Chris and Angela wrote to me a few months ago, excited because they were about to close on a beautiful 1964 mid-century modern home in Wisconsin. Well, the deal went through successfully, and now this cute-overload couple is happily playing house in their stunning, designer-built house — a time capsule with mint-condition original lighting, Nutone, basement bar and heavens to betsy: two flocked wallpapers.
Before I launch Chris, let me explain that when he originally wrote, the couple was concerned about the sunset tan bathroom — didn’t quite know what to do with it even though they are “designer types.” I pointed them to a photo of one of my bathrooms, in which I used Home Depot “rose beige” tiles, and suggested something akin to the mint green, aqua and brown combination I used for wallpaper, linens and accessories. You can see how they picked up and ran with the suggestion in their bathroom design experiment to date.
So here’s the story and all the awesome 1964 time capsule eye candy. Chris writes:
Hi Pam,
My wife and I were lucky enough to just purchase this beautiful 1964 home. Our house is an original one of a kind. The original owners we bought the house from designed the floor plan and many of the details were constructed by the owner himself. Beautiful features, fixtures, stonework.
We are not finished decorating any of this yet, but had to share now since it will be a while until it’s finished. These are all just items we already had that we’re using until we find better suited ones, along with nice drapes.
The chocolate & mint accessories in the bathroom will work once we find ones we like, thanks for the color tip!
As you can see, right now we’re experimenting with chocolate, green and cyan.
The bathroom is nearly as-new with hardly any wear (they used the similar but smaller blue bathroom which will be undergoing restoration shortly). About the only non-original item is the faucet.
Note long sliding medicine cabinet under the mirror with an electrical outlet inside. Slanted cabinets. Also we have the NuTone 3-in-1 heater, light and fan.
Needless to say, this room will stay as-is forever. We need to find a chair appropriate for the dressing area,
and I need to clean that floor grout. Pretty easy restoration, I’d say!
Next up is our main hall with what we call
our “UFO” light fixture 🙂
And our cozy fireplace room that we’ve accessorized temporarily with some Danish Modern influences.
We love our dotted light fixtures here, too. NuTone built-in doorbell here, too. This room’s flooring is an interesting laminate that is clear with laminate chips in it that looks like pebbles in water. Unfortunately there is a lot of damage, so will need to be replaced eventually.
Entry tile. Pink/green, though camera flash brings out the
color. It’s more subdued. [Pam adds: I like the look of that wallpaper, too.]Last up is our basement 1960’s paneled family room. We are starting to furnish and accessorize this room now in all oranges and greens. Need to find some orange barstools!
Oh, and can’t forget a couple samples of our flocked bedroom wallpaper, one orange… [Pam adds: I couldn’t resist putting these images in super-size. Blow your mind, mon!]
…one blue.
Great site, it’s our favorite… keep up the good work!
Chris & Angela, near Milwaukee, WI
Thank you, Chris and Angela, for doing this great archiving of your home and for sharing it with us. Fantastic house — and you two sound like you are the perfect caretakers. I can’t wait to see what else you do with it, over time. xoxo
Bonus quiz:
Bridget from Cali says
I dig that you’re both loving on this retro hip home. I will always love certain design elements from this ultra swanky era, but I am not sure I would want to totally immerse myself in that style. I can’t believe I like that bathroom – wall paper and all! I will always find the beige and pink color palette with pops of metallic quite pleasing. That atomic hall light fixture is awesome too. I adore that groovy white hanging bulb lamp too. My warm sentiment for the sixties stop with faux wood wall panelling. Nothing could induce me to like that particular look. Too bad you live across the country, I have some mid-century modern pieces that deserve folks like you who will truly cherish them!
Lee says
Must. Have.
Bill Coady says
This is just totally awesome! I love all the woodwork. Whenever my wife and I see a place like this we always say, “super swanky” and we mean in the most wonderful way. And that is what your place is, super swanky!
sandy retroSpective says
Wow! This home is SO my style! I love that bathroom, the slanted bathroom cabinets and the horizontal sliding medicine cabinet are awesome! And, even though you mentioned it is laminate, from the photos your living room floor looks like terrazzo.
Rebecca Prichard says
AWESOME find! I love the ufo light fixture. And the cabinets in the bathroom, how hey slant out-too cool!
Amanda White says
Chris and Angie,
This is a very nice write up about your house. You two are hard workers, and have been doing a great job. I must admit I love seeing it in person, and getting your email photo updates. It is a very fitting house for my very cool artistic friends.
Birgitta says
Our fireplace looks very similar to yours. Same stones and ours also goes all the way to the ceiling. We also have a 1964 ranch outside of Milwaukee.
John D Taylor says
You guys have such a beautiful home. It is nice to see that others besides myself appreciate the beauty of such a Time Capsule as yours.
Thank you ever so much for sharing with all of us out here in Retro Land.
JT
dawn johnson says
OMG, my bathroom is the same color (I had no idea that color had a name), we have the slanted cabinets, same exact closet doors, and a Nutone stove hood. Our ranch was built in 1960.
MrsErinD says
What an absolutely gorgeous home!!! Great job.