Modernist houses for sale in sunny California
Few places capture the public imagination like California. The Golden State on the American West Coast is the stuff of myth, movie and modernism; and these modernist houses – which are currently up for sale – could be just the excuse to make the move

Cree House, Cathedral City
Cree House is one of the lesser known works by acclaimed California architect Albert Frey. The man behind Palm Springs classics, such as Frey House II, Loewy House and the Tramway Gas Station with its famous ‘flying’ canopy, created this hidden gem around 1955. Having worked with Le Corbusier and influenced by modernist teachings from Europe, Frey worked on this private residence in Cathedral City, which was left neglected for years and fell into disrepair before it got restored to its former glory for Palm Springs Modernism Week 2019. Elements such as the exterior and interior wall panels, the fluted fiberglass deck pieces, kitchen appliances and cabinets have been preserved and remain part of this Desert Modernist house.
Price: $1,975,000
askpalmsprings.com
520 West Via Lola, Palm Springs
Located in Old Las Palmas, the historic heart of the famous desert city of Palm Springs in California – a place of pilgrimage for midcentury modernism enthusiasts – this home was built in 1954. The house, created as a clean, crisp composition of white opaque and semi-transparent glass brick surfaces and volumes, is a well known landmark, having starred as a location in many films over the years, including the iconic Ocean's Eleven. The property was later given a refresh by designers James Callahan and, more recently, Jon Piper. Expansive living spaces, four bedrooms and the obligatory Palm Springs open air deck and pool area, make for the perfect escape to enjoy the region's pleasant weather and rich history.
Price: $2,695,000
sothebysrealty.com
The Allan F Daily Residence, Glendale
This California gem is designed by midcentury modernist architect Clair Philip Earl, and originally built in 1954. The Daily Residence occupies a high point on the rolling hills of Los Angeles' Glendale, and specifically in the modernist haven of Whiting Woods. Spanning ample outside space and 1,885 sq ft, the home features distinctive low forms with large overhangs that allow residents to enjoy the garden and entertain outdoors, while being protected from the intense Californian sun. The roof also extends to produce a carport for the new owner's car collection. The garden has been landscaped by local horticulturalist and designer Kathleen Ferguson.
Price: $1,389,000
deasypennerpodley.com
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSport
Pitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
The dynamic young gallerists reinvigorating America's art scene
'Hugging has replaced air kissing' in this new wave of galleries with craft and community at their core
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
While a few of our editors were in Europe for various showcases and launches, others stayed local, uncovering new cuisines, eccentric exhibitions and glorious gardens this side of the Channel
-
Discover this sleek-but-warm sanctuary in the heart of the Wyoming wilds
This glorious wood-and-stone residence never misses a chance to show off the stirring landscape it calls home
-
Inside a Montana house, putting the American West's landscape at its heart
A holiday house in the Montana mountains, designed by Walker Warner Architects and Gachot Studios, scales new heights to create a fresh perspective on communing with the natural landscape
-
Peel back this Michigan lakeside house’s cool slate exterior to reveal a warm wooden home
In Detroit, Michigan, this lakeside house, a Y-shaped home by Disbrow Iannuzzi Architects, creates a soft balance between darkness and light through its minimalist materiality
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for dance
Jacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
A Rancho Mirage home is in tune with its location and its architect-owners’ passions
Architect Steven Harris and his collaborator and husband, designer Lucien Rees Roberts, have built a home in Rancho Mirage, surrounded by some of America’s most iconic midcentury modern works; they invited us on a tour
-
Inside a midcentury modern house so good, its architect didn’t want to mess with it
‘I was immediately a little bit frightened, because it was such a great house,’ says architect Casper Mork-Ulnes of Roger Lee-designed gem in Berkeley, California
-
Inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House – a project built with accessibility at its heart
The dwelling, which you can visit in Illinois, is a classic example of Wright’s Usonian architecture, and was also built for a client with a disability long before accessibility was widely considered
-
Tour this fire-resilient minimalist weekend retreat in California
A minimalist weekend retreat was designed as a counterpoint to a San Francisco pied-à-terre; Edmonds + Lee Architects’ Amnesia House in Napa Valley is a place for making memories