Same owners for 70+ years, this 1940 Seattle time capsule house has the most amazing basement ever — 24 photos

Imagine living in one home for more than 70 years. The original owners of this charming 1940 time capsule in Seattle, Washington — listed by Realtor Lynly Callaway did just that. Over the years they thoughtfully decorated, loved and cared for every square inch — evident by the many unique custom details — from the adorable vintage kitchen to the extraordinary nautical-themed knotty pine basement. A home this charismatic was sure to go fast, and is already under contract. The hopefully soon-to-be new owners undoubtedly also fell in love with the original charm found in this house. Thanks to reader Kim for pointing us in the property’s direction and photographer Miguel Edwards from Vista Estate Imaging, for allowing us to feature his photos of this very special listing. 

 

From the listing:

• Year built: 1940
• Price: $569,000
• Sq. Ft.: 2,150
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 1.75

Classic and timeless, this home is located on a wonderful “Sound-view” street in the heart of Sunset Hill! Lovingly maintained, and loaded with character and charm, this 1-story with basement home boasts custom crafted elements and gracious living spaces. Gorgeous main-floor hardwood flooring, a spacious & bright family room, & an expansive basement area are just a few highlights of this home. Excellent proximity to restaurants, the Ballard Locks, Shilshole Marina, & popular Golden Gardens Park!

This adorable vintage kitchen is filled with fun accents — the matching red and white enamel table and chairs, the half circle built-in shelving, and a cozy corner sink.

Taking a closer look — we can see that the sink area takes full advantage of the view provided by the corner windows. Every bit of space is utilized in this modest kitchen, including the cupboards in the soffit over the sink. Decorative scalloped moulding and tile accents add to the kitchen’s coordinated look. Do I spy Hall-Mack recessed soap dishes on either side of the wall mounted faucet?

The home’s main bathroom — by contrast to the kitchen — feels very lavish. Its Hollywood Regency accents, metallic wallpaper and extravagant chandelier make this bathroom feel like a dressing room for the stars.

The upstairs is a total dream, but wait: The out-of-this-world magic of this home can be found in the basement. Descending the stairs is like boarding a ship — nautical details are everywhere.

The wood work alone is the stuff dreams are made of — from the cut outs on the railing to the scalloped trim. Every space was optimized for maximum storage, with many closets and cupboards hidden by glowing wood doors. Even the utilitarian laundry area was made to feel special with matching storage cabinets, window treatments and a linoleum area rug pattern tiled directly into the floor. And, of course, it all looks to have been impeccably maintained.

The bar area must have been home to many good times. The lowered ceiling in this area of the basement helps the bar feel like a separate, defined space and the round table and banquette seating make clever use of what must be a hidden support column.

Mirrors behind the seating reflect the fireplace and living area on the opposite side of the room — and make the space feel larger and brighter by reflecting the natural light from the basement windows.

On the other side of the basement sits a living area that acts as a guest bedroom and office. This part of the basement boasts one of the seller’s favorite original features. According to listing agent Lynly Callaway:

One of the coolest features of the basement wasn’t ready by the time we did our original photo shoot. In keeping with the nautical-theme of the basement, two of the walls (bottom half) were “wrapped” in a custom canvas with grommets and rope secured to the chair rail to emulate being on a boat.

Lynly and photographer Miguel Edwards were kind enough to take time to return to the home (even after it was under contract) to make sure this fun original detail was captured for our story.

Mega thanks to Realtor Lynly Callaway for going above and beyond to get permission for us to feature this home from the sellers and the buyers and for working with photographer Miguel Edwards from Vista Estate Imaging to return to the property and capture the additional details of this home’s fabulous nautical themed basement just for our story. We LOVE this house, and wish the new owners many happy years in it!