Studio BV founder Betsy Vohs restored a mid-century house in Palm Springs, California, adding solar panels and systems to enable it to function off the grid. Designed in 2024, Vohs acquired the Casa Amigo property in the desert city’s Movie Colony neighbourhood with the intention of turning it into a personal retreat for relaxation and rejuvenation.

The area is known for its Hollywood associations, previously home to stars like Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope, and architects including Donald Wexler.
The mid-20th century house sits softly on its plot and features a flat roof, large windows framed in a dark material, and pale stucco-clad walls.
Vohs kept these elements intact while otherwise putting her own spin on the interiors, as well as making landscaping and amenity improvements across the yard.
House Functions Entirely Off the Grid
“Living outside is more important than the interior of the home in the desert,” said Vohs. “The living spaces that anchor the front and back yard become areas for dining and relaxation while immersing oneself in the garden.”
Silent from the inside, the home “melts away” when viewed from the yard, due to its low stature and neutral exterior tones.

Previously owned by landscape architects, the property came with some mature plantings, to which Vohs added a range of seating areas, an outdoor kitchen, a renovated pool, and small-scale artwork.
“Vohs is focused on the sustainability of the home as wel...