What a fabulous week it’s been — topped off last night with a great phone call with Pennsylvania real estate agent Jeffrey Hogue, who gave me permission to feature his photos from his listing of this fabulous 1965 time capsule house. Yes, complete with a professional beauty parlor in the basement. Thank you, Jeffrey. Snaps, too, to reader Jamie, who sent me this tip. Luv.
This fun and fabulous in-home bar makes it on to the homepage, too. Golly, did I just use the word “fabulous” a third time? I guess I’m excited by the orange-and-brown (wood?) stripes … the tic-tac-toe wine bottle holder … the scalloped indoor awning designed to hold can lights … those yellow shelves behind orange arches. Who thought this space up? They were fabulous.
Above: Setting the scene before I further amaze you with…
… the kitchen. Are those authentic Saarinen tulip chairs, do ya think?
The ceiling in this kitchen has pushed me over the top: I neeeeeeed to wallpaper a ceiling, stat. I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna.
The living room is sedate, by comparison. Love the chartreuse upholstery. S0 1965. So 2012. And the window treatments: Please, new owners, don’t change them! Fortunately, Jeffrey says that houses like this — retro time capsules with style — usually find appreciative buyers. This house is in Reading, Pa, about 50 miles outside Philadelphia. I was so pleased to talk to Jeffrey, who said he tells sellers of houses like this not to change anything. Buyers either want completely renovated — or completely original; no middle ground, he said, because a house can’t be half-one and half-the-other. It just does not compute. Love the house you’re in. Sell the house you’ve loved.
Original 1965 George Nelson bubble light — on a pulley? Any experts out there to confirm?
The green chairs! Swanky!
You know what else Jeffrey said that made me really happy? He said that very typically, the owners of these older homes … original or longtime owners … almost always took care of the houses, impeccably. “If anything broke, they fixed it right away.” Theirs was not a disposable, “oh if it breaks, I’ll just get a new one” generation. Stuff was made to last if you took care of it, and they took care of it.
Link love:
- This home in Reading, Pa., is for sale for $164,900
- See all the homes for sale by Jeffrey Hogue, Realtor, Berks County, Penn.
Passerby says
My favorite time capsule house of late. Built in 1950, La Mesa, CA. Someone remodeled the kitchen, but the rest is intact and amazing. Check out the knotty pine bar with a built in television and reel to reel!
Passerby says
Oops… link didn’t show up.
http://www.redfin.com/CA/La-Mesa/9308-Mesa-Vista-Ave-91941/home/5608422
SD Amy says
I LOVE that house in La Mesa, too bad I don’t have nearly 1 million. Sure hope they don’t touch anything else in that home… But, if they do, I’ll be the first one there at the garage sale
Mike says
Reading is about 50 miles outside of Philly, not 15 (unfortunately for me, because this house is amazing.)
pam kueber says
I’m correcting this! Thanks, all, my bad hearing on the phone last night!
Jason says
My Mommom had a beauty salon built onto her homes. She has her last house since having to retire, but kept doing hair for certain people out of her new home for some years after that. But, this brings back memories! The hussle and bussle of the ladies in and out all day – it was a great time for her and always fun for the rest of us!
Christa says
Oh, how delightful. Each photo is more fantastic than the last. It makes me want to move to Reading and get my cosmetology license!
retrojunkie58 says
LMAO! I have drank and done hair at the same time!
Laurie V says
How fun is that house! You can drink and do hair at the same time, perfect combination!
hannah says
I have to ask: Is that Barbie’s “Pop-Up” Basement Bar? 😀
Laura says
WOW… all this glorious retro 60’s goodness – and so close to home! I am loving that bar! I would be painting my bar to mimic that one if mine weren’t a glorious knotty pine number with original stools and a scalloped overhang.
Mod Betty is right… It’s a fun area with lots to offer. I am sure this house will find an appreciative new owner.
Laura
Kristen says
My grandma (just turned 89!) still has her beauty salon in the basement of her house – with those cool dryer chairs! I love the salon but always hated the straight razor haircuts she gave me 🙂 She has not done hair in a long time, and she still has gobs of vintage supplies NOS. I poke around occasionally and grab stuff for display on my mid-mod bathroom shelves 🙂
Mod Betty / RetroRoadmap.com says
I saw Jamie post that link too, and have positively gone head over heels for that bar! Reading is an interesting old city, with the Peanut Bar and even a Pagoda on the top of a hill (I’ve covered both for Retro Roadmap) – but just to let folks know, it’s closer to 60 miles outside of Philly proper, not 15.
But where this fab house is is close to home of Tom Sturgis pretzel factory, and less than 10 miles north of Adamstown, PA – a great place for antiquing, with a diner, brewery and great roadside icecream stand.
We live about 30 miles away in Phoenixville, home of The Blob, and would love to have more Retro Renovation Readers in our neck of the woods, so come on down!
Jamie D says
::waves at Phoenixville::
Just to add to what you’ve said, even though Reading is about 50ish miles from Philly, the location of that particular house would make a commute to Philly pretty easy because it’s located close to 176, the PA turnpike, and not too far from 422.
Our housing is so cheap here compared to the Philly area that some people are willing to do the commute.
Now if we only had a train…