Dean Martin, a legendary singer and comedian, was once phenomenally popular. The son of an immigrant Italian barber made his way up the stairway to heaven, becoming the original “King of Cool.”
Today, we’ll see the home where Dean Martin spent a lot of time singing for guests and friends. We’ll see his iconic baby grand piano. Whitewashed interior lovers, prepare to admire. You won’t notice any granny-style design here!
Dean Martin, an iconic figure of mid-century American entertainment, owned a striking home in Palm Springs, California, which reflected his smooth, charismatic personality and his standing in the entertainment world. This home, often a retreat for Martin, was a quintessential example of the mid-century modern architectural style that dominates the Palm Springs area.
The lovely midcentury abode sits on a private, almost half-acre territory in the Little Tuscany area of Palm Springs, California. It was built in 1954 and eventually became a favorite hangout for Old Hollywood stars. Its original owner was a New York socialite, Alice Mendelson, a close friend of Dean Martin and his wife, Jeanne. They all lived in the same building in New York and also owned neighboring apartments in Paris near the Eiffel Tower. Mendelson and Martin even commissioned the same interior decorator to design their New York, Paris, and Palm Springs homes.
The historic Palm Springs property still has pieces of its iconic past, even after switching several owners throughout the years. It appeared on the market in 2018, asking a hefty 1.8 million dollars for the space, some original furniture, and Martin’s pearly white baby grand piano. Wait a bit, and you’ll hear an amusing secret the Schafer & Sons piano has been keeping for many years!
The two thousand eight hundred square-foot residence became a family escape for Martin and his wife Jeanne, a former “Orange Bowl” queen from Coral Gables, Florida. The couple were friends of the home’s original owners, Mendelson, who loved to host Sunday afternoon ‘tea dances,’ which led to the home being nicknamed the “Tea Dance House.” Such parties were a perfect occasion for a teetotaller, Dean Martin, to serenade guests, and he took this advantage to the fullest. He even bought the white sleek baby grand piano that still sits in a corner of the living room. The piano perfectly matches the white high ceiling and white flooring tiles.
It was a spot of Martin’s fame hour. He often entertained party guests, and reportedly, an American singer and songwriter Barry Manilow also did during his visits. The piano was a solemn witness of the home’s history. Later, it was discovered that Barry Manilow wrote a song on it. The white wooden piano bench’s cushioned seat could open, and the homeowners weren’t even aware of that! Barry Manilow told them years later, during one of his visits, to look inside the bench, and they discovered his sheet music. A real bench of secrets!
For more details, please check our video about Dean Martin