Because the focus of today’s post is a vibe, our time together will be a vibe, too. Let’s take a break from the ordinary. Imagine arriving at some iconic design destination, like one you might have saved to your Airbnb wishlist or Pinterest board.
It’s a place with seemingly endless skies that read like a color wheel of blue tones. The sun drenches a desert landscape in which impossibly alluring homes have nestled amongst desert fauna and palm trees. Architecture and nature seem to snuggle up happily in this unlikely oasis. They sing a melody as modern as it is timeless.
Think Palm Springs in its mid-century heyday. This was a time when design—both interior and exterior—was more a lifestyle than a mere design style. It was a dance and a union between indoors and outdoors. This was long before biophilic or any other such design notions were even a whisper of an idea.
And the furniture and fabrics themselves have a soundtrack to this day. Think part Sinatra and Billie Holiday, part Norah Jones and John Legend. Let’s step inside desert modern design. Slip into something that’s the vision of function dipped in deliciously vibey style.
Experience the Feeling of Coming Home To a Desert Modern Style Vibe
Regular readers here may note this writer’s affinity for storytellers like the late Anthony Bourdain. He often reminded us how the places we go profoundly shape our worldview. Desert modern design sits at the head of the table, rocking a distinct mastery of that notion.
As you step inside our fantasy destination, you step into something somehow simultaneously nostalgic and modern, with no apparent paradox. The home isn’t just furnished, it’s considered, curated. There’s a spaciousness without losing warmth and welcome.
Everything from the lines of the furniture to the lines of the space itself points inwards and outwards. Large windows connect the two, filling the space with light. They evoke a feeling as much as they soothe and gently beckon the eye. There’s personal, not flashy art. And there’s greenery and other natural elements, grounding the space in aliveness.
The fabrics are rich and bold — but not bossy or dominating your attention. They pull in hues from the desert outside. We’re talking here about the colors of the desert itself. They shift and evolve depending on the time of day or the mood of the weather. You find warm, earthy pastels, sometimes muted, other times saturated and rich.
You settle into a sofa, the centerpiece of the space. Flanked by armchairs, you call friends and loved ones to wile away the hours and make some memories. The sofa is decked out in an elevating eggshell white Crypton tweed and armchairs in an earthy green velvet. Accent pillows tie it all together. They lazily lounge throughout in a green geometric print and beige and taupe striped fabric.
Put your favorite records on the turntable. Pour something on the rocks. And settle into a space that’s a story — and a spell — all its own. Ah, yes. This is living.
Elements of Desert Modern Design and More Fabrics To Bring Them Home
There are elements from the style’s mid-century modern origins that feel positively prescient when viewed through today’s lens. Sustainability is central, from eco-friendly materials to often vintage or repurposed pre-loved items. There’s an emphasis on natural materials, too, including warm wood tones, stone, metal, greenery, and water elements.
You’re left with the impression that what’s emerged as desert modern design isn’t mid-century anymore. Instead, it’s a splash of the clutter-free aesthetic of modernism. A splash of the imperfect personality and welcome of Japandi and an ample portion of biophilic’s connection to nature. It’s all that, still with a “Rat Pack” twist.
That aesthetic finds its voice through furniture upholstery fabrics expressing itself with choices. This includes a bedroom headboard in desert terracotta orange and an upholstered bench in a sand tone tweed. Don’t forget all those pillows donning eco-friendly stripes and abstract diamonds. It’s all cozy and welcoming.
In our imagined suite, there’s a slipper chair in a calming abstract lattice pattern. It’s nestled near a window, perfect for peaceful reading or perching while you put on your shoes.
Spend the day lazily lounging poolside in cushy cabana seagull gray and white striped chaise loungers. Or on the outdoor L-shaped sectional in turquoise blue. Don’t forget the pillows in a blue and orange vibrant triangle pattern — Sunbrella fabrics, of course.
Then, let’s head to the dining room that overlooks the pool through floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. Epic evenings unfold perched comfortably in chairs clad in a cactus, cream, and pink ikat pattern. Not a fan? How about a blue abstract, southwest pattern, or luscious solid-toned gold velvet?
The pieces and materials used in desert modern design are cared for and intentional, just as the architecture and layout are.
Time To Wake Up To Your Desert Modern Design Dream in Your Home
All this attention to lines, colors, and connecting the indoors and outdoors matters. Week after week, post after post, we talk about the power of spaces to nourish and transform. Not just the look of your home but the feel of your life.
While our time today may be coming to a close, there’s no need to wake from our shared design dream. Desert modern isn’t a fantasy afforded only to those in some distant place or far-off station in life.
It’s about prioritizing an uncluttered, spacious feel in your favorite spaces. Utilize textures and materials that support sustainability and connect you to nature. Incorporate art and other personal touches chosen for just that reason—they’re personal.
It’s about drawing from a color palette that connects the indoors and the outdoors. The result is a home that beckons you home. It welcomes those you love in a peaceful, unpretentiously sophisticated, warm design hug.
We at the largest upholstery fabric store can help you find the best fabrics. Our goal is to offer all the “hugs” your heart and home desire. Give us a call today.