14 Desert Modern Interior Design Ideas for an At-Home Oasis
From retro Palm Springs to sandy Sahara dunes, there's a style for you!
Desert modern interior design is one that evokes feelings of relaxation through the right mixture of comforting textures, earthy colors, and streamlined silhouettes – and the best part is that there are so many ways to replicate it, so you're bound to find a variation that speaks to you! Read further to learn more about this refreshing interior design aesthetic and how to achieve it in your home.
What Is Desert Modernism?
Desert modernism is an interior design style that first came about in the mid-20th century in the southwestern parts of America. Especially popular in areas like Palm Springs, this design style draws inspiration from the surrounding desert environment to create a breezy, ultra-livable space in an otherwise hot, rugged climate. It combines the best of modern design (think minimalist meets mid-century modern with a touch of boho) and desert-themed home interiors (like low profiles, Southwestern patterns, and woven textiles) to maintain an open, airy aesthetic reminiscent of the vast desert landscape. Together, they create a blend of comfort and style that just makes sense!
How to Recreate Desert Modern Interior Design
Check out these ideas for all the inspiration you need to replicate desert modern interior design in your house.
1. Build a Foundation With Earthy Neutrals
The best place to start when curating desert modern design is the color palette. This design style loves warm white, cream, and sandy beige – or a combination of these colors – as the base for any room. These light and bright tones contribute to the open, airy feel of this aesthetic since they emphasize natural light and emulate the rugged, sandy colorscape of desert environments. Use these colors for the walls, area rugs or flooring, and main furnishings for maximum impact. The image above demonstrates how refreshing and open a room can feel when white and cream shades take center stage. Add warmth and character with medium-toned beige and rich brown tones in the form of pillows, decor, and accent furnishings.
Desert modern interior design benefits from color just as much as earthy neutrals. Golden yellow, rust, and even light dusty pink work well because they emulate the rich warmth of the sun, desert clay, and captivating sunsets. Try out these soothing warm colors by way of a modern yellow accent chair and a patterned rug. Opt for amber-colored decor and abstract wall art with orange hues. Complete the display with burnt orange accent pillows and throw blankets, but make sure to keep the rest of the room light and neutral to help balance the look.
Tip!
Bold blue and subtle green shades like sage are also great color options for desert modern rooms. This is because of the desert's serene blue skies and the variety of cacti or shrubbery that dot across the landscape. Read 20 Beautiful Sage Green Bedroom Ideas for some extra ideas.
Desert modernism seeks to declutter interiors and create a refreshing cabin-like space for you to live and relax in. It does this by introducing a balanced combination of smooth, soft, and ruggedly textured details into the same room so that one doesn't overpower the other. Opt for smooth leather upholstery and open-framed or carved wood silhouettes for accent chairs, bed frames, or sofas. Sleek, streamlined furnishings are easy on the eyes and allow natural light to pass through to make the room appear larger and more accessible.
Balance out this look with soft textures like a thick-pile area rug, macrame wall hanging, and a few throw pillows/blankets made from natural materials like wool, cotton, or linen. Add weathered branches or live edge wood accents for extra dimension. The ultimate goal in desert modern schemes is to make the space look neat and comfortable all at once.
Create a relaxed vibe and let the light in by embracing a key element of desert modern style – low-profile furnishings. These allow natural light to pass through the room, taking the formality out of living spaces so you can really kick back and relax. Not to mention, low-profile furniture also works well in rooms with statement windows, because it doesn't obstruct the outdoor views. We recommend you add a low-profile furniture set to your living room or bedroom for the ultimate cozy spot to unwind.
Swap in a few desert-themed houseplants (real or faux) to bring this aesthetic to life – whether you live in an arid climate or not. You can't go wrong with a collection of statement cacti, plump succulents, and cool yucca plants with their contorted stems and pointed foliage. More fond of floral arrangements? Consider dried pampas grass to connect to the rugged desertscape.
Cultivate your own collection of desert-like artifacts for a curated look in otherwise modern spaces. Lay out a cowhide area rug, position a fossilized rock sculpture, or hang up a cattle skull to really make a statement.
Deserts can be vast and open, but they can also be filled with stone-like outcrops, looming cliffs, and dried-up riverbeds which carve out cavernous spaces and rock coves. Create your very own desert alcove with sumptuous earth tones and intentional shapes (half-circles, arches, abstract curves). Opt for saturated brown walls combined with a recessed fireplace to construct a secluded loft-like feel. Or go for tables made of carved, curved wood to emulate the organic rock formations formed by centuries of wind and water exposure. Gravitate toward beige leather and light-toned wood furnishings that can stand out against the richness of the walls. Complete the room with unique stone lamps, ceiling pendants, and abstract-shaped vases. Add notes of greenery to contribute to the shaded, breezy atmosphere of the room.
Revive interior spaces with Southwestern and boho prints fit for a desert modern escape. Lay out a fun area rug with deep colors and a Southwestern print to pop against light-colored walls and floors. Outfit the sofa with a pair of patterned throw pillows in a similar style. Carry the themes of texture and print onto the walls with a boho hanging tapestry. These variations of pattern work so well together because they each have one or more of the same colors/shapes to connect them all together.
When implementing desert modern interior design into your home, the simplest decor swaps can help you complete your theme. Desert-focused wall art is a great way to connect all things modern and desert-inspired about your home in one fun piece. Opt for fun prints like the one above or mirror the warping curves of a dried-up river bed and eroded stone with an abstract depiction.
We love deeper tones in desert modern spaces because darker shades can help calm light-filled rooms – not to mention, they look absolutely stunning! Complement black cabinets with gold-finished island pendants, counter-style seating, and a gilded sink faucet. Decorate the floors with dusty orange tiling and bring refinement to the space while staying true to a natural aesthetic with cool marble-look countertops or backsplashes. You can also cultivate a desert feeling by opting for a rugged stone backsplash. For a refreshing contrast to light, bright, and beige aesthetics, replicate this look in other spaces like your dining room.
There are so many desert modern decorating schemes involving woven furniture and decor – so naturally, we had to include one on our list! Woven baskets, macrame wall hangings, rugs, and throw pillows are some of the obvious go-tos when filling your space with comforting natural texture. However, the trend doesn't stop there. Desert modern interiors also favor the use of weaving in furniture. Streamlined woven leather or rattan chairs contribute to a breathable, airy look while adding soothing texture throughout the room for an uncluttered, relaxed vibe as pictured above.
Mid-century modern furnishings and decor are especially popular in desert home designs because of their origin in places like Palm Springs in the mid-20th century. Hang bold abstract prints and a sunburst mirror to get started. You can also look for wood furnishings with unique patterns (think herringbone or chevron) that speak to both mid-century and desert modern interiors. Opt for a mix of natural and human-made materials as demonstrated in the dining chairs and table above. If you really want to embrace a retro-themed desert modern aesthetic, consider a shag area rug.
Transport yourself to a desert spa with a bathroom upgrade. Marble-look floor tiles, a floating vanity, and a matte black bathtub make for a luxurious combination. Consider a statement wall comprising decorative wood panels to mirror the variation and depth of the desert landscape. Or try stone-look wallpaper to transform your bathroom into a converted grotto.
A desert modern home wouldn't be complete without a layout that encourages you to take advantage of the weather in your outdoor space. We recommend orienting your patio furniture toward your back door so that when opened, it creates a continuation of your home into the outdoors. Deck out your exterior space with a Southwestern-print rug, a conversation set, and a large patio umbrella to ensure you can enjoy the outdoors even on hot or wet days.
