Bright Ideas: A Palm Springs Kitchen Renovation

Bursting with vibrant color, this Palm Springs kitchen renovation is part of the home’s larger total refresh.

There is nothing quite like a pop of color mixed with the clean lines, bold and unique shapes and sleek finishes of Mid Century Modern design. For designer Sarah Bronstein of Sukkha Interior Design, color is magic. With a passion for all things interior design and over 10 years of experience, she is also a real estate broker based in Western North Carolina.

Though she’s located on the opposite coast, when the owners of this Palm Springs home reached out to Sarah for help in a complete renovation, she eagerly took on the challenge.

Pandemic & Planning the Palm Springs Kitchen Renovation

Envisioning the property as a sunny and fun home to be rented out as an Airbnb vacation rental between uses, the owners purchased the home at the end of 2020 and soon took the plunge into demolition work. Overwhelmed by the endless array of choices and design questions as well as the supply challenges surrounding the pandemic, the homeowners called on Sarah from across the country to help them.

“I worked with them on the renovation and selected all the fixtures, furniture and décor for the home,” Sarah says.

MCM Palm Springs kitchen renovation — As with any kitchen design, storage opportunities are an essential part of the design. “We thought through the storage needs early on and made sure we had enough cabinets and shelving to account for everything,” Sarah explains. “We opened up the original kitchen wall and replaced it with a peninsula bar to make the space feel more open and still direct the flow of movement into the kitchen from the rest of the main space.”

The changes made to the home were fairly extensive, including a rework of the backyard and pool footprint as well as a garage-to-casita conversion. In the kitchen, modern updates were made to create space and connection instead of the original closed-off design. “We opened up the wall and replaced it with the peninsula to open to the dining and living room,” Sarah says. “It was a box and very dated.”

Mid Mod Flair

While the only original elements in the home were the architectural structure and the fireplace, Sarah wanted to keep the sparkle and spirit of 1960s Palm Springs in the kitchen renovation.

teal backsplash tile and Sputnik chandeliers in renovated MCM kitchen — Open shelving is a great option for vacation and rental homes as it provides a visual break of dense cabinetry but still offers a practical storage solution for most-used items. Playing against the bold backsplash, these floating shelves create the illusion of a larger space.

“We knew we wanted to do a modern take on mid-century with bright colors and bold patterns,” Sarah says. She collaborated with the homeowners to select the two primary colors—teal and a rich yellow—which are repeated throughout the home. Sarah also made sure to incorporate elements that are quintessentially mid mod. “Every choice we made, from selecting light fixtures to furniture to a rug or piece of art, was with intention to pay homage to the mid-century design history of 1960s Palm Springs,” she says. “For example, Sputnik chandeliers, retro wall treatments and clean timeless lines.”

Vibrant and bold, this Palm Springs kitchen renovation is a feast for the eyes as well as a thoughtful nod to its roots.

dining room in renovated Palm Springs kitchen — Slanted ceilings and a fireplace were part of the original home design, anchoring the contemporary updates firmly in mid mod style. Sarah’s vision for the whole home design was to feel connected and cohesive. “It, like the rest of the space, balances bold, mid mod style with clean, timeless designs,” she says. Large floor-to-ceiling windows allow natural light to pour into the space.

For another fantastic Palm Springs kitchen, don’t miss Vibrant Vibes in this Palm Springs Wexler Home’s Kitchen. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube for more Atomic Ranch articles, house tours, and ideas!