Here’s our first time capsule house of 2019, and it’s a rare beauty: A round house, built in 1952, which looks to have been very carefully tended — with amazing original vintage wallpaper, gorgeous original bathrooms and overall, a quirky original feel that gives me the shivers to imagine the love that went into living in it! The house also has lots of features we can learn from, as we look to remodel and decorate our own midcentury and earlier houses. Thanks to reader Ann for this time capsule tip, and to listing agent Tracy McKnight for permission to feature his photos. Let’s take a look inside >>
Ann praised the town of Gladewater in her email tip:
Pam, This ‘round’ house has great original bathrooms. Gladewater, Texas is a beautiful old town here in the east part of the state. Thought you might like a look at these bathrooms and the wallpaper in this house, before it’s destroyed.
Ann
From the listing:
This property is one of the landmarks of Gladewater. A unique property that features a round design that is eye-catching and a draw for any architecture enthusiast. This grand home is … just a short walk from downtown.
The 3,480 sq ft house features four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, one partial bathroom, and is listed for sale for $165,350.
Above: I bet that’s original sculpted (patterned?) carpeting in this bedroom. Note, at the far left that looks to be an upholstered tufted headboard, with bed missing. The color scheme: Lilac / green / muted coral would have been very classic 1940s heading into the early 1950s.
Above: This is the room visible from the lavender-wallpaper bedroom. All those rounded glass windows! This must have cost many pretty pennies in 1952. The tile floors look great, too.
Above: I will guess that the wallpaper is not only metallic wallpaper, but also flocked. Yum.
Another bedroom, I think… Again: THAT WALLPAPER!
Above: The connected bathroom, be still our beating hearts. I can’t identify most plumbing fixtures by site, whose red is this do you think? Standard? Kohler? Crane?
As Ann pointed out, the bathrooms are real gems. Above: Lovely pink bathroom — be sure to note the mosaic tile floor pattern, the fabulous shower door frame, and golly, the pink wall tile is tiled on a rounded wall!
Above: The green bathroom is equally beautiful. Note how the designer set the sink on legs between two cabinets in order to create useful adjacent counter space.
Above: yet another lovely vintage bathroom. Note the circular dressing table built into the corner across from the toilet (far right of the photo). I’m saying: dressing table, because you can see the lights — I bet there are also mirrors there.
Above: The kitchen looks all-original including steel kitchen cabinets and stainless-steel edged lamiante countertops. The appliances and floors look newer. Are those simply glass plates mounted on the backsplash? Hard to say. Interesting.
Above: Another shot of the hallway beyond the front entry, with that scenic wallpaper. I’m guessing all the paint trim is original — it’s inspirational to see wood trim painted a color besides white.
Notice the telephone nook about halfway down the hall tucked into the wall on the right. The first house that I ever owned, which was built in 1938, also had a telephone nook like this (and a laundry chute!)
What a wonderful house! Here’s hoping it finds appreciative new owners!
Link love:
- Listing from agent Tracy McKnight.
- All our time capsule houses archived here
Gerry says
I like the depth and dimension of that dining room mural. Looks like you could climb into it. Could that also be wallpaper ?
Pam Kueber says
Yes, likely a wallpaper mural.
Lisa Compo says
What a neat house! I’d like to see a floorplan of it, it’s hard to figure out the flow of rooms. But,….who cares really, it’s gorgeous. So beautifully decorated. A smidge much wallpaper for me, but that’s just me. It’s well done, transitions well from areas and quite tasteful. It’s formal but has a cozy feel, not always easy to accomplish. The bathrooms are in a class by themselves. Save the pink bathrooms! 🙂
At $165K, it looks like a steal for the square footage and condition. Oh, I also pray it’s not set up for renovations and “updates”. Those look to be early 50s Geneva cabinets, with the plastic cups behind the chrome handles.
I really enjoyed this house. So glad it was featured. Hope 2019 brings us many more beauties like this.
Marie Gamalski says
Someone LOVED and took care of that unique house for a long time…hope whoever buys it appreciates it and has a long happy life there as well…
MrsC says
I’ve been house hunting recently and I found a is a BEAUTY (although neglected) with beautiful gold damask wallpaper…and a black bathroom.
It’s been sold but here are a few pictures.
https://www.estately.com/listings/info/3995-chemawa-drive
Kara says
Weirdly, this is my dream house.
Tina says
I find it interesting that everyone sees a 1930’s/40’s interior. I very much see a 1950’s interior.
Its not the MCM that we all favour now but it is very much a tradional 1950’s interior (bathrooms fixtures & colours, living room furniture etc). The scenic wallpapers (as were scenic upholstery prints) are very 1950’s.
The only things that are older are in the dining room and they are way older than 1940’s so may be heirlooms. Also some objects and feature pieces. Again, these could be hand me down or heirlooms.
If you look at house magazines of the time, people either furnished in modern or traditional styles. Much in the same way they do now when they build a new house – not everyone today buys sleek white minimalist couches.
Nevertherless, gorgeous house.
Wendellyn Plummer says
Oh, my goodness, where do you start? Lovely beyond words! I hope the next owner does only the necessary repairs.
Sabrina says
“Before it’s destroyed?” No way!
This interior is 1940s-50s but so elegant and timeless.
Classic and so well-designed.
I don’t know the Gladwater market but $165k seems like a great price. I’d buy it in a heartbeat. And I love the mint color.
You wouldn’t need to do a lot to make this home feel vintage yet modern too.
Just change up the furniture and it would look mod and classic all at 1x.
And the wallpaper. Pretty! You could have kids in this house but you’d need to train them well to treat it nice.
Sam R says
The light over the dressing table in the one bathroom appears to be the left edge of a Miami-Carey medicine cabinet, similar to the “Cavalier” model.
Mary Buckley says
I can’t tell what the things sitting low on the bathroom walls are. Are those heaters?
Pam Kueber says
Yes, heaters.