The Purple Palm Restaurant

Renovation of the Purple Palm

The Purple Palm Restaurant, situated at the Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs, CA, was recently renovated by famed Los Angeles designer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard.  Bullard worked with the Colony Palms Hotel during the 2007 renovation of its guest rooms and suites, and has thoughtfully reimagined The Purple Palm Restaurant as a natural extension of the Colony Palms Hotel featuring a similar fusion of Moroccan and Californian style.

Bullard’s design experience goes far beyond his renovation of the Colony Palms Hotel in 2007.  Martyn Lawrence Bullard is a multi-award-winning LA based interior designer and is renowned for his broad styles and eclectic, yet sophisticated and always inviting interiors. In addition, many may know him from his starring role on BravoTV’s Million Dollar Decorators.

The Interior of the Purple Palm Restaurant

The extensive renovation of The Purple Palm restaurant includes new Moroccan fringed chandeliers as well as ambient lighting within the space, creating an oasis of its own within the magnificent courtyard of the Colony Palms Hotel.  The refinished bar adds a contemporary twist to the cocktail program by molecular mixologist Robert Floyd.

A continuous, deep tufted banquette lines the inner wall of the restaurant with oversized antiqued mirrors hanging above.  Moroccan patterns and motifs fill the space with colorful mosaic tile on the floor and complementary patterned wallpaper.  Accents of deep, rich red are dotted throughout, providing bright pops of color amid the room’s mix of warm, muted tones. 

History of the Purple Palm Restaurant

The Purple Palm’s recent renovation by Bullard evokes the glamour of the 1930’s and 1940’s when the Colony Palms was “the” place to be seen in Palm Springs. Originally built in 1936 by reputed Purple Gang Mobster, Al Wertheimer, the Colony Palms was once a saloon, speakeasy and gambling house that later became a playground for Hollywood icons including Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Rita Hayworth.  However, the purple hues that once graced the interior of the Purple Palm during its heyday are no longer there, but have now been refreshed with a palette of warm reds and browns with accents of celadon, saffron, and eggplant, and is more in line with today’s aesthetic.

The Cuisine at the Purple Palm Restaurant

If the decor is not reason enough to entice you to stop by for a visit, the cuisine surely will.  The recent renovation comes concurrently with the appointment of new Executive Chef, Gregory Stillman who brings a lifelong passion for food and cooking to the Palm Springs boutique resort.  

Inspired by his surroundings, as well as seasonal ingredients, Chef Stillman will be focusing his efforts on the menus for the Purple Palm restaurant, working with California producers to incorporate the fragrant fruits and fresh vegetables of each season into his dining experiences. 

The Purple Palm is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week.  For more information, please visit the Colony Palms Hotel.

All photos courtesy of the Purple Palm Restaurant.