Like many people, we have vacation escapes on the mind (one can dream). This one, about 20 minutes from Joshua Tree, would make it a breeze to shelter in place: It’s secluded and far from the crowds, blurs the line between outdoors and indoors, and furnished with vintage, eclectic finds.
Dubbed Merchant House High Desert, it’s owned by the mother-daughter team of Denise Portmans and Sara Marlowe Hall. Together, they run the Merchant brand, a three-pronged business that includes a store (Merchant Modern), a gallery (both in Los Angeles), and vacation rentals, including this one.
Above: The sunny yellow front doors are original to the 1950s Spanish-style ranch house. Above: The doors lead to this front porch with built-in seating. A vintage Japanese wood deck chair adds warmth to this predominantly white space. Above: French doors lead to the living room. Denise and Sara painted the plaster walls and concrete floor white. The arched window to the right affords a peek into the kitchen. Above: The home (like their store and gallery) features a mix of vintage mid-century Danish finds, Moroccan touches, California-made ceramics, and contemporary art. The two travel once a year to Morocco to source vintage rugs, baskets, and objects. Above: In the simple kitchen, baskets were turned into pendant lights. Above: Each bedroom has a simple platform bed and subtly pink walls. Above: Another guest room. Above: A quiet corner of a bedroom, expertly decorated with texture and patina. Above: Dining en plein air. Above: The house is set on on five acres. Above: A stock tank pool was inserted into the multi-tier deck for refreshing dips.
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