Now added to my list of top-10 time capsule houses of all time: This mind-blowingly exquisite 1955 midcentury modern home in Minneapolis — the William and Irma Dale/Victor House –designed by acclaimed architect Carl Graffunder for his sister and family, who were owners of a local tile shop. And their tile shop must have been something indeed, because for this home, they created some of the most beautiful tile installations I have ever seen. Tile is featured in every room — beautifully — complemented by glowing woodwork, including loads of pecky cypress. This house is going on the market today — co-listed by Scott Acker and Bruce Erickson of Coldwell Banker Burnet. It’s not even on the MLS quite yet! AND: Thanks to our wonderful friends at Spacecrafting, we have 69 photos to show you. Get ready — this one is amaaaazing!
- PHOTO VIEWING TIP: You can click on any photos in this story and they should double in size on screen. Keep clicking on the photo you have enlarged and all the photos should play like a slide show.
From the listing for this midcentury modern marvel:
The William and Irma Dale/Victor House
Significant mid-century modern jewel by acclaimed architect Carl Graffunder, designed for his sister and family – owners of a local tile shop. This case study home is a one-of-a-kind property that’s available for sale to the public for the first time in history. Exquisite period details, extraordinary tile work – including vintage mosaics and integrated shuffle board court, walls of glass, post & beam wood ceiling, cantilevered tile wrapped fireplace, hand crafted built-in’s and sweeping views of Diamond Lake. Listed in the AIA Guide to the Twin Cities, this centrally located, meticulous architectural home seamlessly blends the indoors with the outdoors and offers a Zen-like lifestyle.
BEDROOMS 4 BATHROOMS 3 GARAGE STALLS 2 ACREAGE .29 BUILT 1955 FSF 3,242 DIAMOND LAKE VIEWS
The house is on the market for $719,000.
Above: I hereby predict that these kitchen photos will inspire hundreds of kitchen designs across American in months to come!
And remember: This was 1955! Such a forward thinking home!
Above: We can’t even imagine how expensive it would be to replicate a fireplace like this today.
And those ceilings! Not only beautiful, but all that tile could be quite loud — the wood everywhere else soaks up the sound. Tile: also cold. Wood: warm.
Yikes! This is a two story wall of tile flanking the staircase! Can you imagine the patience that would have been required to install this wall of tile!
Above: Here’s the staircase where that two-story wall of mosaics sits!
Above; Again, note the two-story mosaic tile wall (on the left, heading downstairs.) And YES: That is a mosaic tile shuffleboard!
Wow: We love how the accent wall of small mosaics — it reads like a headboard in this bedroom.
Yes, we’d love to see the floor plan. It looks like much of the storage is built in — lovely!
This bathroom: It sure inspires me. Lookie that colorful mosaic in the loo!
Above: Okay, now we are downstairs. I’ll shut up now.
Link love:
- View the listing, co-listed by Scott Acker and Bruce Erickson of Coldwell Banker Burnet here.
- Thank you so much (!) Spacecrafting — photos by Nathan Treanor — for the amazing photos and permission to show them. Mike and Anthony and Nathan, you rock our world!
Hey, remember this Minneapolis midcentury marvel time capsule house from a few years ago? Photos also by Spacecrafting. So far, it has been our most popular time capsule house ever! Big question: Will this tile house masterpiece beat it??
We have 69 photos in all! View the slide show:
Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge and you can also read my captions… click anywhere to move forward and look for previous and next buttons within photo to move back or forth… you can start or stop at any image:
Cysco says
I’ve only said this once (on a previous time capsule thread).
I consider my house a work of art and I absolutely adore it. That said, I’d kick my house to the curb for a chance to live in this house!
All the tile work is mind blowing, but all the cabinet work is equally stunning.
I’m blown away how good of condition the house is in. The previous owner truly treasured it.
Thanks for posting this awesome house!
Pat in PA says
I would give anything to live in a house that I would never have to go through the agonizing decisions of what color to paint my walls… 🙂
pam kueber says
yup!
Sara says
I live in the Twin Cities and have a realtor friend… I am SO going to see this house!! Drool!
Bon says
Hi, this is actually a response to quite an old post, but I was wondering if you still have the Optima Elite typewriter, specifically the manual. I have an Optima Elite and have been looking for a manual.
pam kueber says
Nope. Gave it to the school for the drama department, as the carraige turned out to be broken.
Kristi says
I live a few blocks from this house, I bike past it often. I hope that it goes to new owners who love it…it is an amazing home.
