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Unfortunately, there isn’t a book about Meiselman Homes in Palm Springs yet—but the Meiselman Registry hopes to fix that. In the next few years, we hope to add Jack Meiselman’s Palm Springs: A Love of Desert Modernism (our working title) to the list below once the site is up and running and we have time to focus on this project.
In the meantime, please enjoy these fabulous and inspiring books about the midcentury modern residential design that shaped the Palm Springs we love.
Midcentury Modern Books We Love
A truly good design book does more than sit there looking handsome—it quietly rewires the way you see the world. With the right titles close at hand, inspiration stops being a special occasion and starts becoming a daily habit. These are the books our readers return to again and again for history, architecture, interiors, landscapes, and the joy of living in these spaces.
William Krisel’s Palm Springs: The Language of Modernism
Many readers have their “aha” moment here—learning to read modernism as a language of rooflines, grids, repeating forms, and playful geometry. A masterclass in desert optimism and livable design.
Miller’s Mid-Century Modern: Living with Mid-Century Modern Design
Practical and human—not a museum vibe. Great for real homes with real people, pets, and everyday clutter, while still keeping the fun (and the style) intact.
Atomic Ranch Midcentury Interiors
A visual feast from the publishers of Atomic Ranch magazine, featuring inspiring rooms that balance authenticity and creativity. Packed with ideas on color, layout, and materials that feel period-correct and refreshingly current.
Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes
A love letter to the humble ranch house from the publishers of the Atomic Ranch magazine, filled with open plans, indoor-outdoor flow, and smart updates that honor the original intent while making the home more livable.
Palm Springs: A Modernist Paradise
Pure escapism with a scholarly backbone—lavish photography of iconic homes, pools, and streetscapes that explains why Palm Springs became a magnet for architectural experimentation.
Mod Mirage: The Midcentury Architecture of Rancho Mirage
Expands the story beyond Palm Springs—spotlighting neighborhoods and architects that shaped the broader Coachella Valley’s modernist identity.
The Midcentury Modern Landscape
Connects architecture to its surroundings—showing how outdoor spaces were designed as extensions of the home. Especially good if you’ve ever thought, “This house needs the right landscaping to feel complete.”
Dry Climate Gardening: Growing Beautiful, Sustainable Gardens in Low-Water Conditions
Ground all the inspiration in reality—smart strategies for working with the desert rather than against it, while still keeping things intentional and beautiful.
Mid Century Modern At Home
Warmth and personality first—midcentury modern doesn’t have to be rigid. This one leans into relaxed spaces that feel genuinely lived in.
Making Midcentury Modern
A peek behind the curtain—designers, materials, and manufacturing innovations that explain why these objects and spaces still resonate decades later.
Mid-Century Modern: Interiors, Furniture, Design Details
A visual encyclopedia—perfect when you want clarity on proportions, materials, and details.
Somehow it always reveals something new on the tenth pass.
Help us write the Meiselman book
As mentioned above, unfortunately, there isn’t a definitive book about Meiselman Homes in Palm Springs yet—but the Meiselman Registry hopes to fix that. Once the Registry achieves its goal of cataloging all of the Meiselman homes in Palm Springs, we plan to start work on Jack Meiselman’s Palm Springs: A Love of Desert Modernism (our working title), which will document the Meiselman homes that our members love the most. Please register your Meiselman home and join us on this journey.
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