An email tip from reader Anne led us to this stunning time capsule house in time capsule house in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, which is listed for sale by Kay Agney from Higbie Maxon Agney Realtors. (Trivia: GPP is yet another city where Pam has lived.) This stately house is a stunner indeed. And if you were in disbelief at our recent Portland, Oregon, house with five vintage pastel bathroom, well, hold on to your hat, because this Michigan beauty counts seven — yes, that’s seven — vintage pastel tiled bathrooms. (The listing says it has six because they can not technically count the bath in the basement, we are told.) Other exciting details in the house are a garden entryway with an amazing vintage tile fountain and coordinating patterned tile on the walls and floors, a curved staircase and several fantastic retro rec rooms. Thanks to Matti from Mixed Media, we have both wonderful photos of this property and a very extensive video tour (link now gone) to drool over, too. Not only does this house have unique details — but it also has an interesting history — involving a possible secret passage.
From the listing:
- Price: $849,000
- Year built: 1950
- Square footage: 7,481
- Bedrooms: 5
- Bathrooms: 7
This fabulous and lovingly maintained Georgian Colonial features an interesting history! The updated kitchen will delight any chef, the spacious bedrooms have private baths, and the 2nd floor family room offers a wet bar and bath! Paneled library, garden room with a fountain, and beautiful grounds are only the beginning! Finished lower level with wine cellar, rec room, 2nd kitchen and 6th full bath! Extensive use of Italian marble and custom tile! Located on a Boulevard one block from elementary school!
The current owners are the fifth owners of the home — and over the years, they have continued to restore and maintain this beautiful property.
We are pretty darn sure in our guess that the tile and fixtures in all the bathrooms are original. Look closely — three of the bathrooms have tile covering not just the walls and floor, but also the ceiling.
The pink bathroom has a shower, tub and a dressing area.
The profile of the mirror/medicine cabinet in this white and burgundy bath is awesome — and the tile so nicely edges the room’s windows and floor.
Here’s a combination we don’t see every day — a vintage maroon and grey tiled bathroom where maroon is the main color. The hex tile floor with flower motif is so charming.
By the time we get to the 7th bathroom — all the colors must have been used up. Even though it is only white on white — the basket weave tile floor adds interest. We’ll hazard a guess — housekeeper’s bathroom?
If the seven vintage ceramic tile bathrooms didn’t impress you — this tile entryway — dubbed “the garden room” sure will. Detroit is home to the famous Pewabic Tile company. We wonder if this is Pewabic.
Just look at the beautiful pattern on the walls and floor — and then there is tile work on the fountain — amazing.
Also of note — this game room with inset linoleum flooring in a fun argyle like pattern. The warm fall colors are a wonderful complement to the wood paneling on the walls — we’re ready for a Ping Pong tournament, for sure!
Just when you thought the surprises were over — check out this vintage yellow steel kitchen in the basement. Pam calls these as: American Brand cabinets — if you squinch your eyes, you can see the hold in the center of the base cabinet doors where the cabinet pull went. 52PnB, do you agree?
Mega thanks to Kay Agney from Higbie Maxon Agney Realtors for allowing us to feature this wonderful property… to Matti from Mixed Media for allowing us to feature his photos and video of this truly beautiful time capsule house… and to reader Anne for the time capsule tip. Honestly, readers, you are just the greatest with all these tips — keep them coming! ?
The 411:
- If you are interested in learning more about this property, contact Kay Agney: office (888) 886-4060 or email her at kay@higbiemaxon.com.
- See the complete listing here. (link from 2013 no longer active)
To see more, larger pictures — view the slide show below. 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:
Amy in Sacramento, CA says
Exquisite! With 8 kids, I could fill that house…eventhough half are out of the house. 😉
Rick says
The 4th bathroom (pink) looks like a tub/shower and separate shower. Master (or Don’s) bath perhaps? Third bathroom (blue) is that a low and wide style toilet tank? Also, is that third one the basement bath; I don’t see a window in this one. They all are pretty impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Anne says
So glad you all loved this house and had the same reaction I did when I spotted it on realtor.com. Michigan is full of MCM treasures and this one is a strange beauty. I really hope that the new owners keep the fab bathrooms! The pink one is my fave hands down!!!
Julie L says
Whoa! Pam you have found the mother load!!! Amazing!
lisa says
Maybe the snitches are tiled into the walls? Kidding!!
Annie B. says
Is it possible to type while fainting from sheer delight?
When I regain consciousness, I hope my first sight is the ceiling tile of that pink bathroom. (Is this Heaven? No, Detroit.)
Kevin says
Absolutely amazing… these bathrooms are a tile-lover’s wet dream! I have a hard time choosing which one I like the best but probably the blue with pink trim has the edge because of all that detailing on the floor. And while it is hard to see beyond all of this ceramic heaven, I LOVE the oval-shaped chrome cabinet hardware in the peach/turquoise bathroom. Why don’t they still make imaginative hardware like this???. A side note, the accent tile in the burgundy bathroom looks like a dove gray, not white, the same color combo as the tile in my guest bath.
Pat M says
I notice that the sink in the white bathroom looks large and utilitarian, maybe in keeping with being a maid’s bathroom. Or do you think this is a photo distortion, too?
pam kueber says
Photo distortion, standard size sink, I’m pretty sure. That was a very common design.
Beth C says
Interesting that most of the bathrooms are ‘wet baths.’ That could be handy for someone in organized crime. Just bring in the hose and hose off the ceiling as well as the floor if needed… you know, if any dirty work had to be taken care of within the house.
Totally loving the tile color selections.
BungalowBILL says
You know, I was thinking how the bathroom in Scarface needed that kind of tile job.
Janet in CT says
You two are a hoot! Thanks for the laugh this morning!
Doug Camin @ House on Rynkus Hill says
Well these are just spectacular. I wonder what base was in the maroon bathroom before it got replaced.
Zoe says
Me too! I bet it was restrained, yet elegant 🙂