Your Villa Magazine - Desert Cities -February - March -2023

D E S I G N + B U I L D With a discerning eye for design and a passion for Mid-Century Modern style, MODERNIST Frame & Design has quickly become an essential part of the Palm Springs Uptown Design District. Re-envisioning custom picture framing to fit the unique design sensibility of Palm Springs and the greater Coachella Valley region has made MODERNIST Frame & Design a leader in the art of picture framing. “We saw a need for picture framing services that not only cater to our unique community, but also fill the void of creativity in the framing industry as a whole” says John Kenneth Alexander, co-owner of MODERNIST Frame & Design. Along with established gallerist Jason Howard of Rubine Red Gallery, the duo has sought to bring new life to custom picture framing. Howard elaborates, “I opened Rubine Red Gallery in 2019 to show talented artists to the Coachella Valley. Then, after introducing our vintage Estate Collection artists in 2020, John and I felt that adding custom picture framing was the natural next step.” INNOVATIVE DESIGN AND 30 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE Being a 30-year veteran of Master Framing, Alexander saw a need for innovation. “When I started in this business in 1989, the industry revolved around ‘do-it-yourself’ framing,” says John. “ Today’s clients expect much more—unique choices, quality service and superior design. We source unique framing products from around the world including imported Italian frames, hand-finished 22kt gold-gilded mouldings, welded steel and cutting-edge Lucite frames.” THE PALM SPRINGS VIBE Located in the Palm Springs Uptown Design District , MODERNIST Frame & Design also focuses on the Mid-Century vibe of Palm Springs. “Many clients have Mid-Century Modern homes, and we make it our mission to cater to the specific design needs of that clientele” states John. “Those clients prefer a minimalist design aesthetic. The highly refined, yet understated quality of much of our framing designs reflect that.” Jason and John are also huge fans of cutting- edge Lucite frames. “The immense popularity of our Lucite frames has been phenomenal.” says Jason. “The other great thing about Lucite is its vast array of color variations including tangerine, chartreuse, turquoise, fuchsia, cerulean and even clear. The possibilities for making bold, yet complimentary art statements are amazing.” FINE ART AND FRAMING With so many fine art collectors in the valley, MODERNIST Frame & Design is supremely aware of how frame design impacts an artwork’s visual appearance. John elaborates, “When a client brings a work of art to us for framing, our first thoughts are…What’s best for the art itself? What are the interior design implications? And, most importantly, as professional framers, how can we adhere to proper conservation methods such as UV-filtering museum glass and acid-free matting?” MODERNIST Frame & Design is open 10-6 Mon-Saturday, 10-4 Sundays, and is located in the Palm Springs Uptown Design District at 668 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA. 760-537-7665 • www.modernistframe.com John and Jason invite you to visit MODERNIST Frame & Design and explore all the fantastic possibilities for your next framing project! 50 | YourVilla Magazine