You know a house has serious design cred when it inspires a fragrance.
The Wexler Residence — the personal home of architect Donald Wexler, FAIA — has hit the market for $3.8 million, and it’s the real-life muse behind Perfumehead founder Daniel Patrick Giles’ signature scent, 1272.
Represented by Brian Linder and Rick Grahn of Compass, the Palm Springs home is a perfectly preserved slice of California modernism, complete with mountain views, period details, and a story that smells like sunshine, wood, and history.
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Listing details
- Address: 1272 East Verbena Drive, Palm Springs, CA
- Architect: Donald Wexler, FAIA
- Year built: 1955
- Price: $3,800,000
- Specs: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2,424 sq. ft.
- Lot size: ~0.3 acres
- Represented by: Brian Linder and Rick Grahn, Compass
A midcentury modern built for the architect himself
First completed in 1955, the home served as Wexler’s own residence — the place where he refined his ideas about structure, light, and livability that would later define Palm Springs architecture.
Set on nearly a third of an acre in Movie Colony East, just blocks from Ruth Hardy Park, the property is a certified Class 1 Historic Resource and listed on the National Register of Historic Places — architectural shorthand for “one of the best examples of its kind.”
Post-and-beam structure inspired by mentors like Richard Neutra
Known for his work on the Palm Springs International Airport and the Dinah Shore Estate, Wexler helped shape the city’s aesthetic identity with steel-and-glass construction. But here, at his own home, he went warmer and more personal.
Instead of steel, he built with an all-wood post-and-beam structure, borrowing techniques from his mentors Richard Neutra and William F. Cody. The result is a house that balances precision and ease — every beam, window, and overhang perfectly placed to frame the desert light.
Carefully restored
When Daniel Patrick Giles — now the creative force behind Perfumehead — purchased the home, he didn’t try to reinvent it. He worked with Wexler himself, along with architect Lance O’Donnell and designer Darren Brown, to restore the home with near-religious respect for its details.
The project was so meticulous it earned the Palm Springs Modern Committee’s Residential Restoration of the Year Award, celebrating its “complete yet sympathetic transformation.”
Clean lines, terrazzo floors, and tongue-and-groove ceilings
The 3-bedroom, 2-bath home spans 2,424 square feet of design purity. Inside, it’s all clean lines and sun-drenched space — terrazzo floors, tongue-and-groove ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling glass that blurs the line between indoors and out.
With Wexler’s signature white walls
Details like vertical fir siding, spun-metal can lights, and Wexler’s signature “Wexler White” walls keep the mid-century character intact, while modern updates — European fixtures, stainless steel appliances, and solar panels — bring it into the present without breaking the spell.
Outdoor living, desert-style
Behind tall hedges and invisible from the street, the property opens into a private oasis.
The black-bottom pool and detached spa are surrounded by ancient boulders and native plants — a landscape many believe was designed by Antone Dalu, who worked on several of Wexler’s projects in the 1950s.
From here, you can see the San Jacinto Mountains glowing pink in the evening — that signature Palm Springs moment where time seems to slow down.
Modern updates include new roofing, HVAC, and solar
While much of the original structure remains, the home has been fully updated behind the scenes. New roofing, HVAC systems, and solar power make it as efficient as it is beautiful.
That rare combination — historical authenticity with modern livability — is part of what makes the Wexler Residence such a coveted find in Palm Springs.
The home that inspired a signature scent: Perfumehead 1272
Here’s where architecture meets artistry: Giles was so inspired by the mood and atmosphere of the house that he created a fragrance, Perfumehead 1272, as a tribute.
The scent blends verbena, citrus, jasmine, sandalwood, and vetiver, evoking the warmth of desert air and the serenity of mid-century design. It’s a perfume that smells like the way the house feels — timeless, airy, and a little mysterious.
Recognized and protected, the home is included on the National Register of Historic Places
Beyond the design itself, the home comes with serious credentials:
- National Register of Historic Places listing
- Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Resource designation
- Mills Act tax savings, which significantly reduce property taxes for owners who preserve historic homes
In other words: history that pays dividends. As Brian Linder of Compass put it, “It’s the combination of the pedigreed original design, the spectacular restoration, and the seamless connection to the landscape.”
For anyone who’s ever loved the quiet glamour of mid-century design — or the smell of desert air at dusk — this home is the real deal.
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