Periodically I like to look online for interesting, pre-1980s homes. I'm really into architectural detailings. Through my searchings I have found homes with a few stunning details, but everything else sort of falls flat. And more times than not, the previous home owners did away with all the fantastic flair in order to update the home to a newer, sleeker image. Which I think is unfortunate because then it looks just like every other house on the market and it simply lacks any personality. I have also found a few homes that are still in original condition and are truly fabulous, but just aren't my dream home.
But last night, that is exactly what I found. I was sighing and oohing and in complete disbelief that this home was to be found in my very own city! It was so perfect, in fact, in my personal opinion, that I became verklempt a few times while viewing the photo's. I have uploaded some of them to show everything that is wonderful, and also so I can come back to this post and say, 'Oh... that's right. The perfect house. *sigh*' Also note, that none of these are my photo's.
To start, my city is not a major city. It is for my state, but it is tiny in comparison to most places in the US. Around here, there are not many facades that are unique. Most everything is the same old thing one see's every day. The one's I do find here in my city, upon further inspection, they've been gutted of anything original for that modern, bland gated community home.
This is a home, for sale in my city, of about the same age as my dream home. When you see a lot of this as a for sale listing, or simply just driving around, you don't really take much notice. But when you see THIS
Then you sort of take notice. "Hey... what's this here? This is interesting!" I was already digging this house, with the two tiered level of the front yard, the stone work, and the roof. I was also very interested in all of that grey/blue facade work that is too far away to really study properly.
This... this is just amazingly awesome. The stone work, those eaves, those shutters. Not to mention the intricate lattice work of windows on either side of the door. And they're skinny windows! And even though the door is simple, it's fabulous. My thoughts at this point were, 'Oh god, they've probably updated the interior... oh please no!'
Oh! That is an absolutely beautiful and stunning foyer! The lines in the door, the light coming through the lattice windows, the stone detailing, the molding separating the top of the door from the overhead horizontal lattice window. Just beautiful. But I wasn't holding my breath. The outside tends to come inside to the foyer... and that's usually where it stays and never ventures into other rooms. I was wrong.
My next thought was, "The stone work continues indoors?!?' and I'll admit I let out a slight girlish squeal of delight. The floor is gorgeous. And I can not express how much I love the curtains between the stone work, or that they touch the ceiling. Great lines, very posh 60s, very wonderful.
There is so much architectural detail right here to love. I will say that I love the way these people have decorated their home, but that's neither here nor there because my things would look just as fabulous. But the details here! The style of curtains and going right up to that window molding overhead. That the horizontal lattice window is in here! That poshy 60s wood paneling, not the cheap stuff that you can't wait to get out of your home, this is quality right here. How the molding above the lattice window meets the ceiling, but when it wraps to the other wall, it splits that wall to form a nice triangle up top. I'm telling you, great lines here. And that fireplace. That same fabulous stone work, the offsetting, just... it's just wonderful!
"Oh... my... god... it has a POOL!!!" For a climate that is perfect for pools, there are not a lot of houses around here with them. And all that glass and the same horizontal latticed window from the other side of the room. Just striking.
Oh god! This kitchen. I could cry! I ADORE this simple wood for cabinets and the simple pulls. And the white to make the kitchen not so heavy. The windows over the sink that open sideways. The light fixtures, encased in the same wood, running the length of the kitchen. This is pretty much the most beautiful, perfect kitchen ever (except for Louis Armstrong's state of the art white and blue sixties kitchen. It is fabulous, but this one is more my speed).
I don't even know why there is a second sink on the other side of the kitchen, but I don't even care. It's beautiful. You pass through from one room to the next with that on one side of you. It's the same wood and pulls. And those windows! Three gloriously large sideways opening windows. *sigh*
Perfect, perfect, perfect! I love the niche this makes between the stone pillars. I love the large windows. I love that you can see other interesting windows from this window; the tall skinny one, and the glass business-type door with the glass overhead in the immediate corner.
My eyes teared up a little at this point, "It's beautiful....". It's such a beautiful hallway, with the cabinetry in that beautiful wood, drawers, walls, again the stone. Just amazingly beautiful.
