If Alanna Gold, Selling Sunset‘s newcomer agent, and her ultra-modern desert house left you yearning to see more of Pioneertown — the 1880s-themed town in San Bernardino County originally developed as a shooting location for Westerns — we have a spectacular find for you.
A nearly 13-acre desert oasis with a private compound (and its own boulder-topped mountain) recently came to market, and it’s quite the showstopper.
Previously featured in Travel + Leisure Magazine, the home is the birthplace of Mojave Desert Skin Shield, an organic, Ayurveda-inspired skincare line and wellness practice founded by Patricia Vernhes, who owns the property along with her husband, Nicolas.
It has also served as a healing place, where Patricia’s practice offered soothing sound therapy, facials, and tea meditation, and where integrated wellness retreats were held.
Consisting of a 5-bedroom main house, a fully air-conditioned ADU, and nearly 13 acres of desert land including a private boulder-topped mountain and breathtaking 360-degree views of surrounding mountain ranges, the compound is now listed for $2,890,000 with Angela Gollan at Compass.
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The Pioneertown house sits on 13 acres close
The generously sized property spans 13 acres and is surrounded by mountain ranges and three flat-top mesas. Per the listing, it benefits from a unique microclimate 4,000 feet above sea level, which means it experiences cooler summers than nearby Joshua Tree and sunny, mild winters with occasional snowfall.
And has its own boulder-topped mountain
Adding to the calming desert views is the boulder-topped mountain included on the property, which acts like a fairly unique “amenity” in itself.
A reflection of its owners’ artful aesthetic
Heading into the Pioneertown house, bright, light-filled interiors are accented by vibrant pops of color and natural materials like wood and stone.
“Nicolas and Patricia have such great style and a really artful, beautiful aesthetic, and they have transformed this once dusty desert ranch house into an artist’s sanctuary and place of healing, with impeccable design and European sensibilities,” listing agent Angela Gollan tells us.
It has a grand living room with a fireplace
The living area is anchored by a fireplace, with vaulted beam ceilings towering over the space.
The open kitchen was recently upgraded
Right behind the living room, we find the recently upgraded kitchen, with a sunny dining area to the side.
Recording studio features
According to the agent, “The living room of the main home is wired as a Live room for recording, and the guest house is a recording studio!”
The house has 5 beds and 5 baths
Spanning approximately 3,000 square feet, the ranch-style house packs 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, with large floor-to-ceiling windows offering calming desert views.
Unique bathroom finishes
The primary bathroom has a soaking tub and a unique stone-wall shower designed by the legendary “Pappy” of Pappy & Harriet’s fame (a famous local cantina used in countless old Western films like The Cisco Kid, The Range Rider, The Gene Autry Show, and Annie Oakley).
And a screened-in patio that seats 8
Right outside the living area, we find an expansive screened-in patio with a custom BBQ and seating for eight.
A fully air-conditioned ADU
A 450-square-foot, fully air-conditioned ADU with a full bath adds some great flex space that can be easily turned into a yoga or music studio, artist retreat, or guest suite.
Designed for wellness and relaxation
According to an older Travel + Leisure Magazine article featuring the property, owner Patricia Vernhes studied ayurvedic yoga therapy and apprenticed at Integratron — Joshua Tree’s fabled sound-bath temple — before settling down in the area and opening her own wellness practice on the serene desert property.
Here, she offered wellness services like sound therapy in the outdoor bath surrounded by 20 quartz singing bowls. She later developed her skincare brand, Mojave Desert Skin Shield, while living here.
Sustainability features
For sustainability and self-sufficiency, the home was outfitted with solar panels and a 600-foot well.
“The promise of the California Desert is still strong”
While the local real estate market isn’t immune to the challenges the entire state of California has faced recently, Gollan is confident that the area will continue to thrive:
“We’ve seen property values dip and homes sitting on the market much longer than in years prior. But the promise of the California Desert is still strong,” she says. “There is a lot of infrastructure out here now that was built during the last several years that isn’t going anywhere. The geological beauty and cotton candy sunsets aren’t going anywhere, and the community is still growing. So although we are seeing fewer people try to start Airbnbs in the Joshua Tree area, the wanderers will never stop heading this way to explore the mystic promise of the desert.
Located next to Sand to Snow National Monument
And the Pioneertown compound has that desert appeal in spades. Plus, it’s adjacent to the 154,000-acre Sand to Snow National Monument — an ecological and cultural treasure and one of the most biodiverse areas in southern California — promising uninterrupted views that will remain forever unspoiled.
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