“This house was so loved, you can feel it when you walk in.
And I’m so happy that we get to carry on its legacy.
And were apparently supposed to all along.” — Nanette
I adore this story, because when Nanette asked if she could tell me about her new/old house and then I got the story, the story wasn’t just about the house. It was about the whole circuitous journey there: her three dogs, whose medical troubles both inspired and impeded the house hunt… her getting the flu, which *fortunately* let a different house get away… and yes, that chippy lamp post out front with the inebriated man, who kept calling them home. And there’s more. I adore this story, because it’s a perfect example of why our houses are so much more than just a place to live — they are pivotal in our life journeys. Oh and: What a wonderful time capsule house — now, with appreciate new owners! 24 photos … and the whole, lovable story.>>
Nanette writes:
It’s kind of a long story of how this house came to be ours, but it’s at least an interesting one! And I swear every bit is relevant to how special getting this house was for us.
In March of 2014, we moved into an apartment that, unbeknownst to us, was literally in the backyard of our dream home. At the time, we had two little dogs and on our walks around the block my husband would always comment on the house with the “drunk hanging on a lamppost” lamppost. Most notable comments being “that house has to be so incredible inside” & “I want that lamppost”.
On December 26th of that same year, during a routine solo dog walk, one of our dogs was severely injured in an attack by another dog. He needed very expensive emergency surgery, the money for which we did not have & the other dog’s owner could not have cared less. I’d never felt so helpless & I straight up vowed that I never would again.
Over the next 3 years I finally got it together as far as grown up financial things go, as well as worked incredibly hard to deal with the emotional trauma from the dog attack. In October of 2017, our 3rd dog (who came to live with us in March of 2015. Another long story hah) was diagnosed with lymphoma. It seemed to pop up overnight & was a total shock.
We decided to try chemotherapy. She responded well as far as going into remission, but also had several severe reactions to two of the meds. All I could think of was how our other two dogs were getting older too & I just really wanted a yard for them to play in. And for Tink (#3) to be able to lay in the sunshine in. She liked laying outside when she wasn’t feeling well. I impulsively decided that we needed to buy a house and (as with most of my impulsive decisions) my husband was on board with it. Btw don’t try & buy a house when you’re putting your dog through a very rough chemo treatment. The stress was pretty unbearable.
In January we thought we found the perfect house. We started moving forward with it & a series of problems arose. I ended up being able to fix those problems & about a month later we were going to move forward on it again. Then low & behold, I got the flu. I never ever get sick. Not even a cold since the last time I had the flu 4 years prior. So I waited to start making phone calls until I felt amongst the living again. That house had been on the market for 5 months, what was 3 more days?
Well, it was everything it turns out. Someone had put in an offer on that other house the day before we contacted the realtor! We were super devastated, but randomly would check all the real estate apps & drive past houses. Then a particular one popped up. The one with the lamppost. The kitchen pictures totally piqued my interest, but believe me when I say that none of the photos did this house justice. So much so that we didn’t even go look at it right away.
I kept going back to it though & I remember one night I said to my husband “You know, I keep going back to *insert address here* house”. And, true to our dual impulsive nature, he said “ok” & called up the listing agent. (To say we were completely naive to the whole house buying process is the understatement of the century). The agent happened to live right up the street & asked if we wanted to see it that night.
We walked over to the house, entered through the side door, into the coolest kitchen I’d ever seen. It was all very impressive, yes.
Pam notes: Does everyone recognize the countertop? It appears to be an original Wilsonart Daisy! This pattern, now being reproduced!
But when we walked into the hallway and I saw the ceiling with that light fixture & those glitter walls twinkling… well it was that moment in every movie where angels start singing. I was obsessed & in love. And it just grew from there with each new nook of the house that we saw. My husband once joked that he & I both like the 50’s aesthetic. It’s just that he likes the 1950’s and I like the 1850’s. And it’s so true. I’m the Addams Family & he’s the Dick Van Dyke show. And somehow this amazing house bridges that gap.
We started pursuing this house hardcore. And to say that there were setbacks is like saying we were a little naive to the home buying process. I won’t get into all of he details, but we thought the deal was totally dead at least 3 separate times.
Finally, on May 23rd of this year we closed on the house. It was being sold by the daughter of the woman that had lived there. The woman that had lived there until she was 93 years old. She had to be put into hospice care right around March of 2014 (date sounds familiar right?) & the house had sat vacant ever since then. During the closing the daughter told us that it was the one year anniversary of her mother’s passing and the lady doing our title said that the first title was finalized on May 23rd, 1952. The daughter also told me how happy she was that I loved the kitchen so much.
Our first actual day living in the house was June 4th, my Gram’s birthday (who passed in 2002, that I was very close with). There’s a big Magnolia tree in the front yard that the daughter said her grandfather planted. Magnolia is the name of the town where my husband and I had our first apartment together. I truly couldn’t make this stuff up because if I did, no one would believe me because it sounds so incredibly made up….
And it was so cool hearing about the house from the daughter (I’d love to see photos from when they lived here, but I feel/felt weird asking). The iron gate in the dining room was hand made by a family friend. The wishing well in the backyard was a cooler (there was even electricity run out to that little area of the yard).
The previous owners were insanely creative & all about the details. There’s stuff in this house that I didn’t even know that I should’ve been dreaming of. And every single square inch of it is interesting.
