For this 1961 time capsule house, by architect John Polivka just outside Minneapolis, I’m pulling out all my favorite adjectives, this house is: Stunning, spectacular, amazing, jaw-dropping, drop-dead gorgeous. Thanks to selling agent Jacob Smith of Sotheby’s International Realty for giving us permission to feature this house, and to reader Dan, who sent us this tip! Pictures tell this story, so move along, we worked overtime this Friday night to load up a slide show 66 beautiful photos — taken by Mike McCaw of Spacecrafting — who clearly had immense fun capturing the gorgeous linearity of this house on camera.
According to the listing, this house was built in 1961. Covering just over 4,100 s.f., it has four bedrooms and fours baths. It sits on fully recreational Sweeney Lake and is just five minutes from Minneapolis. It is for sale for $1.25 million. A hefty sum, yes, but just keep lookin’ and you will understand.
Alas, we have rushed these photos to the blog so fast that we do not have information on the architect. The house seems to be a study in linearity. It also appears to have been impeccably maintained.
Update: Thanks to Retro Love Affair, who told us that the architect was John Polivka – you can read his biography here (link now gone, alas).
Take a look at a quick selection of shots, then head to the gallery below:
Note the restrained palette — a rich warm brown brown, light colored brick, black slate tile and beams:
And pay attention — the two kitchen photo aboves — that is LIGHTING underneath all those beamed panels on the ceiling. This lighting design is repeated in bathrooms and throughout the house — that is, minimal use of “ceiling fixtures”, upstairs especially. The vintage refrigerators are Revco, I’d guess — see this story.
And, oh my my, take a look at the staircase: Again, linearity is the rule of the day:
In the bathrooms, note the use of small square mosaic tiles — this is EASILY REPLICATED today!
The house is situated to enjoy the vista across Sweeney Lake:
Yes, we like to show lots of mid century modest houses here on the blog — because they are wonderful, too, and we do not want them to get lost in the shuffle of the seemingly ever-onward aspirations in our society today. That said, we ADORE a gorgeous, architect mid-century modern masterpiece as much as the next person. Golly heck, we adore this house!
Repeat of link love:
- Listing – 1961 time capsule house [link now expired]
- Thanks to agent Jacob Smith of Sotheby’s International Realty for permission
- Super thanks to Mike McCaw of Spacecrafting for the photos — he sent us all these high-resolution photos to feature!
- And thanks, Dan, for your tip. Readers, we love you! Keep those tips coming!
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:
Kathy says
WOW! Just amazing! It’s really beautiful. I love the slate floors. The lighting is too much for me, but the subdued tones are different than what I thought of before. Very nice!
Christopher j Budai says
Yes a increadable home simple but very elegant at the same time,its a shame that homes like this are not built that much anymore hope who ever buys it does not gut the interior that would be a horrible thing
Amy says
I’m in luv – all the room, the flow – all the woods & neutrals. A perfect backdrop for popping some period colors like aqua, avacado and chartreuse! Credit to the owners who had the foresight not to “update!”
mariegamalski@icloud.com says
Curious if anyone knows what’s under the carpet?… Pristine terrazzo perhaps??? Love the metal rod room divider at kitchen ….
Marie says
WOW!!!! The only thing to say really!! The price for that house in that condition actually seems quite reasonable (not that I have it!) here’s hoping whoever buys it appreciates how spectacular it is and doesn’t change a thing
Michele says
Rey, you are right, of course – love is still blind as a bat. I think I would actually sacrifice my considerable modesty for a chance to inhabit this dwelling. Such a trollop for mid-century modern, I am I am.
REY says
Absolute perfection (except for the open master bath).
Michele says
I am utterly, painfully, overwhelmingly in love. (I grew up in a mid-century modern home and, unfortunately, didn’t appreciate it fully until years after I left home.) I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such perfection – it actually hurts to look at it but I can’t stop. Thank you so much for hooking us up with so many outstanding photos – I’m off now to pine away for my unrequited lost love.
Gayle Kirkman says
This is Gayle again, Brother Dan V says it is not the Island House that we lived in, but that the Island House Has been totally redone also and is awesome. You should feature that house too. It is on Sweeny Lake too.
Gayle Viehman Kirkman
Gayle Kirkman says
I think I lived in this house before the remodel. The only thing I recognize is staircase. Was this house on the grounds of Glenwood Hills Medical? We lived in this house for about 10 years and it looked nothing like this. THe contractor had to gut the whole thing inside and out. It was built originally with hospital materials. Very metal and glass and terazzo tile. I had my wedding reception in this house and have some pictures of how it looked if you want to see them. WE called it the Island house.
Gayle Viehman Kirkman
andrew says
would love to compare
Cysco says
I love my house and it’s not often that I see another house and think “yah, I’d take that over my place.” But DAMN! I’d dump my place so fast to live there. (please don’t tell my house I said that) 🙂
That is one STUNNING house.