My Houzz: Palm Springs Apartment Bursts With Happy Colors
A pastel- and pattern-loving couple in California personalize their 800-square-foot rental with creative updates
After spending the last seven years living in Los Angeles, Krys Melo decided to move back to her desert hometown of Palm Springs, California. She and her husband, Javier, along with their 17-year-old shih tzu, Pan, relocated last spring to this rental apartment. Since then, they’ve personalized the space with style and color.
“I’m very inspired by midcentury design and style, so I’m lucky to have found this place,” says Krys, a DIY and decorating enthusiast who chronicles her projects on her blog, Melodrama. She’s pictured here with Javier, enjoying a drink from their home bar.
The two-bedroom apartment was updated by the landlord right before the couple moved in. “It had everything we were looking for: midcentury, lots of natural light, a good layout and the perfect location,” Krys says. “I loved that it was a clean white canvas for me to work with, but I definitely had to find ways to add color and pattern to spruce it up to meet our vibe.”
“I’m very inspired by midcentury design and style, so I’m lucky to have found this place,” says Krys, a DIY and decorating enthusiast who chronicles her projects on her blog, Melodrama. She’s pictured here with Javier, enjoying a drink from their home bar.
The two-bedroom apartment was updated by the landlord right before the couple moved in. “It had everything we were looking for: midcentury, lots of natural light, a good layout and the perfect location,” Krys says. “I loved that it was a clean white canvas for me to work with, but I definitely had to find ways to add color and pattern to spruce it up to meet our vibe.”
“I’m a major homebody so it’s important to me to have a space that represents my personal style and where I can feel comfortable living and working in,” Krys says. Most of their furniture pieces are new but with midcentury-inspired lines.
Krys added a colorful DIY touch to Ikea’s Valje shelf to create the bar. The backs of the shelves are painted lime green and the same pink as the front door. The legs were spray-painted gold.
Wall sculpture: vintage Curtis Jere; leaf curtain panels: H&M Home; yellow Tyley chair: Cost Plus World Market; Span metal globe floor lamp: Target; mirror: HomeGoods; browse sunburst mirrors
So Your Style Is: Midcentury Modern
Krys added a colorful DIY touch to Ikea’s Valje shelf to create the bar. The backs of the shelves are painted lime green and the same pink as the front door. The legs were spray-painted gold.
Wall sculpture: vintage Curtis Jere; leaf curtain panels: H&M Home; yellow Tyley chair: Cost Plus World Market; Span metal globe floor lamp: Target; mirror: HomeGoods; browse sunburst mirrors
So Your Style Is: Midcentury Modern
Krys takes pride in her design of the large, open space. “I like that even though it’s technically all one room, we were able to create three seating areas that all serve a purpose when we have guests over,” she says.
A retro-inspired Crosley turntable is an ideal fit for the sitting area by the window, and its blue detailing fits perfectly in the vibrant space.
Lilting rug tiles in Multi: Flor; Hughes sectional in Vibe Aquatic, Savannah table lamp and Unson media console: Joybird; geometric wall planters: Target; Dansette Bermuda turntable: Crosley
A retro-inspired Crosley turntable is an ideal fit for the sitting area by the window, and its blue detailing fits perfectly in the vibrant space.
Lilting rug tiles in Multi: Flor; Hughes sectional in Vibe Aquatic, Savannah table lamp and Unson media console: Joybird; geometric wall planters: Target; Dansette Bermuda turntable: Crosley
“I added the vintage fireplace to give us a bit more retro architectural detail to the inside,” Krys says. Though the fireplace isn’t technically functional, it does include an electric log that emits heat.
Confetti throw pillow: Kailo Chic; Malm fireplace: vintage; Soto leather chair and Riley pouf: Joybird
Confetti throw pillow: Kailo Chic; Malm fireplace: vintage; Soto leather chair and Riley pouf: Joybird
Natural light floods in from windows on both ends of the space. The home is peppered with colorful vintage touches such as a wall-mounted rotary phone.
Saarinen-style bar stools: Craigslist
Saarinen-style bar stools: Craigslist
The couple’s re-creation of a quintessential midcentury space is the result of serious research. “I read a lot of 1950s-’60s design magazines and books to gather inspiration and ideas,” Krys says. “I love tackling DIY projects and figuring out easy and cost-effective ways to do things myself.” As an example, she dyed the curtains pink to match the pink in the artwork.
Docksta table: Ikea; Saarinen-inspired chairs by Burke: vintage; Keno crystal rug: Rugs USA; breakfast print: Art.com; Sputnik chandelier: Lucent Lightshop
Docksta table: Ikea; Saarinen-inspired chairs by Burke: vintage; Keno crystal rug: Rugs USA; breakfast print: Art.com; Sputnik chandelier: Lucent Lightshop
The kitchen has a modern range and stainless steel hood, but Krys is on the hunt for the perfect vintage range.
