In Palm Springs, A Time Capsule With A Backstory, $6.75M

Author:Philip Ferrato

In Palm Springs, a dwelling’s provenance is paramount. The names of famous owners, influential architects and interior designers, plus location, sometimes read like Scripture. written by realtors. Here, on the market for the first time since 2017, is the Jerome Factor House, currently owned by business executive Jamie McFate and his partner Nick Bouchard, who have proven to be admirable stewards of this c1969 gem. Built in what might be called Desert Brutalism by the LA architects Hank Webber and Don Staskas, the street front of the fortress-like home is completely closed, penetrated only by a pair of massive cast aluminum doors. There was a reason for this– Jerome was the son of mobster/con artist, Las Vegas casino operator and later in life the political operative/philanthropist Jake “The Barber” Factor– having been kidnapped at the tender age of 19 by his father’s enemies. Understandably, he put a premium on privacy and security, but inside the home opens up with walls of glass to a long loggia and walled sculpture garden, as well as an enclosed pool terrace remade by McFate and Bouchard. With views of the San Jacinto mountains in the distance, the almost 5500-sq-ft, 3-bed, 5-bath home has 12-ft ceilings, all organized around a gallery-like entrance corridor built to display the Factors’ Pop and Op Art collection, much of which remains in the house, and like the furnishings, is available for sale. 

The original interiors are still largely intact but beautifully refreshed, the work of the hugely successful tastemaker, interior designer and pulp fiction author (literally, pulp fiction paperback books) Richard Kimmel. Unlike the austere street front, the interiors are loaded with dramatic finishes, like the snakeskin wallcovering in the primary bath and foil wallcovering in a bedroom; one of Kimmel’s signature design flexes was placing traditional French chairs alongside steel and glass.

Go to the listing for more. One of the most spectacular and private desert properties on the market, represented by Eric Lavey, Global Director at The Beverly Hills Estates.