Visionary Spaces
Desert Modernism, Eclectic Flair: Matt Sorum’s Palm Springs Oasis
Matt Sorum and Ace Harper chose Brizo® fixtures to renovate their
Palm Springs residence while staying true to its history.
When Guns n’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum and his wife Ace Harper, a renowned fashion designer, dancer and singer, first laid eyes on their Palm Springs residence, they recognized the fingerprints of another legend: architect Charles Du Bois. He was one of the leading visionaries behind the mid-century desert modernism of 1950s and ‘60s Palm Springs.
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber
Its surrounding neighborhood, Vista Las Palmas, was just as storied. During Hollywood’s golden age, Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Joan Collins were just a few of the stars who called the enclave home. Sorum and Harper’s Du Bois, built by the Alexander Construction company in 1961, epitomizes the area’s charm. Low, sleek lines harmonizing with the landscape. Expansive windows stretching to the ceiling. California sun drenching every room.
Their mission? Bring their signature style to the home while retaining its historical significance. “We wanted to make it feel like our own,” says Sorum. “Modern but with flair and edge.” Just as important was outfitting it for their lifestyle. The couple had welcomed a baby girl, Lou Ellington Sorum, earlier in the year and wanted a family retreat.
“When we got our hands on this, the thing that kept going on in my head was: ‘Restore, restore, restore.”
They turned to Ryan Saghian, a classically trained designer whose reverence for Du Bois homes made him a perfect fit for the project. “The biggest mistake people make—I call it ‘architectural murder’—is they buy these homes just because of the location, tear them down and build their own McMansions with no architectural integrity,” says Saghian.
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber
Lucky for him—and architectural devotees everywhere—Sorum and Harper wanted to preserve the home’s unique history. “They’re artists, and the good thing about working with artists is they have a lot of integrity,” Saghian says. “They wanted the home to have integrity. They did not want to try and make it look like something it’s not, rather than really honor what it is.”
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber
Saghian and the couple blended their design instincts with the Palm Springs aesthetic by avoiding stereotypical choices. “With mid-century modern design, you can easy fall into this very colorful, very commercial style that just becomes repetitive and boring,” explains Saghian. Instead of tulip chairs and garish hues, they opted for an earthy palette that reflected both their tastes and the desert setting.
“Brizo® has the edge and eclectic feel we wanted.”
Material and texture played an important role. For example, they stayed true to the era by restoring the kitchen floors with authentic terrazzo. They updated the look with white oak cabinets instead of the laminate and stainless steel typical of the time period. They sought the same balance in fixtures and found what they were searching for in the Brizo® portfolio. “Brizo has the edge and eclectic feel we wanted,” says Sorum. “Yes, they’re modern but also have warmth that other modern fixtures don’t.”
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber / featuring the Odin® Kitchen Collection.
The Scandinavian silhouettes of the Odin® Kitchen Collection by Brizo® added a streamlined yet nuanced touch to the kitchen. “We went with Odin in Matte Black,” says Sorum. “Its shape is clean and classic, yet modern and was a perfect contrast against the white oak cabinets and terrazzo floors.”
For their primary bath, the Jason Wu for Brizo™ Bath Collection was a natural fit. “In real mid-century modern design, you don’t see a lot of straight lines. It’s very groovy. It has softer curvatures,” explains Saghian. “So I was automatically drawn to the Jason Wu collection. It has all the simplicity of contemporary collections but with a true mid-century silhouette. If you lay it against a black Roman clay wall, it almost looks like it’s one with the wall.”
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber / featuring the Jason Wu for Brizo™ Bath Collection.
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photography: Imagine Imagery / featuring the Jason
Wu for Brizo™ wall mount lavatory with lever handles in matte black.
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber / featuring the Odin® widespread lavatory faucet with low lever handles in brilliance® luxe gold®.
In the powder room, Saghian and the couple went for a statement with pattern and the Odin® Bath Collection in the Brilliance® Luxe Gold® finish. “We did this really groovy Kelly Wearstler tile in the powder room shower with the Brizo® fixtures,” says Saghian. “I love the Luxe Gold finish. It’s like a chameleon. You can make it look even more gold, or you can make it look a lot more subtle. That’s what we did.”
Palm Springs, CA, 2021 / photographer: Lance Gerber
Sorum and Harper’s distinctive style combines with Saghian’s thoughtful updates to capture the family’s essence. In fact, the couple is so pleased with the space that they’ve christened the house “La Maison de Lou,” after their daughter. “It’s our vision, and every surface was thought-out,” says Sorum. “One of our greatest accomplishments, besides our baby Lou of course!”
