Past, present collide in renovated House of Tomorrow, aka 'Elvis honeymoon hideaway' house

While it's most known as the place where Elvis and Priscilla Presley honeymooned in 1967, the House of Tomorrow in Palm Springs' Vista Las Palmas neighborhood is a marvel for architecture fans all around the world.

Designed in 1960 by architect William Krisel for Helene and Robert Alexander of Alexander Construction Company, the home featured a number of gizmos and gadgets of the time, including electronic controls to manipulate the indoor climate, lava rock walls and Jetson's-style furniture. Its architecture is another thing to gawk at: The house design features four living spaces within four 12-sided polygons, or dodecagons.

But as the home changed ownership over six decades, wear and tear, poor upkeep and foreclosure struck. In December 2020, Seattle-based architects and investors Paul Armitstead and Dan Bridge purchased the home and set out to renovate and restore it. During Modernism Week - October, which runs through Sunday, the co-owners welcomed some of the first visitors since the restoration work was completed — and they got to see how the past and present collide.

The four-bedroom, five-bathroom home is currently on the market for $5.65 million.

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Related: Priscilla Presley talks Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' movie ahead of Rancho Mirage show

Armitstead said bringing the home back to life was a trying process due to the COVID-19 pandemic and hiccups along the way, but ultimately "it's been a journey on a very positive path."

"In my architectural passion, I've done my own things, but to be able to give this back and hopefully whoever buys it is going to love it, our passion throughout the whole thing was to make the future owners very happy, and the city and public as well," Armitstead said.

Elvis and Priscilla Presley arrived in Palm Springs in April 1967, where they were supposed to be married, and planned to stay at the House of Tomorrow. However, gossip columnist Rona Barrett, who lived next door, announced they were going to marry in the city. The couple then boarded a plane for Las Vegas early on May 1. They then returned to the home for their honeymoon, and used it as their weekend home over the next year.

In an interview with The Desert Sun, Priscilla Presley said she and her husband had some "wonderful times" inside the Vista Las Palmas landmark. After Elvis' acclaimed 1968 television special, which later led to his Las Vegas residency, the couple didn't have much time to spend at the home.

Though she hasn't seen the most recent renovation, Presley said she had an opportunity to visit the home in the past few years and was shocked to see how closely it aligned with how she remembered it.

"It was modern back in the day, that was probably the most modern home in Palm Springs," she said. "It's still very modern and still very in."

Speaking about the renovation, Presley said she would be curious to see how the living room area would be furnished. She specifically recalled the custom circular sofa placed along windows and a rock wall, which she said "suit that wall and everything."

If the former inhibitor stepped inside the home today, she would be pleased to see the 59-foot white couch still in its spot. Many other original and dramatic features, including the terrazzo floors and ceiling-mounted fireplaces, were restored as well.

What was most important to Armitstead and Bridge as they were undergoing the renovation process was to honor the home and its originality as best as they could, while also making it functionable for today's society. The kitchen, for example, features the original geometry and layout, but cabinets and surfaces have been updated. A round island in the middle of the kitchen, with five stovetop burners, was rebuilt.

Krisel "celebrated the circle," said Armitstead, and round mirrors, light fixtures, knobs, bathroom tiles, tubs and showers and stones can be spotted around the house.

When the co-owners acquired the property, the backyard area was overgrown with ficus trees that hung 15 feet above the pool and obstructed views of the nearby mountains and neighboring homes. Since then, the landscape plan was restored as best as possible, now with more drought tolerant landscaping, and the grand views are a sight to take in. The outdoor deck was also replaced because the original flooring was cracked.

A polygon-shaped pool mimics the home's roof. Armitstead said the roof is a single plane that covers the whole home, despite all its different spaces and shapes, and the fact that the master bedroom is located on the second level.

The spacious and round master bedroom has grand views of the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood, perfect for romantic honeymooners, or those who were building out the area.

"Every morning, the Alexanders would wake up and they could survey all they were building," Armitstead said.

Three other bedrooms, one of which was the maid's quarters, have also been modernized.

Even though Elvis and his bride only stayed in the home for one year, their mark is still felt. Photographs of the couple were on display, as well as a bust of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

Armitstead said many of the singer's fans have gathered outside the home during the renovation process to admire the home and snag a few pictures, and some worldwide visitors even made it to the Modernism Week event. Designer Jacques Dupuy said he met two women from New Zealand who stopped by for a tour before moving onto other Elvis destinations, such as the hotel where he used to have his Las Vegas residency.

For more information about the House of Tomorrow and to purchase tickets, visit https://go.modtix.com/f/o22/house-of-tomorrow?date=2022-10-14

If you go

What: House of Tomorrow tour

When: Select times available beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday 

Where: 1350 Ladera Circle, Palm Springs

How much: $65

More information: https://go.modtix.com/f/o22/house-of-tomorrow?date=2022-10-14

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic. 

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Elvis honeymoon hideaway renovated in Palm Springs Vista Las Palmas