These days I am being very particular about the time capsule houses that I show on the blog. Pretty much, I want to see near-perfection. Really stunning. Really special. Oh my — do we have it ever, in this 1960 time capsule midcentury modern house for sale in Scarsdale, New York. Listing agent is Iris Kalt of Prudential Centennial Realty, and she has graciously given me permission to feature the photos of the house. Mega thanks, also, to reader Jennifer, who found this house and sent me the tip. xoxo Jennifer, keep ‘em coming!
What a win-win, if we can find a grateful buyer of this house while archiving the photos of these exceptional, preserved interiors. Oh, please, new buyer: Don’t change a thing! Click on through for 14 more photos — this is one of the most beautiful time capsule homes I have ever seen –>
Scarsdale is one of the loveliest and most desirable neighborhoods in Westchester County, New York — super close to Gotham, you’re in the city via train in like 20 minutes. The house has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and 12′ ceilings. It sits on just under one-half acre, on a cul-de-sac — sounds like a beautiful setting. It is listed for $849,000.
I’m calling this house “Midcentury Modern meets French Provincial” for obvious reasons. Remember, design history buffs, French Provincial interiors were very popular in midcentury America. I would even venture: They were more popular than midcentury modern interiors.
Floor to ceiling pinch pleats — I am dead and gone to heaven. This was how pinch pleat sheers were DONE, people! Not only gorgeous to look at, but the light filtering through the sheers is all sparkly and sublime. Note, over time, sheers like this will fade and wither due to sun rot. You will have to replace. Even so, resolved: Pinch pleat sheers for my living room /dining room in 2012.
The dark wood against the white… the ornate French pieces within the mid mod architecture… notice the oriental rug on terrazzo floors… it all WORKS. This house is very “graphic.”
The foyer. Look at how the architect has created a sort of skylight effect (without an actual skylight) by bringing the ceiling down, but creating a beam-lined opening to the windows above. Genius.
Repeating this photo so I can say: The shades and valence — matched to the chairs, ottoman and even organ bench. The devil — the angels — are singing in the detail.
I need to ask Iris what is on these walls. Cork? Notice the lamps. Notice the window shades, the edging in particular. And more terrazzo. This house belongs in The Museum of Perfection.
This bedroom is equally stunning. All matchy matchy with the bedspreads, drapery and upholstery. I would love to see that desk closer up. And the enormous, room-sized rugs — oh my.
I really hope that whoever buys this house asks for everything, and keeps it just the way it is.
Lesson in 1960 bathroom: Those look like 1″ square tiles, floor-to-ceiling in… bone on the walls and tub, white on the floor. Audrey always told me that, “Bone and white makes for a lovely bathroom.” Yes, it does! Carrera marble countertop. The tub is tiled, sunken. The mirror extends the length of the vanity, with a medicine cabinet at the left only. It also looks like there are some glass shelves on the wall at the left. I wonder if the lamp was really used, or if that is staging. Noneless, luv.
This looks to be a GE Wonder Kitchen: Wonder Kitchens had the sink and stovetop set into one long piece of stainless steel countertop — as at left. 52PostnBeam, can you confirm? That’s for sure a Delta 200 wall-mount faucet; you can still buy one today, but read the comments. Notice how the decorator (I’m presuming a decorator was involved) was able to layer pretty complex patterns together — in the wallpaper and the curtains — very successfully. Again… the more I study these images, the more I see these interiors, combined with the architecture of the home, are graphic genius.
The patio is equally beautiful.
And if you are building a house, consider adding this detail: An outdoor fireplace built at the back of your indoor fireplace.
What an amazing treasure of a house. This is one of my favorite time capsules of all time.
If you want to buy it, you better jump on it. If you do, invite me down — I’l close! The listing is here. Or give Iris a call today.
I am not a FP fan, however, I absolutely love the architecture of this house. the cabs in the kitchen, the sink in the bathroom, those large expanses of glass in the windows…the plain very clean lines and complimentary landscaping in the front…absolutely gorgeous home, if it didnt have a stick of furniture in it, it would be decorated already. wonderful house.
Oh…My…Gah! Loving the yellow cabinets in the kitchen, the floor to ceiling windows, the entry way (outside and in), sunken tub, and window treatments. Some of the ‘heavier’ furniture is not my personal style, but I can certainly appreciate the look. A fantastic home selection for this feature!!
you know if I look at this long enough I can become a FP fan! this house is stunning.
