Groovy built-ins for Trina Turk’s reimagined midcentury home
What Trina Turk wanted
Designer Trina Turk may be best known for her bold, vibrant, retro-inspired fashion line, but she’s also a passionate advocate for midcentury modern preservation. So when she came across a dilapidated 1963 hillside home in Palm Springs, Turk saw what many others didn’t: potential. She purchased the property and set out on an ambitious renovation, ultimately unveiling the finished transformation — and the first space she designed on her own — during Modernism Week.
“The architectural preservationist in me wanted to demonstrate that it’s possible to revive a derelict property while maintaining the original footprint — no additions needed,” she says. To that end, Turk worked to preserve as much of the home’s original character and layout as possible, though that approach brought its own challenges. With the more compact room sizes typical of midcentury homes, every design decision needed to work harder, especially when it came to storage. Highly visible areas like the hall closet and bedrooms became key focal points, requiring solutions that would seamlessly complement the home’s architecture while enhancing the overall feel of the space.
Turk also presented one uniquely personal design challenge. After sourcing a pair of antique étagères to frame the television in the living room, she realized they were too short — yet she was determined to make them work. Turning to California Closets for help, she worked with the Palm Desert team to design a custom wardrobe, reach-in closet, linen closet, and media cabinet.
“All elements of our collaboration needed to seamlessly complement the home’s architecture while enhancing the overall feel of the space.”
How California Closets designed it
Aligned with Turk on the design vision from the start, the storage solutions needed to feel architectural, not additive. Complementing bold colors and patterns are true to the era, as well as the period furnishings and accessories incorporated throughout.
In the primary suite, the team created a “caftan closet” — a cheeky homage to Turk’s signature style. Framed in whimsical palm wallpaper, the reach-in closet is designed to showcase her wardrobe as part of the room’s visual experience. In the bedroom, additional storage was essential, as the existing closet was minimal and nonfunctional. The team opted to remove it entirely and replace it with a built-in solution. With a tight entryway, both functionality and flow were carefully considered. The layout feels natural upon entering the room, with a streamlined design that combines drawers, cabinetry, and display shelving into a single composition. Back-painted saffron glass doors and gold framing introduce warmth, color, and cohesion — a combination echoed in the hallway linen closet.
For the media space, California Closets designed a low-profile base of drawers to anchor Turk’s prized pair of arched etagères. By elevating the shelving both structurally and visually, the solution transforms the TV wall into a highly personal focal point.
“I had a great experience working with the Palm Desert showroom. They created options for some of the spaces with renderings that made it easy to envision the finished product.”
Final result
Completed in time for Modernism Week, the home, named Soleil House by Turk, is a vibrant reimagining of a midcentury residence, one that honors its original architecture while introducing a fresh, contemporary perspective. With California Closets’ solutions integrated throughout, storage is both elevated and highly functional, enhancing everyday livability while remaining true to the home’s historic character. “After seeing the color palette and materials board, California Closets suggested a back-painted glass in a mustard hue; an option I didn't even know existed,” Turk says. “They also recommended mixing wood finishes to add dimension. It all came together beautifully.”
