Annual home tour offers a sneak peak

The Desert Sun
Written by
Judith Salkin

With so many fabulous homes here in the desert, many in gated communities, it's rare to have a chance to just walk through a few them.

For the past decade, the owners of a number of those exclusive properties have opened their doors for the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert annual home tour, which has raised more than $500,000 for museum programs.

The six homes on Sunday's tour encompass a variety of styles, said Assistant Executive Director Judi Miller.
“One of our criteria is to try and show the diversity of architectural and design here in the desert,” she said. Contemporary, California Mediterranean and midcentury modern are all represented.

In selecting the homes, the museum looks for those designed by local architects and interior designers. “We like to show off the work of the talented designers who work in our valley,” said Miller.

In the past, the home tour was one of several public fundraisers the museum held annually. But this year is different, Miller said.
The Children's Discovery Museum is in the midst of a major expansion project, and the home tour is the only public fundraiser it will host in 2011, Miller added.
The funds raised will all be earmarked for scholarships for local children to attend programs and camps.

As of Monday, nearly two-thirds of the 800 tickets for the tour had been purchased.