So Cool! Love the terrazzo floor and the windows above the cabinettes in the kitchen. The ‘sky light’ is an amazing detail.
How do people keep homes all original like that?
(1) They love what they have and don’t keep buying more.
(2) They never move.
I love the implication that if we buy what we love (houses, furniture), we reach a point where we no longer need to buy. Going to remember that the next time I’m temped to get something “just for now” until I find the thing I really love. If I didn’t make those purchases, I could afford the things I really love.
(And while I don’t love the FP furniture, I can certainly appreciate it–and really love this house!)
Don’t forget-
They might live in their OTHER houses 6 months of the year!!!!!
I’m thinking a summer home, a place to stay in the City, and a condo in Boca.
Gorg.Us.
WOW! i love this house!
Wow! Such a pretty house and, you’re right, somehow it just works. I love the contrast and that kitchen is fantastic.
Wow!! Terrazo floors in a home!! LOVE!!!!
It looks like the headboards of the twin beds are still wrapped in plastic. Amazing.
Great eye candy! The foyer was my favorite part. <3
Even though these rooms look perfect for real estate viewing, I can certainly picture someone living in this house comfortably. I love all the neutrals, which don’t come off as greige in this house, but seem sort of shimmery and full of texture. My favorite touches are the leather chair in the bathroom, and the red phone in the office.
You’re right, it doesn’t come across as greige.
First time I’ve seen the Cabinettes mounted freestanding, rather than under a cabinet. Pretty cool.
wow! stunning doesn’t begin to describe this place!
HOLY COW!!! You didn’t oversell this one, Pam– it *is* the most amazing time capsule house you’ve shared with us yet.
I’ve never really been a fan of French Provincial, but something about this home is so inviting, I would want to live in it just as it is.
So plush, so warm, so well cared for…Thanks for the treat!
amazing! i just need to find a job in NYC…
Now if we can just convince Iris to share pics of the other two bathrooms. The marble tops in the bath really showcase how to use stone for counter tops. Amazing.
It’s so sophisticated – almost like a set from an In Like Flint film… Just beautiful, Pam!
The “skylight” is a gorgeous use of clerestory windows. I love the surprise of the sunshine yellow cabinets – what a fun contrast with the French Provincial interior throughout the rest of the house! The FP isn’t my style, either, but this is such a great house. Thanks for sharing!
beautiful – not a fp myself, but beautiful nonetheless. right down to the phones being plug in & not cordless! details, details!
I’m another one that’s not an FP fan (my roommate had those dressers when we were in college lol), but I can appreciate good design when I see it. The home is pristine in its decorating, though for me, the kitchen feels too modern to really flow with the rest of the house.
What I am a fan of is that entry, back patio, and property!
$849,000….Holy cow! Although with that said, that house here would probably be listed for more depending on where it’s situated.
I think that $849K for a house in Scarsdale, NY, is pretty common.
Well below average actually. I Googled it.
The killer is NY Taxes,Scarsdale: 6.5k a year for property taxes on a $500,000. home. So this sweet baby will come in about 9k after re-asssessment..
The irony is that those taxes seem fairly low to me. I live on Long Island in a 1951 two bedroom one bath ranch- and my taxes are $6500 a year. Maybe I should move up to Scarsdale?
Really not a fan of FP but that is a nice house!
I’m betting that is leather on the walls in the den not cork.
I would like to see the house done up in mid-modern style.
I’ve been researching the various styles of ranch homes and this one, like ours, is considered “Prairie inspired” because of the deep and closed eves on the exterior. I love this home!
I love the kitchen, coordinated ,and the foyer. I even like the DR, too, even though that formal of a room is generally not my style. The outdoor patio looks like the one from my Barbie Dream House from the 60′s, LOL. Awesome!
Oops, I meant coordinated office/study.
I have that cork-looking wallpaper in an upstairs study. Exactly like it; I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
It reminds me of a Hollywood home, like Joan Crawford’s in the movie Mommy Dearest.
I have never been into FP, either, but this house would certainly change my mind. I never liked Hollywood Regency until I found my two HR brocade chairs that seemed to have been tailor made for my house, so you should never let yourself be totally locked into one particular style.
