15871 Falls Creek Rd, Whitewater, CA 92282

The desert getaway of noted choir director and renaissance man John Van Pelt, this extraordinary home is a sister property to his 2.6-acre Los Angeles estate recently declared an Historic-Cultural Monument. Sited on an acre of land with unmatched mountain views in a serene setting, this is among the best-preserved examples of Storybook architecture in Southern California. Early Hollywood set design informs this hand-built home, to ''Hansel & Gretel'' effect, with dramatic rooflines, turrets and chimney pots. The cottage is animated with whimsical character, and in keeping with its vernacular style, many features are of local origin. The two fireplaces incorporate stone from nearby canyons. The walls are from Snow Creek boulders just beyond. Sweeping rooflines play off mountain ridge vistas, and a vast panoramic picture window frames a snow-capped Mount San Jacinto. Details include nautical porthole windows, a galley kitchen, an elevated sleeping loft and a 17-foot wood bar in the shape of a whale. Its rustic interior abounds with original woodwork - hand-cut beam ceilings, knotty pine tongue-and-groove cladding, and scallop-cut surrounds. There are original light fixtures and hardware, original wood frame windows, stained glass designed by Van Pelt, and an enclosed and covered patio accessed through a huge sliding glass door, affording a spectacular view of the San Jacinto range. Lovingly maintained in the spirit of its original design, yet upgraded with modern HVAC.