Not only did interior designer Arthur Elrod define Palm Springs Modernism, but he was also fascinated by new technology. In 1952 he moved to San Francisco for a two-year stint at the high-end furniture store W & J Sloane. Elrod designed an innovative exhibit to celebrate General Electric’s Diamond Jubilee of Light, transforming the San Francisco Museum of Art galleries into a penthouse apartment and terrace. For a contemporary look, Elrod selected furnishing from the British architect and designer T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings. Instead of adding lighting as an afterthought with fixtures, he integrated it into the design. Inspired by the night sky, a downlight color constellation changed hues while concealed dimmer controlled spotlights. 

After the GE exhibit, Elrod continued to create visually and technologically advanced interiors with sophisticated lighting and sound systems. He opened his eponymous firm in 1954 at 28, developing a clientele of Hollywood elite and wealthy individuals in Palm Springs and across the country. The design studio employed monochromatic color schemes to complement their clients’ impressive art collections or utilized saturated color blocking. Lighting elements and stereo speakers hid away within the custom furnishings.   

Elrod and his associate William Raiser tragically died in a Palm Springs car accident when another vehicle struck their Fiat. At 49, he was still in his prime as a designer. Modernism enthusiasts best remember the designer for his residence, the futuristic Elrod House built by Googie architect John Lautner in 1965 and immortalized in the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. The home features a space-age concrete dome above the main living area. Its circular glass design with an outdoor swimming pool and terrace provides San Jacinto Peak and Palm Springs views.

At the time of his death, Elrod planned interiors for the volcanic-shaped hilltop villa that Lautner designed for Bob and Dolores Hope overlooking Palm Springs with views of Coachella Valley. While he did not complete this project, he created mid-century getaways for many notable clients, including Walt Disney, Frank Capra, Claudette Colbert, Laurence Harvey, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz.

Our 2021 guide to our favorite home technology products

Forbes & Lomax, also known as the ‘invisible lightswitch,’ is the modern answer to the lost elegance of early 1900’s switching. From brass plating that stands on its own to seamless acrylic that extends wallpaper and disappears entirely, F&L is art in a light switch.

Amplified loves this product for the obvious: sheer elegance and leveling up of an area in the home that has long been plastic, overlooked, and uninspiring. Its clear differentiation from all other light switching options is what makes F&L an Amplified team favorite!

Unlike any other television to date, Samsung’s The Frame finally makes the TV a focal point in the room for all the right reasons. As a counterpoint to its predecessors, black, angular, ominous, and a constant eyesore, The Frame is TV when it’s on, and art when it’s off!

Amplified cannot get enough of this incredible technology that finally makes it possible to put a TV in the room without ruining the design aesthetic. It offers the ability to enhance your environment based on anything; your favorite artist, your mood, or something you think will amuse your guests.

The little black dress of the shade world? Poetry in motion? Lutron does it again with the PALLADIOM Shading System, which brilliantly flaunts technology instead of hiding it.  

A circular bracket visually extends the structural tube outward and into the wall. The shade appears to float in midair while being whisper-quiet. Each unibody aluminum bracket is hand-finished and available in various finishes that blend into any architectural style seamlessly. The Amplified team loves these shades for everything from San Francisco penthouses to Belvedere Lagoon getaways.  

The integrated look is not so much your thing when it comes to music and home technology? Not to worry~ Amplified recommends Bowers & Wilkins for the audiophile who wants their speakers’ artistry to stand out just as much as their music.

These speakers “speak” for themselves and could be a focal point of art in any room, a bold statement that stands apart. Is it sculpture or extraterrestrial? There’s nothing quite like a B&W Wedge or Formation Bar, don’t believe us? Just wait until you see the Nautilus!

What can we say? The Wall is on everyone’s dream list at Amplified this year. TV on steroids doesn’t even begin to describe the greatness of this latest Samsung genius.

Art in motion like never before, color that vibrates, blacks that become 3D; we’re pretty sure that if you had The Wall, you’d never leave your home. For these reasons and so much more, we can’t recommend this micro-LED technology enough!