If you were a child of the 70s in Southern California, you will remember the anointed “Plumber to the Stars” – Jack Stephan – “Plumbing and heating problems? Your man is Jack Stephanski… Jack Stephanovich… Jack Stephanino… no It’s STEPHAN, JACK STEPHAN!”
Jack Stephan founded Jack Stephan Plumbing & Heating in 1946 and Adee Plumbing & Heating in 1949 and began advertising on television in 1965. “ADEE-DO!” The pop culture campy commercials certainly stuck in the minds and hearts of a generation, as Jack Stephan became a household name.
Fast forward to Palm Springs 1969, where Stephan bought and completely remodeled the now iconic Deepwell home, which he dubbed “Stephan’s Folly,” and lived until 2014. Stephan realized his One Thousand and One Nights–inspired fantasy, with the help of friends in the design and furniture industry. The comprehensive adornment of all surfaces speaks to the entrepreneur’s desire to stand out. “In keeping with his attention-grabbing advertising style,” the Los Angeles Times reported in his 2014 obituary, “Stephan drove Rolls-Royces and maintained a flashy wardrobe, including mega-carat diamonds and suits in his favorite color, red.”
This grand 3,250 square foot estate style home is a showcase of design and Palm Springs style. A fanciful blend of custom textures, patterns, and vibrant colors. From the many different types of crushed velvet wallpaper in fuchsia, pinks and oranges, to the deep shag carpeting, to the avocado green tiled sunken tubs, and the yellow appliance accented kitchen living room… the property holds a bold, flamboyant charm that you cannot help but love. Cozy, unique, and only in Palm Springs.
The property, designed by architect Robert Lewis and constructed in 1965, is rich in local history and celebrity stories. Every corner of this flamboyant residence tells a story of high-roller charm with former party attendees and neighbors such as Eva Gabor, Hugh Hefner, William Holden, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liberace. One can imagine celebrities gathering around the retro-chic curved bar for a martini and cozied-up on the plush L-shaped sofa in front the massive fireplace for a round of Backgammon.
Everything in this incredible home has been painstakingly maintained and preserved as it was originally conceived in 1969. The property has had a few different owners since Stephan’s passing in 2014. The current owners, Kristy and Scott Parent, had been searching for a home in Palm Springs for a couple of years, and once entering Stephan’s Folly, they instantly fell in love with its unique history and charm. “While this wasn’t what we were initially searching for, we appreciated it the minute we first saw it, and knew we needed to continue the story,” says Kristy. “We felt a distinctive ‘vibe’ with this home, and so we renamed it ‘The Vibe’,” says Scott.
With its solid history and new name, The Vibe is participating in Modernism Week for the FIRST TIME, so you’ll get to tour and party at one of the coolest properties in the desert on February 20th from 6 to 8:30pm. You’ll enjoy full bar service featuring custom cocktail creations, tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, groovy music, go-go girls, and disco balls! Dress to impress at this one of kind event. For tickets, visit go.modtix.com/f/2025/vibe-house.
And if you can’t make the Modernism Week party – I have even better news – you can now STAY in this groovy house through Natural Retreats at www.naturalretreats.com/property-detail-page?name=the-vibe-7349. The Natural Retreats collection of luxury vacation homes offers travelers a distinguished selection of properties in iconic destinations across the United State —from the granite peaks of the Rockies to the desert oasis of Palm Springs to the epic views of Big Sky to the luminous waters of the Emerald Coast. You can visit them at www.naturalretreats.com/destinations/palm-springs.
It’s Cocktail Time!
For the 60s party at The Vibe house, visit go.modtix.com/f/2025/vibe-house and follow The Vibe on Instagram @thevibepalmsprings.
Modernism Week (February 13-23, 2025) is now celebrating 20 years of celebrating appreciation of midcentury architecture and design, as well as contemporary thinking in these fields, by encouraging education, preservation and sustainable modern living as represented in the greater Palm Springs area. The annual 11-day festival will feature more than 350 tours, programs and events, with a portion of ticket proceeds benefiting Modernism Week (a non-profit organization) and other local preservation, neighborhood, and community groups. The first Modernism Week event in February 2006, showcased the world-renowned midcentury modern architecture of Palm Springs. Among the members of the initial steering committee were representatives from the Modernism Show & Sale, Palm Springs Preservation Foundation, the Palm Springs Modern Committee, the Palm Springs Historical Society, and Palm Springs Art Museum. Today, more than 60 other non-profit organizations, businesses and neighborhood groups collaborate with Modernism Week to help produce Modernism Week tours and events.
For all 2025 tours, presentations, events, and experiences, visit modernismweek.com.
Photos: Ethylina Canne, Kristy Parent, Scott Parent
Location: The Vibe House, Palm Springs, CA (IG @thevibepalmsprings)
Photographer: Ernie Westman exclusively for Metrosource
Last modified: February 1, 2025