Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Aloha! Today, a 1973 tiki time capsule house in Houston just begging for new owners who want to transform it into a Polynesian Paradise. The house has all the right bones — flagstone flooring, groovy patterned tile, bamboo cabinet pulls, a geometric room divider… but golly, the walls are kind of bare… calling out for… grasscloth, thatch — or maybe even metallic flocked wallpaper. We are are in lust at the thought of reviving this Polynesian Paradise.
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Robert Searcy is rocking our retro realtor world with the time capsule house listings, complete with great photos, he sends to us these days. Way to market, Robert, way to market! We love to be part of your promotional world — because we get to archive these photos forever after. It’s a win-win-win — always great!
From the listing:
- Price: $325,000
- Year built: 1973
- Square footage: 2,991
- Bedrooms: 3
- Bathrooms: 2 full/2 half
Mid-century modern with a Polynesian twist! Nearly 3,000 SF w/1 living area & 3 BRs, so all the room sizes are BIG! Grand living area w/magnificent flagstone floors, chinoiserie room divider & arched doorway to formal dining. MEGA master closet w/cedar lined section + luxo baths. BR wing terrazzo tiled, no carpet! Imposing street presence w/port-cochere & circle drive, +2 car garage. Corner lot in primo section. Loaded w/character & architectural details. Adjacent lot included 24k SF lot total.
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
The home’s main living area features gorgeous flagstone floors and a large geometric room divider. All the walls in the house are notably bare. Surely there was far out wallpaper there before? You know, we kind of like the blank canvas.
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Round windows — like the one above — are always fun to see, but this one is especially groovy because of its decorative ironwork window grate.
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
The kitchen has a very open feeling and a long expanse of countertop, perfect for serving up tiki drinks. Decorative vintage tiles line the front of the bar and provide a fun backsplash for the rest of the kitchen area. We also spotted cabinet pulls that mimic bamboo.
Photos by TK Images Real Estate Photography
Mega thanks to our retro Realtor friend Robert Searcy for sending this fantastic property our way!
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What a magnificent house! I am weeping with envy at all that closet and storage space! This is a huge house and it didn’t look that big from the outside photos, and then to have such an expansive backyard – whatta joint! And those bathrooms – WOW! Could someone who is a native Texan or in the know please tell me what the big tree is in front of the house, and maybe the same in the backyard? Frankly, I am totally at a loss as to how to decorate and furnish this house – too much to think about for me! I would get lost in this house!!!
I live 2 hours east of Houston.. The tree looks like a white oak perhaps… It’s not as wide and full as a live oak. And it happens to have some Spanish moss growing in it ( the wispy beard like stuff).
The leaf size and shape tell me they are live oaks. They have that classic live oak branching as well.
Yes I agree, those are Live Oaks…very old ones, too, they are slow growers. Beautiful.
I appreciate the one photo of the pantry (?) area that shows the cabinets in black with natural wood doors.
My kitchen had walnut stained cabinets with white doors. It was ugly. For a quick fix, I painted the cabinets aqua and freshened up the winter white on the doors but I have had the intention to eventually strip the cabinets and stain them ebony and if I can get the door color light enough, to leave them natural (if not to paint them Miro inspired).
Its nice to see that the black and wood goes well with a white countertop….altho I envision stainless in my kitchen.
WOW what a great house. I just love the feel of it. It even includes a vintage SMC Laguna ceiling fan in the room with that incredible round window!
Actually it’s an Evergo fan from the 70s. Cool house and cool fan.
What a house! But, a tiki house without a pool?? Record scratch! The first thing I’d do is get to digging a sweet kidney pool outside…. and inside, grass cloth and foil, definitely!
I think there might have been a pool that has been filled in- in that huge empty backyard there is a faint pattern suggesting the edge of a kidney shaped pool.
Thanks for the feature! Yes, originally there was a light grass-cloth in the main living areas. It really pulled the dark wood and flagstone floors together and looked great. Unfortunately it had gotten in bad shape and the owner removed it to provide a blank slate. But it would really pop if it were put back in. Another cool feature that doesn’t show up well in the photos is the pagoda shaped lantern lighting in the carport and covered patio areas.
Wow! I wonder if you had the good fortune to see the house while it was still furnished. Any background story to the house?
I can envision the interiors and no Kate it wasn’t Tiki, I was thinking something more sedate. The price amazes me. Where I live, the house size and large lot would command a price 3 times greater.
but it could be tiki Jay! 🙂
Of course, of course. Just teasing you however after Pam’s incident with the Tiki gods, I think I’ll take a pass, you never know.
Jay, That is the great thing about living in Texas. The cost of living is fairly low here and there isn’t a state income tax. 🙂
You should see what 3 times the price will buy you. 😉
The walls provide a “blank slate” for sure. Too-much almond! Some bright colors of the day would have been fun. And the stainless-steel appliances are a distraction. Even plain old white would have been better. But, at that price, the buyer should be able to customize.
Oh my goodness!! I just love a Polynesian Ranch. That tile in the kitchen and bathrooms is to die for! What a fantastic design idea. Is the building in the backyard a shed or guest house? Love that it matches the main house architecturally. Drooling over this one. It would be so much fun to go Polynesian/Tiki crazy in this place.
Pam and Kate – I know it’s a lot of work for you guys but it would be cool to see some decorating ideas on this one – wallpaper, drapes, furniture, rugs, etc.
SCRUMPTIOUS
Blondie7
I’m hearing ‘Chinoiserie’ and ‘pagoda’ and thinking that’s the waybto go, rather than tiki. 1930s Shanghai. Not sedate but classic…
I concur with Carol Dent, take the special oriental features and run with it.
Agree, I’d say it may have been more Chinese-Asian inspired than Polynesian when it was built, but a Tiki theme sure would liven it up some… fun! Break out those Mai-Tais!
Wow, so much to like about this house! Pure early 70s, for sure. That roof line was probably called Polynesian in brochures and ads. Earth tone flooring in darker shades, dark wood flat front cabinets, and lighter neutrals have a yellow base. And those bold, sunny mega-patterned tiles in the kitchen! Almost identical to the ones in my parents’ 1973 cabana bathroom, but theirs were beige background with sunburst in brown, rust, gray. And textured laminate kitchen counters – like slate tiles. Imagine harvest gold appliances instead of stainless steel, and you probably have the original look.
I wanna go Chinoiserie wallpaper, lacquered furniture, jade elephants, ceramic garden stools, and pottery with bamboo. I don’t really see the tiki thing… now a teahouse gazebo… that’s something else!
I would love to put in a koi pond.
Could see injecting some Art Deco glam though. But that could just be my Art Deco fetish showing.
If I went beachy I think I would go more Florida than Hawaii. It has enough space to really show off pastel and shimmery. Tiki can run dark for me, honestly.
It’s Asian modern and fantastic…
The price is ridiculous! If this house were in Denver, it would be twice as much! If it weren’t for the humidity, heat, and bugs, I’d could see myself there. So, thanks for bringing this to us in pictures, minus all the drawbacks.
It’s a blank slate for gardening too. That’s a lot of grass. The gardener in me would love to go crazy with native plants and make that huge yard feel as special as the inside.
Wow. SO very gorgeous just as it is, don’t change a thing!