The newer furniture pieces are accented with colorful vintage glassware. “A lot of the larger furniture pieces we have are from modern retailers like Joybird, mixed with some DIY and true vintage pieces and accessories,” Krys says.
The credenza’s blue palette plays off the sectional’s upholstery. Krys painted the front door Peach Punch by Valspar. She also added wood trim pieces from the hardware store (mounted with heavy-duty double-sided tape) to create a diamond shape around the doorbell.
Colored glassware: vintage
The credenza’s blue palette plays off the sectional’s upholstery. Krys painted the front door Peach Punch by Valspar. She also added wood trim pieces from the hardware store (mounted with heavy-duty double-sided tape) to create a diamond shape around the doorbell.
Colored glassware: vintage
This 1956 pink bow table lamp by C. Miller is Krys’ favorite decor item and always a conversation starter. The gold Stangl vase is also vintage.
Three-tiered side table: Target
Three-tiered side table: Target
A custom lemon-patterned wallpaper creates an accent wall in the kitchen. Krys ordered the pattern through temporary-wallpaper retailer Tempaper. The adhesive paper is completely removable.
“Every time I finish decorating a room it becomes my favorite,” Krys says. “I think the peel-and-stick wallpapers have made a huge impact on making the apartment feel more customized and like a home,” she says.
In the bathroom, she applied a leafy print on one wall and contrasted it with pink accessories. The custom valance was a DIY project that used a mix of Petal Pink and Rose Quartz dyes from Rit.
Flamingo shower curtain: Target; Tropical wallpaper: Tempaper
In the bathroom, she applied a leafy print on one wall and contrasted it with pink accessories. The custom valance was a DIY project that used a mix of Petal Pink and Rose Quartz dyes from Rit.
Flamingo shower curtain: Target; Tropical wallpaper: Tempaper
The master bedroom features a similar green-and-pink palette.
Hughes bed: Joybird; table lamps: vintage; Layne curtain panels in Coral: Target
Hughes bed: Joybird; table lamps: vintage; Layne curtain panels in Coral: Target
Krys added midcentury-inspired design details throughout the bedroom. The diamond pattern on the closet doors was a DIY project done with gold tape. The starburst-shaped closet pulls, found online, add another period-specific touch.
Classic Core sheet set in Smoke Dot: Brooklinen
Classic Core sheet set in Smoke Dot: Brooklinen
“Our bedroom has awesome original built-ins and a vanity that I absolutely love. The whole room feels very luxe and comfortable and I love relaxing in there,” Krys says. For the built-ins, she switched out the drawer pulls with 1950s ones she found on Etsy.
Vanity stool: Nate Berkus for Target
Vanity stool: Nate Berkus for Target
An atomic-style light fixture illuminates the vanity area.
Sputnik vanity sconce: Lucent Lightshop
Sputnik vanity sconce: Lucent Lightshop
More temporary wallpaper behind the shelves adds an extra pop that highlights the vintage cases and handbags.
The room’s minimal decorative accents pull in the gold tones from the wallpaper.
Vestry wall mirror: Joybird; marble plant stand: vintage; Thermoscad wallpaper, Bobby Berk: Tempaper; browse removable wallpaper
Vestry wall mirror: Joybird; marble plant stand: vintage; Thermoscad wallpaper, Bobby Berk: Tempaper; browse removable wallpaper
Krys and Javier use the second bedroom as their home office. “My husband and I both work from home, so we had to figure out how to create a home we could live and work in,” Krys says. The desk lamp is vintage.
Xavier apartment desk: Joybird
Xavier apartment desk: Joybird
The second bedroom also serves as a guest room. “I planned the layout for weeks before we moved in and wanted to make sure I utilized the space as much as possible with clever furniture placement that gave us the feeling of having more space than we do,” Krys says.
Midcentury metal wall decor: Target; artwork: Kisco Print Shop
Midcentury metal wall decor: Target; artwork: Kisco Print Shop
A new sofa bed adds color and functionality to the room.
Curtains: H&M Home; table: Ikea; sleeper sofa: Joybird; heart-shaped cooler carryall: Bando
Curtains: H&M Home; table: Ikea; sleeper sofa: Joybird; heart-shaped cooler carryall: Bando
Krys worked for several years as a wedding photographer and her collection of vintage cameras is lovingly displayed in the office.
Circle shelf: Target
See more of this apartment
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Circle shelf: Target
See more of this apartment
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Who lives here: Javier and Krys Melo and their 17-year-old shih tzu, Pan
Location: Palm Springs, California
Size: 800 square feet (74 square meters); two bedrooms, one bath
Year built: 1960