Sides matter in Pod House
Common rooms lined with walls of windows and topped by radiating beams create a light and airy ambience. A centerpiece fireplace enclosed in copper and stone runs from floor to ceiling to divide the living and dining rooms..

Going ... going ... uh, still there
The hillside retreat has been owned by Somers and Hamel since 1977, the year they married. The compound comprises multiple structures, including a main house that was designed by architect Albert Frey and evokes a French villa.

Turn back the clock and get $50K
The city of Palm Desert is offering $50,000 to a buyer who will restore a midcentury-modern residence celebrated for its singular undulating roof. Designed by local architect Walter S. White, the 1955 home will be auctioned Feb. 24 at the conclusion of Palm Springs Modernism Week.

It’s a clean look, pure and simple
“It’s about simplicity, clean lines, getting away from ornamentation and molding, exposing the raw structure,” said Doug Kramer, areal estate agent who specializes in modern homes. “Obviously, the style is very much centered on a connection with the outdoors — the experience of just being able to slide open a wall of glass and be open to the outside.