Floating roofs and timeless design

Fleetwood in Elvis Preseley's Honeymoon Hideaway

In 1960, Bob and Helene Alexander commissioned the home that’s become known as the House of Tomorrow. They owned and operated the Alexander Construction Company, which played a significant role in transforming the landscape of Palm Springs into a midcentury modern paradise. Having had plenty of experience with architects, they knew exactly who they wanted to design their personal home: architect William Krisel.

However, there was a challenge. The site was an uneven hillside that some had deemed unusable, but Krisel was known for finding solutions. He avoided excavation by designing four circular pods that “floated” atop the rocky surface at different levels and then connected all of them with a “floating roof” that does not actually touch the walls but is supported via glass. This is a part of what makes the design so unique.

In an article in Palm Springs Life, Chris Menrad, author of William Krisel’s Palm Springs: The Language of Modernism, noted that the home looks down on one of the neighborhoods the Alexanders built, creating an almost regal sensation—like the vantage point of royalty looking down on their domain.

Coincidentally, “the King,” Elvis Presley honeymooned at the House of Tomorrow with his wife Priscilla in 1967. According to an article on Architectural Digest, he press discovered the location of their original wedding location so they fled to Vegas. Then they spent their post nuptials in this historic home, so it’s also been called the Menrad said that Krisel was inspired by organic architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright, who worked with a multitude of shapes, like triangles and hexagons. According to another Palm Springs Life article, the House of Tomorrow embraces shapes in a similar fashion with doors covered in carved and brass ornamented squares and a terrazzo porch in the shape of a pentagon. He added that the architecture is meant to be subtly experienced as you move through the home, each room being different, with high and low ceilings and rock walls that flow from inside to outside.

One of the best-known rooms is the living room where a long, rounded, built-in sectional faces a floating fireplace. The sofa sits up against a rock wall, but the rest of the room is surrounded by windows and sliding doors, giving the feeling of openness and privacy simultaneously. The use of so many windows invites the Palm Springs environment inside and made Fleetwood Windows & Doors a perfect addition.

Interior Designer Michelle Boudreau, who renovated the home in 2024, restored many of the original features, including the circular sofa and ceiling mounted fireplaces. She also updated the famous bay windows with Fleetwood Series 330-T Sliding Windows. Boudreau prefers Fleetwood products for Palm Springs because of their energy efficiency and durability in the harsh desert climate.

“We wanted to be clever about what we saved and creative about how we reinvigorated it. There was an important balance to strike between giving the home new ideas but holding onto its integrity. I really respect it personally and professionally,” Boudreau said in the Architectural Digest article.

See interior photos of the home on Michelle Boudreau’s website.