Text by Chris Salay
This home was designed and built by architect Hugh Kaptur in Palm Springs in 1962 and was influenced by the aesthetic of Donald Wexler for whom he briefly worked. We purchased it from a family that bought it back in 1975. The house had been neglected for close to 50 years. During the restoration process, we reached out to Hugh Kaptur who was very accessible.
Szalay was involved in the staging and Chris Salay Design handled the home’s restoration, design, and construction. The house was furnished with pieces from their private collection. Artwork includes a painting from Dutch artist Hubertus J. Mengels, photography from a local photographer Stefanie Schneider, Todd Hido and Juergen Teller. Other furnishings include chairs by Jens Risom, a Hans Wegner bar cart, George Mulhauser lounge chair with ottoman and all outdoor furniture is by tait.
Although the house suffered from neglect and a lack of maintenance, it was also relatively unaltered in its history, which made this an ideal project to restore.
Although I am unlicensed, I trained as an interior designer and architect so approach projects with an architect’s eye. That allows me to determine originality using a design perspective without having to look for other clues. i.e. some things just don’t look right, especially if your know the period.
This particular home had a few scabbed on additions such as covered patios, some breezeways were covered with roofing, as well as an original covered patio being enclosed and used as a storage space.
The original kitchen and bathrooms were mostly intact, but also largely unusable due to neglect. We were, however given a roadmap for the restoration that included not only layout, but original materials and colors.
With the kitchen, we were able to match the original laminates (many of those materials have not changed.) The master bath became one of our greatest challenges, the tile and hardware were so neglected that it seemed they would be of no use.
The simple task of finding a suitable replacement mosaic tile became impossible once we determined that the 1×1 mosaic was hand made and hand glazed, so we made the decision to restore the tile by applying progressively stronger cleaning solutions until we ended up with a mild muriatic acid solution that restored the tile and then spent days re-grouting the small lines.
For the rest of the home, we carefully scraped paint and removed hardware to discover the original colors. A logical, but often overlooked step in restoring a historic home. In this case we discovered various shades of beige, golds, and avocado / olive tones that were used in the period.
Paint colors were so important in defining spaces, highlighting materials and features, and making the home contemporary, and sometimes setting the latest trends in decor.
Since restoring this home, we have been contacted by a number of Hugh Kaptur homeowners and two of them have almost the exact same floorpan. Kaptur was able to use the singe score concrete block (resulting in an 8×8 pattern) without creating an imposing feel, paired with large windows, indoor / outdoor spaces and a variation on a signature beam detail visible on the beam ends.
As far as what makes midcentury design special, it’s important to remember the period. Just after WWII was a period of great optimism, and a time when neighborhoods were rapidly being developed to meet the increasing demand of home ownership.
There was still a respect for the art of the architect, and the many mid century developers hired the young architects for some key reasons having to do with bottom line. The architects not only were able to build using commonly available materials, but the post and beam style could be built quickly and efficiently.
It didn’t hurt that the new breed of architects also created a new trend in architecture and lifestyle, commonly remembered as the Arts and Architecture Case Study Program but developers were equally important even if they only wanted to capitalize on the form’s popularity.
This was a unique opportunity for architects to build their new vision. One that remains unparalleled in modern architectural history.
Buying a midcentury modern home is a challenge, but unlike the periods that preceded it, midcentury homes are still very livable in their current arrangement. Rooms were larger, closets replaced wardrobes, and kitchens and bathrooms became more of a focal point.
That said, everything has aged considerably and all elements of the home can suffer, whether it’s plumbing, electrical, roofs, etc. We look for homes that are as original in their footprint as possible, because without fail, the parts of the house that have the most damage are the parts that were altered over time.
That’s especially true when it comes to the effect of the elements. A predominately wood frame construction takes careful planning to ensure sun exposure is minimized and water is directed properly. Alterations to the original design are usually without the level of planning that the original architect had.
Photos by Sandy Swett