Yes, indeed – this house is the proud possessor of a GE Wonder Kitchen, with an electric “dashboard” running the length of the stainless steel counter with integrated sink, stovetop, and the oven and dishwasher below (and sometimes a freezer). The whole thing sticks out from the wall an extra 6″ or so to make room for the top mounted Cabinettes.
The color is probably custom, the standard yellow was more pastel. Also, as we know GE factory paint has a habit of fading into a range of different colors, and this set is vibrant & perfect.
I’m curious about the “hidden door” in the back of the kitchen photo, you can see the framing, but they wallpapered right over it. Another nice touch in a house full of great details!
Thank you, 52, and what sharp eyes you have — I didn’t noticed that wallpapered-door. Yes, every detail considered in this dreamboat house!
I’m guessing the cabinets have been repainted at some point.
11th picture down:
That is the Touraine Collection by Drexel.
Marketed from the early 1950′s until the 1970′s. It was the best and simpelist of all the ivory French Provincial sets available. ….and they made a million different quality pieces.
There is a huge amount of it coming into the market as I write….most of it very reasonable. As with many Mid C Mod items and Palace sized Pastel Kerman rugs:
Those that like the look, REALLY like it.
The silent stars of all these rooms are the lamps.
Notice the scale of the rooms, furnishings and lamps. Except for the bath, these all seem to be at least 34″ high with some hefty drum shades.
Look a the pictures again, imagining the average 24″ lamp of today- and each interior will be just crawling around 40″ from the floor.
A great point, Gavin. Isn’t it funny how lamps and shades have very often gotten tiny, while upholstered furniture has gotten huge?
Beautiful home, and I love the master bedroom – that has to be my favorite room in the whole house! Then the living room, and the entry.
But, I don’t know that I would really call it the BEST time capsule ever posted here….I’m still kinda hung up on the much more affordable and way-too-cool-bowling-alley-in-the-basement Michigan house! It was only $189k!
Maybe I’m the only one who likes FP? I see the FP and think of the lasting effect Jackie Kennedy had on home decorating tastes. I like all of this house, from the YELLOW kitchen to the formal dining room. It looks like it would be homey to live in, comfortable without being over-the-top. I hope it gets a happy family to live in it.
Nope, you are not alone!
I’m with you, Kate. There’s no “but” here. It’s perfect from structure to decor.
I think the decorating is beautifully done but it does seem a bit incongruent with the style of the house to me (although I am not at all educated in architecture or decorating). Don’t get me wrong – it works but it doesn’t seem like it should.
Well said Paula! There are so many times I’m attracted to design that I can’t say I really like, cause I just feel their vibe and the “working” part is above my usual aesthetic preference. It’s that unlikely yet fantastic quality that gives an “ensemble” such power!
I guess liking is different than gel-ing…and this house is just drop dead elegant, like a Hitchcock movie set!
I can just hear the heels clicking across those terrazzo floors from the front door.
I need those kitchen cabinets. Wow.
Wowee! Over the top! What’s the back story? Seems like the owners turned their back on the modern architecture or concsiously decided to place european old world style furnishings and artwork into a modern setting. 12 ft ceilings are not typical in mcm houses. Great design with the windows and entry. Thanks for sharing.
I could go into that master bedroom and NEVER come out.
I would die to have that kitchen. This home is breathtaking.
Incredible !!
Oh My I am dying! This house is literally in the next town over from me. The architecture is beautiful. THe kitchen is amazing, and I love the kitchen set, although the rest of the furniture is um, definitely not my taste. That house is in a great school district in case anyone is interested. Given the area, I would say there is very little hope that someone won’t rip that kitchen to shreds – people here want new new new and they tend to have the money to do so. I will say that given the location and neighborhood of the house, along with its obvious beauty, it is an absolute fantastic buy for this area. I hope the right person finds it!
Looking closer, do the curtains in the kitchen and study match the wallpaper in the kitchen?
JP, could be. But I don’t see the strongish white zigzag in the kitchen curtains that I see in the wallpaper. And I don’t think the study shades are the same. But: I bet they may all well be from the same series – coordinates.
oh lordy, those pictures take me back to my early days in the hotel business. The matching wallpaper and upholsterly look (and sometimes the wallpaper continued onto to the ceiling!) was just fading, in favor of the brass and beige era.
And those poofy drapes with the big valance and sheers and the French Provincial…… Wow, a time capsule is right.
I like the house, and I love the kitchen and bath, but I would have to redecorate.
