area.

After removing the period-inappropriate oversized sofas and other generic décor that came with the purchase, the tennis unit’s untapped potential became apparent.

In order to brighten things up, the dingy Spanish pavers were replaced throughout with new, hexagonal terrazzo-style ceramic tiles—a unique flooring that gave a nod to the CoCo’s mid-century style and helped increase the condo’s visual appearance by reading as one cohesive space.

Smart Salvaging for the Garden Apartment Refresh

When it came to the galley-style kitchen, its original wood cabinetry was intact and only needed some fresh paint and new hardware. I replaced the dated marble countertops with fresh, clean quartz and removed the bulkhead. By taking away these upper cabinets, I sacrificed storage—but I gained the open and welcoming appearance I’d envisioned.

refreshed Coco Cabana kitchen — Removing the upper cabinets made the small galley kitchen feel more bright and open. Replacing the old, dark marble countertops with white quartz countertops added to the new, light-and-bright feel.

Additionally, by covering the entire living room wall with a floor-to-ceiling mirror, Palm Springs’ beautiful mountain views were pulled inside the unit; and, much like the floor tile, it increased the condo’s visual square footage and brightened up the space.

Garden Apartment Style-Making With Old and New

The finishing touch came via period-appropriate décor and furniture.

Vintage pieces were sourced locally at shops such as Dazzles, BLVD (both have since shut down) and Era Gallery in nearby Redlands, while contemporary furnishings came from West Elm’s mid-century-inspired line. The Palm Springs Vintage Market and Grace Home Furnishings were great stops for accessories, as were the various antique malls off Sunny Dunes in the Warm Sands neighborhood.

living and dining area in garden apartment — The small, 700-square-foot apartment packs a lot of style punch with a few strategic moves—such as adding a mirror wall and new terrazzo tiles, which enhance the open flow of the floorplan.

Lastly, in order to help meld past and present, my tennis unit’s walls were adorned, not with photos of tennis greats Jimmy Connors or Billy Jean King, but with contemporary works of days gone by from Southern California artists, including Danny Heller, Gary Dorothy and Shag.

garden apartment interior — The author chose this blue color for the interior front door. it definitely sets the tone for the room. Apparently, the original doors were solid wood, but they had been painted over many times.

Coco Cabana apartment vintage blue chair — Vintage furnishings from local spots such as The Palm Springs Vintage Market and the antique malls off Sunny Dunes in the Warm Sands neighborhood imbue the rooms with vintage character.

By allowing both old and new to coexist, whether through layout, finishes or furnishings, this refreshed tennis unit now delivers the desert leisure lifestyle that CoCo Cabana is known for.

Ken MacIntyre is the creator of Modtraveler.net: An Enthusiast’s Guide to Modernism and the author of CoCo Cabana: Designed for Gracious Living. Follow Ken on Instagram @modtraveler.

To see more MCM renovation projects, don’t miss Atomic Ranch’s Renovation Guide special issue! Take a look at our latest issue featuring a bevy of homes and spaces that were treated to a MCM refresh. Walk through a West Seattle restoration and see the subtle influence of Asian design effortlessly incorporated into the overall look and feel of the home. Marvel at the unique and aesthetically pleasing Boomerang House with its simple yet seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Get some tips on maximizing your storage, and see a backyard transform into a Mid Century haven. Plus, get the latest picks from our editors on pieces sure to enhance the MCM vibe in your home. Get your copy here. And of course don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more MCM ideas and inspiration!