A Well-Designed Day in Joshua Tree, California
Sara Combs is an artist and a designer who uses a variety of mediums to create intuitive and meaningful experiences. She works in everything from UI/UX design for both web and apps, to pattern design and illustration and interior design. Her latest project The Joshua Tree House is her and her husband Rich’s peaceful escape from busy San Francisco living (as well as an occasional Airbnb rental). This weekend, she shares some of her favorite spots around Joshua Tree, California (and her lovely home there) to inspire a little armchair traveling OR give you ideas for your next trip to this dreamy desert area!
Sara and Rich Combs have lived in Joshua Tree, California for nearly a year (they also spend time at their stylish San Francisco home). Below, Sara shares her version of a “well-designed day” in her home and the area:
Waking up @thejoshuatreehouse on a sunny Saturday is the perfect start to the weekend. The house faces east, so it takes little convincing to get me out of bed once I open my eyes to see intense pink sunrise hues from my bedroom window.
First things first, I like to start the day out on my front porch with a coffee in hand. One of my favorite things about Joshua Tree are the goofy Joshua Trees themselves, so I like to take a few minutes to enjoy the view before starting my day.
My absolute favorite spot to get brunch is @lacopinekitchen. They serve new American food with fresh ingredients, and many vegan and vegetarian options. A personal favorite is the Royal Crumpet with their house-made veggie sausage… mmm!
After brunch, my husband @richcombs and I love to wander the Sky Village Swap Meet, our local flea market. It’s not your typical flea market though — you’ll find a crystal cave at the center of it, along with a giant rooster sculpture, and a permanent western wear shop called Dakota Bob’s.
Another favorite shop is @theendyuccavalley, a vintage clothing and accessory shop curated by the talented @kbuzzy. I found the coziest vintage sweater to keep me warm on cool nights!
I can’t resist stopping at @cactus_mart whenever we drive by. Their ‘Dig your own cactus for 59 cents’ sign gets me every time.
Back home @thejoshuatreehouse to rest up for a little bit, I’m reading a book on desert flowers that a friend (@thao_nguyen__) just gave me!
No weekend is complete without a trip into Joshua Tree National Park (@joshuatreenps). @richcombs and I brought a small late afternoon picnic to enjoy at Indian Cove. I absolutely love the colors and rock formations at this spot!
Exploring more of the park’s beauty in my new vintage sweater from @theendyuccavalley.
Time truly revolves around the sun here in Joshua Tree, so the perfect ending to the day is sunset at the cholla gardens @joshuatreenps. The way the light streams through the cholla cacti makes them glow — it’s not to be missed!
See more of Sara and Rich’s style in their hacienda house tour!
Follow Sara online:
- On the web
- Instagram: @saracombs
Our “well-designed day” neighborhood guides are a visual tour of what a great day looks like from the perspective of a local.
You’ve loved the peeks inside gorgeous homes from around the world, so we thought we’d ask house tour stars to share their other homes—the neighborhoods and cities they live in. These are the stylish, colorful, bold and fun spaces that these locals would visit if they were designing a great day of stopping at favorite spots (or lounging around at home!). You can follow on our Instagram as we post images from their well-designed day and read more about this series.