Discover Little Tuscany through six remarkable private residences celebrating architectural innovation, inspired design, dramatic mountain views and the evolution of Desert Modernism.

Step inside Little Tuscany, one of Palm Springs’ most architecturally diverse and visually dramatic neighborhoods, during this special Modernism Week tour featuring six exceptional private residences. Nestled against the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains and the massive boulder formations of Chino Canyon, the neighborhood offers an extraordinary combination of architecture, landscape and sweeping desert views.

Tracing its beginnings to the 1930s, Little Tuscany evolved into an important setting for architectural experimentation and Desert Modernism. This tour explores that evolution through residences spanning more than six decades—from a rare 1939 Streamline Moderne home and a restored 1954 post-and-beam residence to later modern and contemporary interpretations of desert living.

Featured architects and designers include James Cioffi, Duane Smith of Hundred Mile House and Lance O’Donnell, AIA, whose work demonstrates the remarkable range of architecture found throughout the neighborhood. Among the highlights is an award-winning Lance O’Donnell residence that incorporates passive solar design, cross-ventilation, deep overhangs and floor-to-ceiling glass, earning prestigious LEED Platinum certification.

Throughout the tour, guests will experience walls of glass, soaring ceilings, open living spaces, native stone, dramatic mountain views and seamless indoor-outdoor connections—all illustrating how generations of architects have responded to Little Tuscany’s extraordinary desert setting.

Together, these six residences reveal a neighborhood where Modernism is not simply preserved, but continues to evolve. Little Tuscany: Architectural Icons in the Hills celebrates the architecture, innovation and enduring spirit of Modern Desert living.

Continue the Little Tuscany experience! Following the home tour, a special cocktail party will be held from 4:00–6:00 PM at one of Little Tuscany’s spectacular private residences. This is a separately ticketed event and requires an additional ticket purchase. Please click here: “Little Tuscany: Cocktails in the Hills” for activity details and tickets.

Photo Credits: James Schnepf, Little Tuscany Neighborhood Organization

Location & Attendee Information

  • What are the appropriate ages for this activity?Person Ages 13 and older
  • Are pets, animals, or service animals permitted?Dog on a leash Pets and animals not permitted
  • Are food and drinks permitted?Food and drink No food or drinks permitted in homes
  • What are the mobility considerations for this activity?Person walking Walking activity with exterior and/or interior steps
  • What type of parking is available?Car Free neighborhood street parking
  • What is the policy for personal effects?Bag or purse Large purses, bags, backpacks not permitted
  • Is photography permitted?Camera Photography permitted at discretion of host
  • Are restrooms available?Restroom sign Restrooms not available
  • Is this an indoor or outdoor activity?Sun Indoor and outdoor activity
  • What is the policy regarding smoking?Cigarette with smoke No smoking or e-cigarettes
  • What type of tour is this?Group of people Interior/exterior tour
The organizer of this event is: Little Tuscany Neighborhood Organization

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Even More To Do At Modernism Week

Presentations, Live Talks and FilmsEvent Category Presentations, Live Talks and Films

California Modernism Was Born in San Diego: Gill’s Functionalism, May’s Ranch House and Kellogg’s Organic Exuberance

This lecture busts the myth that Modernism arrived in Southern California via émigrés R.M. Schindler and Richard Neutra. It makes the case for an outsized influence of a distinct regional Modernism.

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