Frank Sinatra's private chalet-type estate above Coachella Valley in California opens for the public to see for the first time during Palm Springs Modernism Week next month.

If you have $4.25 million and like the mid-century modern retreat, Villa Maggio - as Sinatra named it - goes back on the market in February, according to a representative for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. Fans of mid-century modern design snatched up all the tickets for the tour in less than 25 minutes, she added.

The European-style residence is "cool, groovy, and sexy as ever," according to a news release, which added that the villa was designed as a "sexy man cave" by Ross Patten of La Quinta, the architect of many custom home in the California desert.

"Villa Maggio is one of the most fabulous, one-of-a-kind properties we have had the pleasure of representing," listing agent, Markus Canter, of the Beverly Hills office of BHHS California Properties said in a statement. "It has undergone a significant renovation over the past few years, and will be showing its best for prospective buyers who want to own an iconic desert residence."

Villa Maggio is owned by Naomi Ritz, window of Harry Ritz of the Ritz Brothers, a comedy act, according to the news release.

More than 20 years ago, Canter said, Naomi Ritz looked at the property with no intention of buying it, but fell in love with it. Ritz considered herself a custodian for Frank Sinatra's home, and kept much of it in the original condition, according to Canter.

The estate - which has 6,428 square feet of living space - features a five-bedroom main house with five and a half bathrooms and a three-bedroom guest home on 7.5 acres. On the grounds are a heli-pad, 30 parking spaces, a lighted tennis court, a resort-style pool and one-bedroom pool house with a kitchenette and a built-in fire pit and large space for entertaining.

The compound uses lots of locally-sourced materials, including natural stone and hardwoods to blend in with its surrounding environment.

Tile and wallpaper chosen by Sinatra remain. The original bath fixtures of agate, brass and crystal are still intact. And the kitchen's orange-tile backsplash, counters and original restaurant-grade appliances are the same ones that Sinatra enjoyed.

The 4,300-foot elevation of the property, which has views of the mountains and the Salton Sea, allows for cooler temperatures than down in the Coachella Valley, Canter said.

"This is a quiet area of homes that blend into the desert landscape" Canter said. "The area includes people who typically want to experience a getaway, yet desire the safety and fun of what is below in the valley."

Sacramento Bee
by david Caraccio, updated January 24, 2023 11:47 am