Every switch plate is different & even the light switches light up. From the first time I stepped foot in here, it inspired me to want to create things. I’ve been sewing for 20 years & I now have a sewing room that is like being in a music box in a dollhouse.
This house was so loved, you can feel it when you walk in. And I’m so happy that we get to carry on its legacy. And were apparently supposed to all along. It’s not in totally perfect pristine condition & was being sold “as is” & pretty much priced to gut, but we look forward to doing everything possible to get it back to its full on glory. So anyone that knows about repairs to cracks in glitter plaster walls, where to buy Kelvinator stove parts, how to clean/repaint drunk guy statues, etc.. please let us know! I hope this house makes you smile like it does for us every single day.
Oh and P.S. All three pups are currently living it up to the fullest extent in their enormous back yard.
Thank you, Nanette, for sharing all the photos and your twisty turny story. It’s always awesome to see that another vintage house has found appreciative new caretakers.
Michelle says
WOWOWOW! How totally cool, every inch of it! You must have thought were in a dream when you first walked thru it, it’s fate. So glad it all worked out, and your pupsters will have a nice safe place to run around. <3
Nanette says
Aw! Thank you so much, Michelle! Yes, definitely, it did not feel real the first time we walked through. And sometimes still doesn’t actually.
Dawn says
Wow, Nanette, thank you for sharing your story and your serendipitous journey! Love all the cool details preserved in your home!
Nanette says
Thank you so much, Dawn!
Phil says
And what’s the brand of the air conditioner above your fireplace? I have seen some Weblilt models with a similar front but not exactly like that. I also collect vintage air conditioners and I enjoy using them too!
Phil says
I really like the details in your house!
Things like the lighted switches which are very convenient at night (I added a few vintage lighted switches that matched the non-lighted ones at my home too). My house is also from this period (hard to tell the exact build date as the town records say it was built in 1950 but I really doubt that. I think was built around 1956-57 with some parts completed much later (the interior was completed in 1964-65 by the second owners who were the first to live in it. I have seen it completed on the outside on a picture from spring of 1957 and one of the Thermopanes is datecoded from september of 1956). It didn’t get many renovations since it was completed in 1965 but I’m still trying to replace some of the things that aren’t period correct with stuff that is and it’s not always easy to do! Even less with my limited budget!
Nanette says
Thank you, Phil! Yes, the lighted light switches are super convenient at night; I love them so much. Your house sounds really interesting too. And I totally feel you on he limited budget thing!
And the air conditioner above the fireplace is indeed a Welbilt! It actually has a heat setting too. We can’t find any info at all on it (it seems to be quite unique), so if you know anything about this particular model we would love for you to share it. My younger brother collects vintage fans & vacuums & it has given me an extra appreciation for old appliances for sure. The air conditioner actually still powers on, but it sounds like a lawnmower, yikes.
Linda Benedict says
Love the home and that someone loves it as it is. I love old homes and haven’t changed much in our 1950 California rsnch. The circular shelf with green glass is like one my parents had. Unfortunately, they gave it to one of my uncles. Wish we all treasured the past. So much is being torn down here in Southern California. Keep up the good fight!!
Nanette says
Thank you, Linda! It’s the same around here too; it’s such a bummer. I’m glad your old home has an appreciative owner as well!
Beth says
Some people call incredible circumstances and coincidences that Nanette describes as God Winks. Being who and what I am, we call them Cosmic Nods.
No matter how they are referred to, they are road signs that tell you that you are moving forward in the direction you’re supposed to travel.
I’ve always said life travels in circles. Circles led me around until I found my little piece of American Pie. Nowhere as cool as Nanette and Brian’s, but still, I love my vintage home 🙂
Love this story!
Nanette says
Beth, I completely LOVE Cosmic Nods. Congrats on your pie piece as well!
<3
Maria says
I”m not tearing up! I just finished cooking with onions, honest! I think this is my favorite story ever on this site. I love the house and I hope Nanette, Brian, and the dogs have many, many happy years there together.
Nanette says
????????????Maria! Lol! Aww geez, that’s so nice, thank you! We all appreciate your well wishes very very much.
Mary C says
So jealous of your find! Love all the attention to detail from the owners. In my area it seems flippers are destroying all the cool old houses and modernizing them. ☹️ I really love the hunting dog find!! Was raised with setters and we had a similar print pic above our couch. Loved your story and enjoy your pups.
Nanette says
We are definitely super lucky to have had this house walk into our lives! It’s the same here as well unfortunately. Which makes us extra lucky to have found this house before someone else did.
So cool, Mary! And thank you very much!
Sonia says
Hi Nanette:
Great house!
Can you please tell me what kind of wood treatment is on the ceiling in the hall?
thanks,
Sonia
Nanette says
Hi, Sonia! Thank you!
I do believe they’re bamboo wood panels. And I do believe they’re still available. My husband was researching spare house parts to stock pile & he said he’d found them available for purchase still.
Nanette says
Ah! They’re actually Weldex plywood tiles & Retro Renovations actually did a blog post about before:
https://retrorenovation.com/2014/09/05/striated-plywood-ceilings/
Leila says
Great story! I have been through thousands of homes (no exaggeration!) in the past 40 years due to my estate sale addiction and some of them are so amazing. My favorites are burned in my memory and I recognize that familiar feeling you speak of-when you are walking though one that matches your dreams. I can only describe it this way: “It makes my heart sing!”
Nanette says
Yes, Leila! “ Makes my heart sing” is so dead on accurate!
And thank you very much!