Palm Springs is synonymous with desert modernism, a sleek, glass-and-steel aesthetic that has come to define the Coachella Valley enclave. But long before that movement took hold, the Araby Rock Houses offered a far more rustic, handcrafted interpretation of desert living.

The rustic residences were built in the late 1920s by the self-taught engineer R. Lee Miller, who was inspired by Hopi and Navajo pueblos. They’re distinguished by hand-laid native stone walls and seem to organically sprout from the landscape. Inside, features include hand-carved wooden doors and windows, exposed ceiling beams, built-in shelving, and hand-forged iron door latches. 

One of the cottages, now on the market for $1.5 million, has been designated a Class One Historic Landmark, making it just one of about 150 properties that hold the city’s top preservation status. Dubbed Casa Contenta, the home was originally owned by Perle Wheeler Martin, whose signature remains carved into a patio nook. It was later owned by the Swedish artist Christina Lillian, and the current owners are former Canadian Football League star Peter Dyakowski and his brother Alex, who acquired the property in 2024 for $625,000, according to records. They’ve listed the abode with Jason Cochran and Craig Chorpenning at Desert Sotheby’s International Realty.

While the property doesn’t have a huge footprint—it covers just 1,600 square feet of living space on about half an acre of land—it makes up for its petite size. The great room includes one of two original stone fireplaces, with one still having its preserved stovepipe chimney. In the modernized kitchen, a few rocks peek through, giving the white walls something of a cow-print pattern. The primary bedroom is a large space brightened up with golden stones along the walls, while a hidden room is concealed behind a bookcase.

Two studio casitas each have an ensuite bathroom, bringing the total number of bedrooms up to three, plus four full baths across the property. Landscape architect Paul Ortega has surrounded the home with native plants and rock gardens that continue the humble dwelling’s stone theme. In addition to a wrap-around patio, a rooftop deck originally used for stargazing and open-air cooking looks out over the rugged mountain landscape.

Click here to see all the photos of the Araby Rock House.