When we started working on The Sundune, I wasn't asking "what style works in Palm Springs?" There are already a thousand answers to that. The question was what would make this specific apartment feel worth coming back to, not just once but over and over.
Getting there took more work than I expected, and a lot of it wasn't me.
Why "The Sundune"
The name came from Dawn Asher at The Olive Jar, who has done the branding across all four of our properties. She described sand dunes as the way wind carries grains of sand into a sheltered place: soft, sculptural, protective. A gentle refuge inside the energy of a desert city.
That image clicked for me immediately. The Sundune sits steps from downtown Palm Springs, with all the noise that comes with it, but the apartment itself is meant to feel like the place you come back to. You unhook. You breathe. The name holds both things: sun-warmed terrain outside, an imagined coast breeze inside.
Dawn described it as blending two worlds: sun-warmed desert and the breezy spirit of the California surf coast. That became the brief.
The streets around The Sundune. Palm Springs architecture is its own category.
Finding the Right Identity
What Dawn and I landed on was specific: a space that feels sun-faded and slowly collected, like it has been lived in over time rather than assembled from a single shopping cart. Nothing primary, loud, or oversaturated. Warm walls, layered textures, muted tones that sit somewhere between the California coast and the desert floor.
That meant surf culture, not beach house. Desert warmth, not Southwestern kitsch. The distinction matters because it changes every decision after it, from the palette to the materials to what you hang on the walls. It's a harder brief to execute than "pick some turquoise and call it mid-century," and it requires restraint. Dawn is very good at restraint.
The Palette: Where Desert Meets Coast
The color story is the most distinctive thing about The Sundune. Dawn built a palette that sits between two landscapes: on the desert side, terracotta, clay blush, sunset pink, warm sand, sage, muted olive. On the coastal side, dusty teal, deep ocean blue (their version of indigo), pale sky, seafoam. The whole thing reads sun-faded, like colors that have been softened naturally over time, not bleached out, just settled.
Walls are soft creamy plaster whites and sandy mushroom tones, nothing sharp. The named tones are Copper, Sunset Glow, Apricot, Coconut Milk, Cool Aloe, Faded Surf, Indigo Marine, Golden Hour. They sound like a paint swatch at a surf shop, honestly, and I mean that as a compliment.
The muted coastal tones that informed The Sundune palette are everywhere in Palm Springs, if you look for them.
The Rooms: What's Actually There
The Sundune is a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment with a balcony that has become central to how people actually use the space. Three king beds total across both rooms.
The primary bedroom is set up more like a hotel room: two kings, a designer surfboard mounted above them, an accent armchair, and an adjustable standing desk angled toward the pool view (palm trees included, for anyone working remotely who needs a reason to open their laptop without feeling punished for it).
The second bedroom is the one people stop scrolling for. Sunset pink printed wallpaper, a birds-eye beach print, and a swivel chair Dawn specifically wanted to keep because it reads as playful rather than serious. It earns the attention.
The design filters behind The Sundune: coastal tones, warm materials, nothing loud.
The Balcony and Kitchen Flow
The kitchen, dining area, living room, and balcony are meant to read as one continuous space. Slow breakfasts that drift outside. Balcony dinners when the light goes golden. The whole thing flows with natural light, warm woods, and layered textures throughout.
We're currently rethinking the balcony layout. The plan is to pull out the existing outdoor dining table and replace it with an L-shaped bar top: one run under the kitchen window, one run along the main balcony edge. The goal is for the balcony to stop being a place you "go to" and become a natural extension of the kitchen and living room instead, the way a good outdoor space should already feel.
The balcony wall has a watermark we're repainting. We're leaning toward a light peachy-cream or a very soft terracotta, something that reads warm without trying too hard.
The Art Direction
Dawn's direction on art is specific: abstract desert landscapes, ocean horizon photography, graphic line art, architectural pieces in muted tones. Frames in light oak or maple, with some gold and colored frames for character. Gallery walls that are intentional but not busy, with negative space respected.
The goal is thoughtfully collected over time, not overly styled. There is a real difference between a space where every piece was chosen deliberately and a space where every piece was chosen to match. We want the first one.
Palm Springs at its quietest. The Sundune is a few blocks from all of this.
The Basecamp Idea
One phrase from Dawn's brief has stuck with me: "basecamp." Hang up your surfboard, sleep in, head out inspired.
