Before & After: A Dated Palm Springs Midcentury Is Reimagined With Fresh Finishes and Etsy Finds

Michelle Boudreau Design revamps an unremarkable home using striking tile, a slatted-wood motif, and niche designer decor.

Mar 25, 2022 - 02:17

Before & After: A Dated Palm Springs Midcentury Is Reimagined With Fresh Finishes and Etsy Finds

Michelle Boudreau Design revamps an unremarkable home using striking tile, a slatted-wood motif, and niche designer decor.

The solid support wall was swapped out for a wood slat wall. Dunn Edwards

When she approached the remodel of this 1954 home in Palm Springs, California, interior designer Michelle Boudreau didn’t see a lot of character to work from. But there were touches of midcentury modern and Spanish style, the latter showing through in the terracotta tile covering the floors of the main living spaces.

Boudreau’s goal became to "keep the resonance of the Spanish influence while making it really modern and happy, because it was really dark," she says. "The biggest challenge was embracing the little character that was there and bringing that to life."

After: Front Door and Entry

Michelle Boudreau Design led a redesign on this 1954 Palm Springs home, which has two bedrooms and two baths in 1500 square feet. Green accents on the exterior reflect the updated color palette inside. The wall sconce is from DL Design Works, and can be found on Etsy. — Interior designer Michelle Boudreau led a redesign of this 1954 Palm Springs home, which has two bedrooms and two baths across 1,500 square feet. Green accents at front facade hint at the updated color palette inside. The wall sconce is from DL Design Works, and can be found on Etsy.
Photo: lance gerber

In the entry, a vintage table was refinished, with custom sconces from DL Design Works mounted above. The new flooring throughout the home is large format encaustic tile. — In the entry is a refinished vintage table with custom sconces from DL Design Works mounted above. The new flooring throughout the home is large format encaustic tile.
Photo: lance gerber

Boudreau kept the floor plan intact, but started by replacing walls in the main living areas with with vertical wood slatting to create a more open feel. This maintained separation of space from room to room, but allowed for sight lines and light to pass through. The slatting continues in the primary bathroom, where it forms a shower seat.