Cindy Allen x Allen Stone: Music Meets Design In The High Desert

Joshua Tree is an environment known for igniting the imagination so, naturally, when two creatives—Interior Design Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen and singer/songwriter Allen Stone—collaborate there, the work takes on the high desert’s air of mystique. Stone, a soul and R&B talent based in Seattle, joined Allen for a walk-through of a one-of-a-kind home designed by artist and sculptor Alma Allen during Interior Design‘s Giants of Design Retreat earlier this year. The storied space, which features sculptural details, expansive windows, and an intimate courtyard, inspired Stone to record an ethereal take on his hit song “Sweet Little Rainbows,” which he calls a love letter to nature.

“It’s impossible not to feel the spirit of this place in Joshua Tree,” shares Cindy Allen as she explores the home with Stone, noting the desert scape. Stone agrees, adding: “Anytime there’s space, there’s always room for song.” And there is plenty of space in the storied locale, which functioned as Alma Allen’s residence and studio before the artist moved to Mexico, where he currently lives. “When we realized it was Alma Allen’s house, that became super intriguing,” shares the home’s recent owners David Davis, a founding principal of Rottet Studio, and his husband Brad Wilson, managing partner at Ace Hotel Group, who collaborated with Alma Allen on past projects.

The pair purchased the home in 2017 (though they recently sold it to move to the East Coast) and made it their own while referencing Alma Allen’s design philosophy and approach. “The design is really Alma’s design and he was using [local] artists and friends in Joshua Tree to build this place so it’s very homemade,” Davis shares, adding that “there were parts of it that were never finished.” When approaching the refresh, Davis and Wilson took care to honor Alma Allen’s vision. “We said, whatever we do, we want the result to look as if it Alma might have done it himself and not to do anything that felt foreign to the house,” Davis says. Such details included cladding two outdoor stone walls that anchor the home, restoring elements that had weathered in the desert sun, and transforming the detached office area and studio into an inviting guest house.

From seeking out artisans who worked with Alma Allen on the home to referencing his material palette and design elements throughout, the creative pair went to great lengths to stay true to the original vision—and it shows. “The sheer beauty of the architecture and interiors, along with how it blissfully it sits in nature, brought about the idea of Allen [Stone] singing ‘Sweet Little Rainbows’ right there, right then,” Cindy Allen shares. “It all happened so fast, but now ‘design and song’ together can live on and on.”

Read on to learn more about Stone’s creative process and his personal aesthetic, and be sure to watch the full video featuring a look inside the home designed by Alma Allen as well as a new rendition of “Sweet Little Rainbows” recorded live.

Behind-The-Music With Singer/Songwriter Allen Stone

Interior Design: As Cindy points out in the video you two made, “Sweet Little Rainbows” sounds like a new song when performed in the desert. How does sense of place influence your work?

Allen Stone: Music and song at its best is an honest exchange of energy. That energy is informed by so much, ranging from the topic of the song to the day of the week. The location of a performance plays a large part in that energy as well. It can add nutrients to the emotion of the performance or, in turn, take it away as well.

ID: How would you describe your relationship to Joshua Tree?

AS: Joshua Tree has always felt very mystical to me. I have yet to put my finger on why but I suspect the desert is capable of holding onto memories longer than other places. Is there a chance that the aridness of a climate can affect how energy and memory settle?

ID: While walking through the house designed by artist Alma Allen, what most resonated with you?

AS: The intention was most resonating. In a world where the economics of construction supersede the experience of its inhabitants there’s a loss. You can feel the difference.

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Experience great design and “Sweet Little Rainbows” recorded live in Joshua Tree in this video by DESIGNTV.

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ID: Could you share a bit about the aesthetic of your own home? What elements represent your distinct style and personality?

AS: The initial draw to my home was its openness. I noticed long ago that parties always ended up around the kitchen island. Regardless of all the other nooks of a dwelling the most time was spent conversing around the kitchen island. When we found our home we realized the majority of our home could be seen from our kitchen island. I love analog commune. Conversations are best facilitated in person and our house really allows for this.

ID: At the Giants of Design retreat earlier this year, you talked about the power of authenticity—how does this word inform your creative process?

AS: Being authentic is key. I’m lucky that typically the starting point of my creative process is from a place that’s real to me. Singing is a very personal exercise and if it’s not from real place it’s hard to do night in and night out.

Editor’s note: read more about Allen Stone and Cindy Allen’s creative collaborations over the years, like when the duo teamed up to celebrate the opening of Fotografiska in early 2020 and filmed an in-depth creative voices interview.