Flow Modern Gallery, in the Uptown Design District of Palm Springs, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The creative design team duo—and married couple—Brigitte Lehnert and André Boughtwood, have curated a serene and delightful space that showcases carefully considered art, objets, vintage furniture, and accessories. You step inside and immediately your nervous system calms. The combination of photography, ceramics, painting, home furnishings, and jewelry create a serene mood. The muted colors, elegant workmanship and impeccable display present the collection in a stylized, accessible, and enticing manner.

Brigitte has German heritage and André is British. They have been together for 32 years. On first encounter, I was struck by not only the conscientious sourcing and presentation of the items in the gallery, but the mutual care and respect that was palpable between the couple. Brigitte is undergoing cancer treatment and André has shaved his head in solidarity. Her stunning outfit and mask matched not only her head scarf, but much of the work in the gallery. It was as if they were a part of the gallery, physically and spiritually. We all agreed that ‘art heals’ -- art has a nourishing and curative quality. The graceful feel of the place, and pieces on display made sense once we started talking dance. Brigitte is a dancer and together she and André have created a fluid and rhythmic mood, like a river flowing through a canyon. André said “she understands space and I could envision the space.” Their design duet clearly is a beautiful thing.

They worked together in Los Angeles, restoring vintage MCM furnishings and curating art and design for their clients. They married in 2003 at the Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs and “embraced the desert.”  They finally made the permanent move to the Coachella Valley full time 12 years ago and bought a home in Tahquitz River Estates. Their desert evolution was cemented when they bought a subsequent home in the 7 Lakes Country Club in 2012 and opened Flow Modern. 

They opened the gallery as a way to showcase much of what they had collected. The walls are white, the floor concrete; there is a coolness to the vibe as well as the physical environment. I was particularly taken by Aaron Kilc’s hand-built ceramic sculptures; the smooth surfaces, basic shapes all layered in a jenga-like structure. I could imagine one of these works looking stupendous in a modern living room, the contours complementing other stylish furniture, lighting, and art pieces. In my mind's eye I can see how the late afternoon desert sunlight might dance in and around the angular shapes. Likewise, the Neo Brutalism totem and tiles of Larry Fulton piqued my interest, as did Mark Rose’s Rescue Ikebana series, which re-fashions kitschy plates into a conceptual art series. They are gouache painted on porcelain plates and are mesmerizing (particularly when you see the before and after). He uses the original design, but creates entirely new and different images out of the original. The paintings on the walls are big, bold, light, lofty, and somehow all seem to be uniquely captivating but go together as a motif. The jewelry is chic, but not fussy.

Brigitte and André cherish how their small shop has become a beloved part of the community, and say “our social life is more robust here than it ever was in Los Angeles.”  They are friends with many of their artists and often host four to six openings per year. One opening last year featured Paris galactic jewelry, a French DJ, rosé wine, and macarons. 

Given the health challenges, there has been an outpouring of warmth, with vintage scarves as gifts and even lobster rolls airlifted from Maine. Flow Modern anticipates a pop-up event this fall featuring cool, avant-garde handbags in collaboration with their friends @aRchiveaccessories. They plan to have jewelry and Italian-themed accessories as an opener for the season. Check @flowmodernon on instagram for updates.