In a 1955 episode of I Love Lucy, the most popular show in the United States at the time, Lucy and her best friend, Ethel, head to Palm Springs after they get into a quarrel with their husbands, Ricky and Fred. Hijinks ensue. Lucy and Ethel lounge by the pool and are starstruck by Rock Hudson, who orchestrates an adorable reunion of the two couples.
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, as Lucy and Ricky, the stars of the show, were just as enchanted by Palm Springs and the surrounding desert cities offscreen as on. Frequent visitors to Palm Springs since the early 1940s, Ball and Arnaz often stayed at the Racquet Club and were already becoming part of the desert community. In 1954, Ball and Arnaz commissioned Paul R. Williams, noted “Architect to the Stars,” who had previously designed their ranch home in Chatsworth, to design a home for the couple and their two children in the newly established Thunderbird Country Club.
Glamorous Getaway
Paul R. Williams’ approach to Desert Modernism was thoroughly evolved when he, fresh off a high-profile renovation of the El Mirador Hotel and several other projects in Palm Springs, accepted the Ball-Arnaz commission. The residence, located in nearby Rancho Mirage, was based on a sprawling open ranch plan and designed to be a private desert oasis from the pressures of Hollywood. The low-slung ranch featured decorative concrete block walls, board-and-batten cladding and decorative screens by the entry. Natural stone work was used throughout the interior and exterior of the home, and the look was mimicked in paving stone pathways for the front door and pool terrace area.
The interior of the home had an open plan, while creating distinct functions for certain areas through subtle architectural details. Another key feature of the home was the connection between the enclosed interior and the expansive desert. Williams included a fashionable glass-curtain wall between the patio and the interior living and dining areas that allowed for views of the desert and mountains in the common space. The patio boasted a large swimming pool and shaded lanai lounge space.
Paul R. Williams’ approach to modernism in residential homes allowed for intimate collaborations with clients that fulfilled all of the client’s wishes but retained Williams’ design integrity. Williams was so adept at maintaining this delicate balance in his work on the Ball-Arnaz residence that Desi Arnaz used to claim that he and Williams designed the home together.
The home strengthened Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s connection to Palm Springs and the nearby desert cities and offered a relaxing safe haven during the height of the couple’s success. In her autobiography, Love, Lucy, Ball describes the home as having “… an uninterrupted view of dazzling green turf and snow-capped Mount San Jacinto.”
The home was extensively altered and remodeled in 2002, but the legacy of this stunning house lives on through the beautiful photography of Julius Shulman.
Want to read about another interesting home in Palm Springs? Check out “A Tamarisk West Home In Palm Springs Gets Carefully Renovated.”
Want to learn which TV shows and movies showcase MCM designs? Check out “Top 10 MCM Movies And Television Shows.”
And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Atomic Ranch articles and ideas!
