We were honored to be approached by Nancy Joseph of Nancy Joseph Marketing to help provide a visual and functional solution to an existing not so pretty doorbell cover. Modern Metal WAS the solution! The home, designed by architect Charles Du Bois in the late 1960’s was one of six gorgeous homes on tour this year for Modernism Week in Palm Springs. The Canyon Estates Home Tour took place on February 24th, and despite the stormy weekend, seemed to be a huge success. I didn’t make it down to attend but I hope to be ringing Nancy’s doorbell for a peek at some point in the future.
I was disappointed not to be able to attend this year, but will for sure plan to come next year and visit my new friends in the design world, Christopher Kennedy and his team and Nancy. As their website states, “Modernism Week’s signature February Event is an annual celebration of midcentury modern design, architecture, art, fashion and culture. This exciting festival takes place in February in the Palm Springs area of Southern California. Modernism Week features more than 350 events including the Palm Springs Modernism Show, Signature Home Tours, films, lectures, Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus Tours, nightly parties and live music, walking and bike tours, tours of Sunnylands, fashion, classic cars, modern garden tours, a vintage travel trailer exhibition, and more.” Even better, is that “Modernism Week is also a charitable organization, providing scholarships to local students pursuing college educations in the fields of architecture and design; as well as supporting local and state preservation organizations and neighborhood groups in their efforts to preserve modernist architecture throughout the state of California.”
Totally Custom Interior Doorbell Cover
Nancy knew right away what she wanted and needed. I’ll have to dig up the before pictures but what was there before was a typical plastic yellowing doorbell cover, much like the bathroom fan covers I often show that are desperately in need of Modern Metal. She sent us photos, measurements, and everything we needed, even offered to send us the old cover, and we went into problem solving mode. We decided a simple flat cover in our Moroccan pattern in a white powder coat would be simple, elegant and perfectly suited for the home’s 1970’s aesthetic. Moroccan is one of our most popular patterns, timeless, deceptively simple, and well balanced for ventilation. This pattern was actually inspired by antique Moorish tiles, so I love when it ends up in a Modern setting, a classic original pattern transcending through time.
We got this custom piece drawn, cut, painted, and delivered to Nancy in a bit under four weeks. That’s fast for a made to order item! I dedicate this piece to one of our incredible fabricators at Mach 1, Greg Geist, who tragically passed away recently. Greg and his company moved mountains as they always have to get this special piece made, and delivered to our customers with flawless attention to detail and craftsmanship.
Here’s what Nancy shared with me about the tour, “ We had a great house tour on Friday, February 24. Over 500 mid century modern aficionados toured six homes in South Palm Spring’ Canyon Estates, built in the early 1970’s and designed by mcm architect Charles Du Bois, AIA. Modern Metal Design’s Moroccan design grill in a custom size provided a period appropriate doorbell mechanism cover and was selected by the homeowner to coordinate with the wrought iron gate in the front of the home, one of Charles Du Bois’s architectural signatures for this 74-acre community.”
This story appeared in Palm Springs Life February issue in print, and then picked up digitally in their GUIDE. Modern Metal is thrilled to be a part of this fabulous charitable event in Palm Springs, and also to be a new part of Nancy’s everyday life in her magnificently renovated home.
