Christmas in the Desert

This Palm Springs home may be low on snow, but it's big on holiday cheer.

- ERICA FINAMORE

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Mindell home-even though it's 80°F out and the sun is bouncing off the patio. Kelly Mindell, the blogger behind Studio DIY, and her husband, Jeff, bought this hacienda-style home in Palm Springs, California, in 2021 and filled it with their signature rich colors (they've been known to mix cobalt blue and bright pink, for example). First they brought in more adobe via terra-cotta floor tiles, then they coated the walls in saturated jewel tones. “Everything in the desert is so bright and sunny. I liked the idea of retreating into a moodier space that feels calm and relaxing," Kelly says. Come Christmastime, they add lots of faux garlands (remember: desert!) and hang stockings for themselves and their son, Arlo, 7. They cover the tree in ribbons, glass balls, and ornaments they've collected or crafted over the years. And they dream up a Technicolor holiday. Let's see how else they deck the halls in the heat.

Living Room

The beams were the first thing Kelly and Jeff adored about this home, so they complemented the wood with a goldenrod wall color. "I love this one because it feels really rich but not vibrant," Kelly says. "Even when the sun is shining, it doesn't feel overwhelming." And it happens to look especially nice with holiday greenery and pops of red.

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