Sacramento Bee
by David Caraccio
A team of artisans flew in from north Africa to do detail work on an exotic Palm Desert mansion that was “inspired by the open and carefree living of Moroccan architecture,” according to the official listing for the property, which is back on the market for $16.1 million.
Known as Casbah Cove, the palace has all the hallmark designs of the riads of Marrakesh: curves, color, courtyards, archways, domes and gardens. The 16,800-square-foot spread is perched on a hill with views of mountain ranges and Coachella Valley.
Casbah Cove was the dream of a Chicago real estate investor, according to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com, a website writing about properties around the world. The unidentified owner hired architect Gordon Stein to design her winter estate and RAM Development to build it.
“I immediately knew I wanted a traditional Moroccan riad here in the desert,” the homeowner told Robb’s Report, a luxury lifestyle magazine, back in 2015, when the house was completed.
That’s what she got. The central feature of the home is a lushly planted courtyard open to two floors with palm trees reaching up to a retractable glass ceiling. There are intimate conversation areas throughout both levels.
Water is a flowing theme throughout the house, from moat-like fountains in the motor court and a lounging pool in the courtyard to a 75-foot lap pool and a 40-foot round, “reverse-infinity-edge” swimming pool.
The California desert estate includes four bedrooms, eight baths and an elevator lined with mother-of-pearl.
The hookah room seats 20. If you need more leisure time, a temperature-controlled wine room, nine fireplaces and a secret garden awaits.
With year-round nice weather, the movie theater is located outdoors and so are three dining areas with seating for up to 200 guests.
The landscaping features gardenias, roses, jasmine, olive trees and tropical birds of paradise. There is a separate guest house, too.
The property is located in the Bighorn Golf Club community. With Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley nearby, the house is back on the market in time for a plethora of spring events, such as the Wildflower Festival in March, five major golf tournaments and the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April.
The listing agents are Jacquie Burnes at Bighorn Properties in collaboration with Ashley Wolf of Aaron Kirman Group at Compass.
The home first hit the market in 2015 at $24.5 million. The price tag was cut to $21.19 million, according to Robb’s Report, before being taken off the market in 2016. A new listing in 2018 put the one-of-a-kind home at $17.88 million price, the magazine said. It went off the market in June before returning at the current $16.1 million asking price.
DAVID CARACCIO
916-321-1125David Caraccio is a video producer for The Sacramento Bee who was born and raised in Sacramento. He is a graduate of San Diego State University and longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers as a reporter, editor, page designer and digital content producer.
