Words by: Michaela Trimble
On the edge of Joshua Tree National Park, where a forest of wild paloverde trees meets towering granite boulders, the Joshua Tree Retreat Center welcomes the first boutique property in Yucca Valley, a town known for its eclectic offering of renovated motels and private-home rentals. The 14 suites, now known as the Bungalows, were designed and constructed in 1960 by the architect Harold Zook as accommodations for the site’s on-campus teachers. Located in the northwest corner of the center’s more than 130 acres of desert, the bungalows still feature their original wood exteriors, while the interiors seem sun-bleached, with earthy jute and sea grass rugs, woven cane-backed chairs and intricate millwork to evoke a bare-sand feel. The spaces were redeveloped by the hospitality company Homestead Modern and restored in collaboration with the consulting designer Brad Dunning; as a nod to the work of the Swiss architect Albert Frey, the rooms are accented with yellow textiles the color of Encelia flowers, a hue popularized by Frey in his modernist structures in nearby Palm Springs. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels and sleek concrete floors blend with expansive outdoor patios and the views beyond. During a stay, guests can cook on the site’s communal grills or dine at the retreat center’s vegetarian cafe
