Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025

A Palm Springs Midcentury With Hollywood Ties

A Palm Springs Midcentury With Hollywood Ties

In addition to vintage terrazzo finishes, the 1961 Morse Residence features a sunken living room that opens to a backyard pool with a swim-up bar.

A glamorous midcentury home is now up for grabs in Palm Springs’s Vista Las Palmas neighborhood. In 1961, Los Angeles couple Claire and Teddy Morse commissioned renowned architects Dan Palmer and William Krisel and the Alexander Construction Company to design and build the desert home. Once construction was underway, however, the couple brought in famed architect Harold "Hal" Levitt to completely redesign the space-with an emphasis on memorable entertaining.



The 1960s dwelling boasts a free-flowing layout designed for entertaining. The primary living spaces are centered around large glass pocket doors that open to the backyard pool area.

In addition to receiving acclaim for designing the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, the famed architect was also known for his work with Hollywood’s elite. "Levitt took his talent for designing party homes in Beverly Hills and brought it to the desert for a very demanding client," says Joan Gand, who currently owns the property with her partner, Gary. "Claire wanted to be able to walk into the pool without going outside, so Levitt integrated stairs from the sunken living room directly to the pool," Joan continues.



The 3,711-square-foot home offers an ideal setting for large- and small-scale gatherings. "We’ve had 150 of our closest friends over for a New Year’s Day pajama party every year, with only a few people ending up in the pool after too many mimosas," jokes Gary, one of the current owners.

In addition to designing an unparalleled indoor/outdoor connection throughout the home, Levitt also layered the Vista Las Palmas residence with sleek details to enhance its grand flair, including vintage white terrazzo surfaces and stone walls.



In the dining room, wood-paneled ceilings contrast with the original stone fireplace.

Shortly after the current homeowners purchased the 3,711-square-foot residence in 2013, they treated it to a complete restoration, which won the three-bedroom, four-bathroom home a Palm Springs Preservation Award in 2018. "Living in the Morse Residence is an experience unlike any other," says Joan. "When visitors tour the house for design events, they always exclaim that this is what they visualize Palm Springs architecture is all about."



A custom shelving unit spans the back wall of the dining room, offerings plenty of space to display collected memorabilia.

In recent years, the residence has garnered wide recognition, appearing in the award-winning documentary My Name Is Lopez, as well as in the limited-edition poster, The Imposters, by the American artist, Shag. The home’s most notable spotlight, however, might’ve been when it served as inspiration for the midcentury home featured the 2018 hit animated film, Incredibles 2, by Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures.



Steps away from the dining room is the kitchen, which features a vibrant blue backsplash.

As preservationists and midcentury enthusiasts, Joan and Gary recently bought another Palm Springs home which they plan to restore, so they’re seeking a new owner for the Morse Residence. Scroll ahead to see more of the 1961 property, which is now on the market for $4,500,000.



"The iconic Morse Residence is truly a unique architectural statement," says listing agent Scott Histed. "This is one of the finest dwellings in all of Palm Springs and exemplifies the glamour of 1960s entertaining-as one of the home’s previous residents, I know it very well."



In total, the home offers three bedrooms. The principal suite (pictured) comes with a chromed Malm fireplace and offers direct outdoor access.



Each of the four bathrooms were remodeled and are now fitted with modern fixtures.



A spacious music room awaits down the hall from the main living areas.



Vintage terrazzo can be found all throughout the home and even continues outside to the patio.



"The original owners added faux turf to the backyard so guests could picnic without insects, grass stains, or high heels sinking into the ground," says Gary.



The view of the pool and backyard showcases the home’s uninterrupted mountain views.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×