Incollect Magazine - Issue 12

Incollect Magazine 75 INDIANWELLS Built in 1961, this sleek William Cody- designed home overlooks Eisenhower Mountain in Indian Wells. The owner, a former Bay Area resident, attended ModernismWeek in February 2019, and a month later, the house was hers. Built as the developer’s showhouse for the subdivision Desert Bel Air Estates, where this is located, it was meticulously restored by the previous owners and was sold furnished with vintage midcentury furniture. The current owner is interested in local preservation and has secured designated cultural landmark status for the property. She is currently seeking a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. After the release of his blockbuster Serpentine Sofa in 1950, Vladimir Kagan created his Floating Curved Sofa. The 1952 design united two of his favored elements, curves and sculptural carved wood frames. In a room where the crystalline desert light is everything, the open form lets light pour through and into the room. Beside the sofa is a true icon of midcentury design, Warren Platner’s side table for Knoll. In continuous production since its introduction in 1966, it’s made of many, many slender nickel- plated steel rods, forming both structure and lighter-than-air ornament. Atop the table, a vintage 1970s ‘Sculptura’ phone from Bell is a classic example of Pop Art’s influence on everyday consumer goods. Eye-catching and playful, it came in white, brown, and this piquant lemon yellow. The coffee table is a 1960s California redwood live edge, burl root beauty, resting on a white cowhide rug. The vintage lime green Papa Bear Chair and Stool are by Danish designer Hans Wegman. Debuting in 1951, this midcentury modern version of a wing chair with cantilevered armrests ending in wooden “paws,” is universally praised for its comfort. A massive kiva fireplace is a typical feature in southwestern desert homes, a necessity for chilly desert nights. Photo: Copyright © 2025 Dan Flood