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:
Jeff says
Okay, Pam, I woke up to this, and you’re to blame for me snarfing my coffee, and literally falling out of my computer chair! This is without doubt, the finest mid century home I’ve ever seen. And I’ve seen alot of them…..makes mine look like the ugly stepsister/outhouse in comparison. I think I’ll just start rent a bulldozer and plow mine under, because it’s not worthy! LOL. Turquoise front doors with starbursts (like mine) total flip out….
pam kueber says
🙂
Kate chased the photos and processed them all — a big task — so she gets the major dose of coffee-snarfing credit!
Jeff says
Kate!
Penny says
When I first saw that angled window, I thought I might have finally found the house in an old tv movie from probably the early nineties that I saw on TV recently with Gwyneth Paltrow. I don’t think it is, but that is one spectacular piece of architecture! Drool worthy! But if anyone knows the movie and house I’m talking about let me know (it could have just been a set of course, but it was so specifically MCM for no reason that I feel like it’s a real house)!
oh Holland says
The angles throughout … spectacular. And nobody’s messed the purity of Polivka’s design for 43 years.
Lauryn says
Wow, I’m damn near speechless. Except to say, I want to hold our next annual Mint Julep party there. Incredible space.
Sara of WA says
They must have had amazing masons and craftsman work on this project. Not your basic lines. The low long (long, long) line is just fantastic. I have old house plan books with 2000 sq.ft. versions of the stretched out “v” but this takes the cake. I think I would still be staring at the front door area deciding what to plant in the built in window planter while the rest of the tour debates the toilet situation. I’ll catch up. Absolutely wonderful.
Kelly Wittenauer says
Wow! By far the best time capsule yet. And lakefront too!
julia-tagandtibby says
wow wow wow. this is gorgeous! love the architectural details + the doors
Johnny says
What can one say that hasn’t already been said? It’s reassuring to see that there are so many ardent admirers of what I’ve loved for so long. We should all be so fortunate to live in such a dream home although, I’d prefer mine in No. California.
Scott says
Wheeeeeeeeeeee @ the starburst doorknobs.
Kathy C says
What is getting me the most is how great that slate floor is and how the grout is clean! My slate entry way with 1958 grout looks shameful compared to this gleaming beauty! They must have re-grouted, or they had the best cleaning person in the world! I would love my entry way to shine like that, but I’m afraid to re-grout!