Love it! We had the exterior fireplace like that when I was a kid, but we NEVER used it, which is sad.
yes that is a GE modular kitchen (to my knowledge it was never called the Wonder Kitchen by GE) which does indeed sport a custom paint job (the original Canary Yellow was…well the color of a Canary not the lemon yellow you see here) and this kitchen sports a replacement Hobart/Kitchenaid Dishwasher and is sans the optional under the counter washer dryer combo.
My dream home does exist, after all.
I am 56 years old (born 1955) and grew up in a 1961 Ranch style house (and I did live in Westchester County for awhile – GREAT price for that location!). This interior is ABSOLUTELY the way the homes were decorated then. In fact, this could have been one of friends homes! ALL of us had either white FP (with gold trim,of course) or white Colonial bedroom furniture. Thinking back, it was almost as if we had the same bedrooms. No wallpaper, most had light Pink painted walls (my Mom had to be different, mine was Baby Blue – but by 1964 I had my Pink walls!). Also, she let me put up those very popular black Beatle Portrait posters (she had them FRAMED!). The kitchen wallpaper was a later update, with the matching curtains, probably around 1970 or so. When our parents moved in, paint and paneled walls were the rule (and EVERYONE that had a finished basement or “Rec Room” had it paneled). The wallpaper started in the late 1960s and the CORK on the Den wall – probably put up in the early – mid 1970s. Don’t forget, “Babyboomer” parents were more frugal, (children during the Depression) they would have moved in with their “old” furniture from the apt (bought when they were just married). The “old” mid 1950s furniture most likely would have been FP (like my Parents) or Colonial. Slate “Patio” we had one! This is a PERFECT example of a house that a “Babyboomer” grew up in. Believe me I remember! Check out “Madmen” on AMC – this is how it really was, “Sally” is my age. BTW – I could just imagine reading Eloise in that twin bedroom – on the bed with the plastic cover, of course!
French Provincial furniture inside modern suburban houses was actually very popular during the 1950s. In fact, a nod is given to it in the 1955 movie The Tender Trap (starring Frank Sinatra) in a scene where Celeste Holm tells David Wayne “I’m like every other girl…I want the house with French Provincial furniture too”. And if you want to see the most fabulous apartment (movie set) it’s the one in this movie where Sinatra’s character lives and swings. It’s supposed to be on Sutton Place as you can see the 59th Street Bridge from his windows. This entire movie has long been my video bible of perfect 1950s style.
Love it!
LOVE! The yellow cabinets in the kitchen. Do you think they are enamel? What category or key words would one search on ebay to find retro cabinets? Is there is particular maker that is more desirable than others?
Yay for Pinch Pleats! I fully intend to replace the crap treatments in my living room with floor to ceiling pinch pleats when I can find and trust the right company to do so. Oh, these pictures may have lit the fire under my behind……
That is a beauty! Thank you for posting it!
Re: the wall and curtains in the kitchen–I think the fabric for the curtains is the same as the wall paper.
OMG, that patio is exactly what my parents did at our ’63 ranch! It’s the first time I’ve EVER seen another one like it!
Dad stained our front porch with a some sort of kit you could buy in those days, and made a back porch from poured concrete EXACTLY like the back porch of this house. Over time, ours didn’t lay as well, and it required taking up, but WOW, why don’t they do this today?
Oh wow! I’ve not been reading retrorenovation as often and totally missed this one. Totally Uh-May-Zeeeng! I would move into it exactly as is, with all furnishings! What a lovely house and perfect decoration! I love all the huge, room-size rugs… and those LAMPS! Lamps are so important. This is one house where lamps are really done right! I would leave that little lamp on the bathroom vanity on with a low wattage lightbulb just for low light and some ambiance! Wish I had eight hundred thousand bucks last December!
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/18-Split-Tree-Rd_Scarsdale_NY_10583_M42081-87450?mlslid=3121945
I am going to cry.
I am crying.
Wow. This has ruined my day. Well thank goodness you archived it for our own little “museum of perfection.”
I know. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT.
I am hoping–blind optimism–that it has not been torn down. I have been looking for estate sales since the original post and have not seen one. The listing has drawings and not photos. And, Zillow does not have a sales price–just the removal of the listing. Any way to confirm what the property looks like? Perhaps the lister is just phishing???…I know–blind optimism….