Following his exit from office as US President, Barack Obama and his family have gone on vacation in a really exquisite place.
Palm Springs
After handing over the keys to the White House to President Trump
on Friday, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama with their kids
retreated to this stunning 11,000-square-foot stucco home in the Palm
Springs area of Southern California for a little time off.
Built in the early 1970s by architect Howard Lapham, the home
(nicknamed Icha Mayapan, or “exclusive estate”) is a standout example of
Mayan Revival design, a popular midcentury style influenced by several
Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes from the 1920s, including the
Hollyhock and Ennis houses in Los Angeles.
Its current owners, James Costos, ambassador to Spain and Angora
under President Obama, and L.A.-based designer Michael S. Smith, who
also redecorated the White House while the Obamas lived there, restored
the home several years ago. It was featured in Architectural Digest in
2015.
As the highest elevation home in Rancho Mirage, the building—and
the keystone-shaped pool—offer panoramic views of the entire valley.
The home also overlooks Sunnylands, the former estate of Leonore
and Walter Annenberg that’s hosted several past presidents, including
Presidents Eisenhower, Nixon, and Reagan.
With a year-round temperate climate, pristine golf courses, and
sweeping vistas of Southern California’s San Jacinto mountains, it’s
easy to see why the Coachella Valley, which includes the cities of Palm
Springs and Rancho Mirage, has lured so many presidents to visit when
they leave office, including President Gerald Ford who lived in Rancho
Mirage from 1977 until his death in 2006.
The Obamas have visited the Palm Springs area several times over
the past few years, fueling speculation that they will eventually
purchase a home here. For now, though, they plan to remain in
Washington, at least until their youngest daughter, Sasha, finishes high
school.
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