Inside a classic-interior 1952 round time capsule house — “One of the landmarks of Gladewater” Texas

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