Christopher Kennedy: The Return of the Modernism Week Show House
The Christopher Kennedy Compound, which will be open to the public for tours during Modernism Week. Presented by Traditional Home magazine and California Homes magazine, the Compound is the brainchild of noted Palm Springs designer Christopher Kennedy, who has spearheaded the project for the last two years.
One of the most sought-after events in 2014 and 2015 — and named by The Hollywood Reporter as “the #1 Must-See event of Modernism Week 2014” — The Christopher Kennedy Compound celebrates midcentury architecture and the Palm Springs area’s important role on the international design stage. The 2016 interior designer line up for the Show House includes: Bravo’s Martyn Lawrence Bullard; Justin Shaulis of New York City; Michel Boyd of Atlanta; Blogger and Tastemaker Kelly Golightly; Trellis Home; Michelle Nussbaumer and Denise McGaha, both of Dallas; Bravo’s Carson Kressley, 31 Westgate of Toronto; HGTV’s Jamie Durie, and Kelli Ellis.
“My goal with The Christopher Kennedy Compound is to celebrate Palm Springs architecture in its heyday,” explains Kennedy, “while updating a swanky vintage house for the realities of modern living, using the best of today’s technology.”
The Show House, in Palm Springs prestigious Indian Canyons neighborhood, will be staged in conjunction with Modernism Week, which attracted more than 60,000 visitors from 20 different countries in 2015. Kennedy’s goal for the project is to raise $100,000 through tour ticket sales and special events for Modernism Week and other preservation efforts.
The property itself is a 4000sf home built in 1982 and designed by Holden & Johnson. It was one of the last custom homes in the Indian Canyons neighborhood, a prominent community developed in the 1960s. The Indian Canyons golf course was a favorite of many Rat Pack-era celebrities, including Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra. The home sits on the fairway and boasts 270-degree mountain views and faces the Walt Disney Fountain, a gift from neighbor Mr. Disney shortly after the course opened. The home is, and will continue to be, the private residence of Jerry and Marilyn Nies of Vancouver, Washington.
“Traditional Home is thrilled to partner with Christopher Kennedy and all the talented designers he has assembled to transform this amazing property,” says the magazine’s editor in chief Ann Maine.
“Though I am a modernist when it comes to design, I am also decidedly old-school,” Kennedy says. “I yearn for the days when families sat down to dinner together, when people would talk instead of text, when kids could stay out riding their bikes until sundown. I believe in the rituals of hearth and home. I believe that we have a collective yearning for a simpler, more gracious time. And so I am incredibly excited to partner with Traditional Home magazine for The Christopher Kennedy Compound: Modernism Week Show House 2016.”
As an added bonus and value, this year, The Christopher Kennedy Compound will have two homes on tour. The Freedman Residence is adjacent to the Modernism Week Show House and will be included in your ticket price and tour. This stunning home was built in 1969; like many homes in the Indian Canyons area, it was designed by architect Harold L. (Hal) Lacy and built by Paul Butler. The Freedman Residence was completely renovated by Christopher Kennedy and ArtHouse Construction in 2015. It truly blurs the lines between inside and outside living with stunning views of the Indian Canyons Golf Resort and surrounding mountains. The home features an Italian modern kitchen from Aran Cucine, Cosentino counters, plumbing fixtures by Kohler, and many other design features. The home is also a model of sustainability with extensive solar panels, desert
For more information about the Show House, please visit: www.thechristopherkennedycompound.com
To purchase tickets, please visit: www.modernismweek.com.
About Christopher Kennedy, Inc.
Christopher Kennedy’s interiors and products have captured the attention of such leading publications as Architectural Digest, Dwell Magazine, Elle Décor, California Homes, Luxe Magazine, and The Los Angeles Times. From his base in Palm Springs, this prolific interior designer also creates an eponymous furniture line, Christopher Kennedy Signature Collection; a candle line; and an outdoor furniture line. His first book, California Modern, was released in 2015.
The mission of The Christopher Kennedy Compound is to re-establish Palm Springs as an incubator for world-class architecture and interior design by restoring a classic mid-century property, using the best of today’s technology and bringing together the nation’s top design talents. We inspire the thousands of attendees who tour the home and the millions who learn about the project through print and social media.
