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Home / The Museum of Mid Century Material Culture / time capsule homes

Five vintage pastel bathrooms in this lovely 1942 capsule house — Portland, Oregon — 13 photos

pam kueber - Updated: August 12, 2017

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

Portland-time-capsule-with-five-pastel-bathsTour-a-Time-CapsuleWow. Not one. Not two. Not three. Not four. Yes: Five beautiful time capsule bathrooms in this 1942 house — just listed for sale — in Portland, Oregon. I received a call from real estate agent Susan Cassidy this evening, and on hearing the story, we rushed these photos on to the blog. It seems very unusual, to me, to see so many bathrooms in a house from 1942 — deep in the midst of the war years. And they are like a veritable catalog of the colors in vogue. Which color bathroom would you choose? Let’s look at more of the photos from this house — and you can take our quiz to see if we have a favorite. Oh, yes, and there’s more to this house than the bathrooms, of course: A beautiful, charming exterior… lovely moldings… and a knotty pine basement with built-in bar. 13 photos in all — and a large-size slide show at the end –>

We are rushing this story to press (so to speak) tonight … and it’s late … so we’ll keep the commentary short (for now) and let the (fabulous) photos tell the story… Let’s start with the charming exterior, I guess I’d call this a Tudor (?)… I want to say Dutch Colonial, but the roof line is wrong… anyway, kind of Tudor, kind of Colonial:

1943-brick-colonial-house-exterior1940s-brick-colonial-house-ext brick-doorway-entrance-1940s-cape-codAbove: Yikes, the brickwork around the entry way is phenomenal. Here’s the listing information:

This home was designed by Richard Sundeleaf and is full or rich detail. Spacious and inviting. The original features include gorgeous 1940’s baths, large master suite with sitting area, 2nd master on the main, classic “mad men” style rec room, hardwoods throughout, built ins, and lots of light. Storage everywhere, 2 car attached garage and sun room.

  • Price: $859,000
  • Year built: 1942
  • Traditional 2 story, Lap siding, wood, attached garage, full basement – partially finished, corner lot.
  • Sq. Ft.: 6,458
  • Bedrooms: 5
  • Full Bathrooms: 5
  • Interior Features: Dumbwaiter, Garage Door Opener, Hardwood Floors, Laundry, Wood Floors, Solar TubeExterior Features:Fenced, Garden, Patio, Storm Window
  • Kitchen Appliances:Down Draft, Built-in Dishwasher, Disposal, Pantry, Free-Standing Range
  • Fireplace Description:Wood
  • Number of Fireplaces: 3

1940s-pink-ceramic-tile-bathroom-and-dressing-area 1940s-pink-ceramic-tile-bathroomdental sinkBathroom #1 is pink and pink… Update: Listing agent tells me that, not visible in the photo above, there is a “dental sink” — see my story about dental sinks here. 
pink-and-black-vintage-bathroom-1940s-ceramic-tileBathroom #2 is pink and black…

vintage-black-and-white-ceramic-tile-bath-1940sBathroom #3 is white and black…

vintage-pink-and-blue-bathroom-ceramic-tile

Bathroom #4, pink and blue…Hey, remember Nora’s pink and blue bathroom — original owner in her original bathroom!?

yellow-and-black-ceramic-tile-vintage-bathroomBathroom #5 is yellow and black….

Which vintage bathroom is your favorite?

 

 

 

Oh… and we’re not done yet. Keep going:

Knotty-pine-den-with-fireplace knotty-pine-office-with-parquet-floors knotty-pine-paneling-in-rec-room-basement knotty-pine-rec-room-with-sputnik-light-and-fireplace

Many thanks to real estate agent Susan Cassidy for calling with this spectacular listing — and for giving us permission to feature these gorgeous photos for our forever-archive. Let’s find this house a buyer!

Links:

    • Listing – this house for sale
    • Susan Cassidy, Keller Williams. Note, if you are interested in this house, you can call Susan direct at 503-545-4950.

.

Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge and you can also read my captions… move forward or back via arrows below the photo… you can start or stop at any image:

1943-brick-colonial-house-exterior
1940s-brick-colonial-house-ext
brick-doorway-entrance-1940s-cape-cod
1940s-pink-ceramic-tile-bathroom-and-dressing-area
1940s-pink-ceramic-tile-bathroom
vintage-pink-and-blue-bathroom-ceramic-tile
pink-and-black-vintage-bathroom-1940s-ceramic-tile
yellow-and-black-ceramic-tile-vintage-bathroom
vintage-black-and-white-ceramic-tile-bath-1940s
walk-in-closet-off-master
entry-way-with-original-vintage-woodwork-and-door
1340s-dining-room-with-original-woodwork
living-room-1940s-original-woodwork-doorway
vintage-sitting-area-bay-windows
living-room-with-bay-window-and-fireplace-1940s
knotty-pine-den-with-fireplace
knotty-pine-office-with-parquet-floors
kitchen-eat-in-area-white
white-laminate-kitchen-wood-floor
white-laminate-kitchen
bedroom-beige
bedroom-with-built-in-shelves
bedroom-with-steps-into-sitting-room
built-in-shelving-around-fireplace-in-bedroom-vintage
vintage-bedroom-wood-flooring
walk-in-closet-with-built-in-shelving
bedroom-with-wood-flooring
childs-vintage-bedroom-with-dollhouse
office-with-wood-flooring
knotty-pine-rec-room-with-sputnik-light-and-fireplace
knotty-pine-paneling-in-rec-room-basement
basement-play-area
laundry
rear-exterior-of-1940s-cape-cod-brick
vintage-flagstone-patio
flagstone-patio-vintage-back-yard
garden-and-back-yard
arbor-swingset-vintage
back-porch-lined-with-mossy-brick-vintage

CATEGORIES:
The Museum of Mid Century Material Culture time capsule homes

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180 comments

Comments

  1. joan says

    March 6, 2013 at 10:54 pm

    Hi Pam;
    This home is dreamy – right down to the moss. Thanks for sharing. Oh, I have the same light fixture with the big round bulbs. It was here when we moved in and so many people have tried to get me to remove it. My hubby replaced one of the big bulbs with an ugly environmental corkscrew bulb and I took a fit. I am driving everyone crazy when they try to replace/update their homes and throw out the old.
    Joan

  2. Nan says

    March 4, 2013 at 4:24 pm

    Calgon! Take me awaaaaay…to Portland!

  3. Colleen Ray says

    February 28, 2013 at 11:25 pm

    This house is unbelievably gorgeous. I can’t get over the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. And a kitchen, dining room, laundry room, office(s), and every room is huge. I’d be willing to move to Portland if I could own this house. I absolutely love it.

  4. Darlene W says

    February 28, 2013 at 11:17 pm

    Please let me win the lottery!! I don’t think I would leave that house for anything but groceries and library books… *happy dreaming smile*

  5. Merlene says

    February 28, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    Does anyone but me think it strange to have the towel rack inside the shower in the pink bathroom? Gorgeous house! My 1941 colonial in DC has 4 1/2 baths. I wish they were all in such good condition. Beautiful, beautiful home!

    • Merlene says

      February 28, 2013 at 2:31 pm

      Also, if I had a little girl, I would want her to have the pink and blue bath with the pale green walls. Darling!

  6. Aleta says

    February 24, 2013 at 3:18 pm

    OMG – I am madly in lerv with this one and know right where it is!! Beautiful neighborhood – oh I do miss Portlandia! Thank you for providing this link and photos – that peachy pink bath is just – heaven!!!

  7. Amy in Sacramento, CA says

    February 24, 2013 at 2:01 pm

    I do SO wish we could afford this house…I’d move up to Portland in a heartbeat for this house! Gorgeous!

  8. Cynthia says

    February 24, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    Wow, wow, wow. I am madly in love with all of it. What an amazing house!

  9. Vicki Simon says

    February 24, 2013 at 1:31 pm

    I always love it when these pastel tiled bathrooms are kept intact and celebrated for the charm that they exude. I only wish the wall colors were more cohesive with the tile colors. As itis now, there is a battle for visual hierarchy and the walls are winning when it should be the magnificent tile in first place!

    It would be nice to see the house staged withh more period pieces too! But it is a magnificent example of the beauty of original intact architecture.

    • Mary says

      June 8, 2014 at 3:57 pm

      I disagree with you. With the exception of the last bedroom shown, the yellow one, these bathrooms are fabulous. And I think the tiles look superb with the wall colors. The tiles do not have to be the centr of attention. The colors are so fabulously great together that I do not experience any “competition” at all……..simply beautiful complimentary colors.
      WOW!
      Great home. Too bad it is on the Pacific coast. That place won’t be inhabitable soon with all the Fukushima radiation piling up there.
      Of interested in that issue go to ENEnews.com……..and let that information be your guide regarding where to live or not live.

  10. Jason says

    February 23, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    Can’t put my finger on it but the rest of the interior rooms look very much like the interiors of British homes. Very beautiful home!

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