Debra says
Oh be still my heart! Every inch of this beauty is like the day it was first crafted. As a Realtor I hope that whoever makes this MCM Diamond their home does not set a course to strip the home of its one of a kind features. Stunning from every angle inside & out. A masterpiece!
Joe Felice says
Did anyone notice the baseboard heaters below the full-length windows are open at the top to warm the glass? I love all the different textures, both actual and visual, of the tile, especially in the kitchen. Although the appliances are new, they are very unobtrusive, so as not to detract from the period feel. Even the range hood is “barely there.” The AC units throughout are also unobtrusive. Thank God they didn’t install window-mounted units! And the folding bamboo curtains in the office are the bomb! The exterior actually belies the architectural treasures within!
Carol says
I saw them and my first thought was beach mats? I then scrolled through the pics looking for more and found the closets have the same type of material which I originally thought were vinyl folding doors. I might try the beach mats with a new heavy twill border if I can find some wide enough for the window length. Beach mats are so cheap they are practically free. I have always loved this look for window shades, but the mechanisms for raising and lowering are a pain. Pecky cypress, white outdoor chairs on the entry landing, cabinets, headboard wall etc. just beautiful.
Joe Felice says
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else comes along to entice your senses! And isn’t that, really, the purpose of this site? I mean we all sit here just waiting for the next post that takes us back to a most-miraculous time when creativity and inventiveness was boundless. And then we smile with pride, knowing what America used to be. . .
Norma Beaird says
Joe,
My husband and I were just talking about it the other day – how the homes of yesterday were so unique and different. Residential neighborhoods had many different styles, not the cookie-cutter McMansions that we see today.
Driving through a brand new subdivision today is simply boring and almost depressing. Same ‘ole monstrosity that has a lot of space and granite countertops, but no character or charm. How I wish that they designed homes like they did years ago.
Mary Elizabeth says
Because all of us who comment on this site love the unique features of midcentury architect-designed and custom-built homes, we forget that not every family could afford them. There were plenty of cookie-cutter developments that went up after the war. When there is a population boom or an industrial expansion in an area, there is a need for quickly built, affordable homes. Remember the Malvina Reynolds song:
“Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes, little boxes all the same.
There’s a red one and a blue one
And a green one and a yellow one,
And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky,
And they all look just the same.”
pam kueber says
That said, I have consistently found that inside mid-century modest houses, we find an equal measure of delightful architectural features.
Jane says
Our little mid century modest has a very large, elegant and beautiful big sister – about 2 blocks away. Both built in 1959. I was able to wander through the big house during a recent open house. Apart from the obvious difference of size (sister is 3x the size of ours) the similarities are startling. Placement of the corner bedroom windows; the 2 original bathrooms are
identical to our little house’s one bathroom; exactly the same slate tile, laid in the exact same pattern; the lovely hardwood.
There is definitely a strong connection.
Our home lacks the luxurious high end touches of the bigger house, but to my eyes, the same craftsmen worked on both! Ours even has the original plaster living room ceiling – the big girl has lost hers! She’s had hardwood replaced and ours is intact!
I guess all I meant to say is “I agree 100%, Pam!”
pam kueber says
Yes — I have found, over all these years of paying attention, that our midcentury modest houses have many of the same interior design features and the same craftsmanship as their much more high-end siblings, the expensive midcentury moderns. Craftsmanship was valued and delivered no matter which house you chose… and the basics — like cabinetry, windows, bathroom fixtures, flooring, lighting — came from the same companies. This is among the many reasons I continue to hammer on the point: Our smaller, midcentury modest houses are TREASURES!
RandiBGood says
Joe,
You are so spot on when you said, “a most-miraculous time when creativity and inventiveness was boundless. And then we smile with pride, knowing what America used to be. . .”.
It amazes me how homes, automobiles and clothing of the times were all so detailed, given character and made unique, then looking at the same industries today and all are just importing mass produced generics and selling them for such unbelievable sums. How did this country relinquish style and class so easily? It boggles my mind.
Side note: Did anyone else notice the tile chair downstairs? I wonder if it stays with the house???
Ginene Nagel~Fox and Finch Antiq says
That house is a mind-numbing beautiful work of art. I am in awe.
CJ says
What I love is that some of the pics of the dining area in particular look completely current. It honestly looks like a Heath Ceramics installation in a Dwell Magazine article when you look at the soft blue dimensional tile and the cabinetry. It’s really an elevated “timeless” capsule to me. Inspires some of the same awe I have felt regarding the Miller House in Columbus, IN (one of my favorites). I hope whoever buys it appreciates it. It think we all hope that.