ARTHUR ELROD: MID-CENTURY MASTER
Elrod House, Palm Springs | Photographer: Leland Y. Lee
Atlanta native Arthur Elrod started his interior design career at Bullock’s in Palm Springs, before moving to San Francisco to join W. and J. Sloane Company. He returned to Palm Springs in 1954 and at 28, he opened his furniture and design firm. Arthur Elrod Associates created modern residences for the Hollywood elite and wealthy individuals in the desert and across the country. Palm Springs enthusiasts best remember the designer for his own home, the futuristic Elrod House built by Googie architect John Lautner in 1965. The home features a large circular concrete dome above the main living area. Its circular glass design with an outdoor swimming pool and terrace provides San Jacinto Peak and Palm Springs views.
Escape House, Palm Springs | Photographer: Lance Gerber
While the 1971 James Bond Diamonds Are Forever film immortalized Elrod House as Willard Whyte's mansion, the designer's elegant Escape House became a Midcentury time capsule. Located in the Old Las Palmas area, Elrod designed the Hollywood Regency–style home in 1960. He sold it in 1964 to his friends, the author and publisher Bill Hamling and his wife, science fiction writer Frances Yerxa. There was one condition to the sale; the interiors must stay the same. The Hamling family remained in the house for 50 years, keeping their word from the massive custom V'Soske rug in the living room to the candy dish on the angled coffee table.
Arthur Elrod at his office studio on Palm Canyon Drive | Photographer: Unknown
Elrod and his associate William Raiser tragically died in a Palm Springs traffic accident when another car struck their Fiat. At 48, he was still in his prime as a designer. At the time of the crash, Elrod was planning interiors for the volcanic-shaped hilltop villa that John Lautner designed for Bob and Dolores Hope overlooking Palm Springs with views of Coachella Valley. While he did not complete this project, he designed mid-century getaways for many notable clients during his career, including Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Walt Disney, and composer Hoagy Carmichael.
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