Friday, January 20, 2012

The Spider House

The Spider House
Revisiting a historically noted Mid-century modern home 
TEXT and PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE ATTINGER

In 1964’s spring issue of Architectural Digest, John P. Moyer and his wife, Miriam Moyer, opened the door to their unique Southern California home.  John P. Moyer designed his home with simple and raw elements, such as exposed redwood beams, floor to ceiling windows, and a perfectly square floor plan.  Miriam Moyer put her touch on the interiors by selecting Mexican terra cotta tile and brick for the floors.  Along with her furnishings, walls, and décor which combined warm and shocking hues of pinks, rose reds and burnt siennas.

Time and several homeowners have faded the interiors with fresh paint and minor alterations.  Two doors are now walled-in; Douglas fir wall paneling is painted over; and the kitchen has been updated accommodating a dishwasher and garbage disposal.  However, the essence of John P. Moyer’s design remains pure with its architectural integrity. The unmistakable buttressed redwood patio structure evokes the present namesake, the spider house.  And though the bench seat has been removed and a railroad tie banding was brought together with the brick, the patio is still the most recognized and celebrated architectural feature of the home. 

The Spider House sits on a one acre property within the community of Pinyon Crest.  A thoroughbred collection of Pinyon pine trees, junipers, yucca, and oak shrubs surround the home in part of a thriving native habitat for several songbirds, reptiles, and insects.  With Southern California’s infamous fire season, the removal of the understory brush and grasses is the only landscape maintenance required.

And at an elevation of 4500 feet, the mid-century home boasts an amazing view to Palm Springs, Palm Desert and the entire Coachella valley. With approximately 1000 square feet of living space, fireplace and air conditioning, two bedrooms and two baths, a two car-carport with circular drive, this modern home on the mountain makes for an ideal year-round retreat. 

LEFT - FROM ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST (PHOTO BY GEORGE R. SZANIK) 1964 , RIGHT - 2012





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4 comments:

  1. Bailey WynneJanuary 20, 2012 at 2:47 PM

    Anyone know if the fireplace was original?

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  2. Bailey WynneJanuary 30, 2012 at 1:49 PM

    Got an email reply regarding my question:
    "Not sure about the fireplace, was it on the drawing in the original article? When we owned the home... it had two fireplaces. Also the perimeter bench and "legs" were all rotted and undermined in need of repair/replacement. During the demolition of the deck we saw how so much more view came into the home, we opted to leave the benches off and rebuilt the deck base and legs."-previous homeowner

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  3. Bailey WynneJanuary 30, 2012 at 1:55 PM

    After closer review, the original hand-drawn floor plan from AD 1964 does not indicate any fireplaces! I wonder if it had been intended for a summer use only.

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  4. 349ASeptember 15, 2016 at 4:51 PM

    If you closely study the photos in AD, you can see what appears to be a plywood cover for the eventual chimney opening in the ceiling. I believe the home wasn't quite finished when AD took the photos. The house was built in 64' and the AD article is Spring 64'

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