That framing is exactly right for The Sundune. This isn't a place where you stay in. Palm Springs is right outside: the coffee shops worth walking to, the architecture, the art galleries, the roadside taco stands alongside fancy cocktail bars. The property's job is to be the place you come back to at the end of all of it, not to compete with it.
The ideal guest here is someone who gravitates toward Santa Cruz, Big Sur, Laguna Beach, someone who can spend a morning at a tide pool and an evening at a design bar and feel equally at home in both. Active but cocktail chill. Not rigid about a schedule, happy to wander, genuinely fine if the plans change.
Remote workers fit here too. The standing desk with the palm tree pool view is useful, not just a prop in a listing photo.
How This Compares to Terra Luz
People sometimes ask how The Sundune differs from Terra Luz, our Latin and Cuban-inspired property in Indio. The simplest answer: different city, different culture, completely different design language.
Terra Luz is cocooned and rejuvenating: Old Havana warmth, terracotta layered on terracotta, Kahlo Blue pool, the kind of place where you genuinely do not want to leave the backyard. The Sundune is wanderlust and effortless, meant to send you out into the city and welcome you back without making a fuss about it.
Same commitment to quality and intention. Completely different personalities. That is by design.
The light in Palm Springs at the end of the day. It informs the whole color palette at The Sundune.
What's Still Being Decided
Honest answer: the design is still evolving. The balcony layout isn't finalized. The kitchen table situation has three options in play. The gallery wall placement needs an on-site day before we commit to anything. We're also warming up the lighting throughout: swapping cooler can lights for warmer bulbs and adding floor lamps with shades or frosted globes.
That's just how a real renovation goes. You make the decisions you can make from afar, then you show up and measure things and adjust. Some things look different in person.
What's not changing is the identity: coastal-desert, playful and nostalgic, a place that earns the word basecamp without needing to use it as a marketing term.
You can browse full details and availability at The Sundune listing page. For an honest guest perspective, read the Sundune Palm Springs review. If you're still sorting out your itinerary, the Palm Springs vs. Indio comparison breaks down which city makes a better base depending on what you're actually planning to do. And if the design process interests you, the Terra Luz origin story shows how Dawn applied a completely different set of brand filters to a property in Indio and what that looks like from the inside.
FAQ: The Sundune at Palm Springs
What is the design style of The Sundune at Palm Springs?
The Sundune is built around a coastal-desert aesthetic: sun-faded clay and terracotta tones paired with muted ocean blues and dusty teals. Materials include warm woods, woven fiber, linen, and ceramic finishes. The mood is relaxed and layered, specifically designed to feel collected over time rather than assembled from a single shopping cart.
How many bedrooms does The Sundune have?
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, with three king beds total. The primary bedroom has a hotel-style setup with a standing desk and pool view. The second bedroom has sunset pink wallpaper and a swivel chair that makes the whole room feel playful rather than serious, and it works.
Is The Sundune good for remote workers?
Yes. The primary bedroom has an adjustable standing desk positioned to look out at the pool and palm trees. The kitchen, dining, and living areas flow together so you can shift workspaces throughout the day. Fast WiFi comes standard.
What makes The Sundune different from other Palm Springs vacation rentals?
The Sundune was built around a specific identity: surf culture meets desert warmth. The color palette, materials, and art direction all came from that brief. Dawn at The Olive Jar drove the design, so every room has a point of view rather than a general aesthetic. It functions as a basecamp you're genuinely happy to return to at the end of the day.
Is The Sundune dog-friendly?
Yes, with prior approval. The Sundune accepts dogs but requires you to request permission before booking rather than assuming it's included. Reach out through the listing or directly at indigopalm.co/the-sundune to confirm before you book if you're traveling with a pet.
What is the minimum stay at The Sundune?
The HOA at Palm Canyon Villas requires a 4-night minimum on weekdays and a 5-night minimum when the stay includes a weekend night. Short two-night weekend stays are not available here. Most guests book 4-7 nights, which works well for a longer desert escape or a remote work week.
Can you book The Sundune directly without Airbnb?
Yes. The Sundune is bookable directly at indigopalm.co/the-sundune, which avoids the Airbnb service fee. Indigo Palm Collective manages all four properties directly, so pricing and availability are the same without the platform markup.