Ugh! Look at all that wonderful stone! And I love vintage business style doors like this. It's what you could see from the previous window picture. This house just keeps getting better & better. All the architectural elements I've ever seen and adored are all in this one house. I had to keep asking myself if this really existed... and in this town!
This is too much. I can not express how much I adore mint green tile bathrooms, with this type of sink paired with what you know is that same light coloured wood from the rest of the house as the bathroom door. I never see mint green tile bathrooms! And a fabulous double slide medicine cabinet? And such fantastic lines on the front of the tub? Too much! (I will admit I'm confused by that apparent E shaped out in... is that crab claws? But that is a small price to pay for 95% perfect bathroom!)
A box window overhang!?! These people are killing me! And it's simply the perfect placement, tucked into a little corner like this. I didn't think I could handle much more of this absolutely perfect dream home, but I forced my heart forward.
Joined corner windows too!?! Look at that chrome detailing, and it might be hard to see but the tiny track just inside the windows for the curtain hardware! I was seriously beginning to think I was somehow in the Twilight Zone, or that somehow the builders encountered this future post and made the house look this way off of things that I liked in some weird time travel space continuum alternate reality thing? Because honestly, all the hodepodgy things that I love... can they really magically all be in one house?
Look at this entrance! The low wall in the same gorgeous stone. The square light fixture. The Japanese style rock garden complete with Japanese Maple?!?! This entrance is sublime. This is the type of thing you never see here. How is this here? How is this a perfect thing for me and one in a series of perfect things all wrapped up in one house?! How?!?!
That's it! I've officially died and gone to house heaven. It is an original outdoor kitchen. A stove, oven and fridge... original... outside... with tiny 60s tile-work for the counter and backsplash. I bet it still works. It's quaint and lovely and adorable.
How cute is this, I ask you? The large windows of differing sizes (wide over kitchen and long to the right. Small steps to the left and larger steps to the right. The beautiful stone work, the beautiful I don't even know, slate, tile, hell it could be marble... for the flooring. The tiny 60s tile for the steps). And those original glass globes in the windows for the kitchen... beautiful. This is such a great look. To the extreme left is the pool and further back you see black railing next to the small stair case? That's the three car garage. Very 60's California how you drive in through your garage door and there is no wall in front of you, but railing and beyond that your pool. How divine!
The great windows/sliding glass doors from the earlier den picture. There's a sky light above them. I love that that stone wall comes out a bit, giving a nice separation line from the rest of the house and more fabulous windows.
Usually bedrooms are very bland, but the great details were continued in here. The stone work pillars, the curtains right up to the really great, bold molding, the horizontal skinny window in intricate lattice work. A stone floor. Another bedroom had a wood floor and the box window overhang. This one has the covered window you see and the joined corner window in the other picture (because you can see the plates over the bed in that photo). There are three bedrooms in all and they are all fabulously simple, with elegant little extra architectural touches like this room.
This is the second of the three bathrooms. I'm not fond of the counter top, but do like the actual cabinetry and that it is a vanity to sit down to. They may not be fancy, but this home has pocket doors in the bathrooms. Of course you know I'm going to say that I adore pocket doors... and it is true. I also like the overhead lighting. The other bathroom had a double wide counter, one sink on the left with cabinets underneath and on the right an area for a chair so that portion is intended as a vanity. I love that element and it is not something you see a lot even in older homes, much less newer ones.
I save the best for last; the pooooooool!!! The house is built around this central courtyard which most of it is taken up by this glorious pool. The rest is an area to walk all the way around the pool and the small section I showed before with the outdoor kitchen and a place for a table. I love the crazy geometric shape of the pool. I love that it is not a "normal" pool that is a perfect rectangle or the kidney bean shape. And... there is a diving board! Also, the roof is copper (surprise, surprise guess who loves copper!) and has a back yard. While I love all the stone work, as well as the central courtyard idea, I do like a bit of grass, dirt, and tree's too. Sometime this week I'm going to drive down the road it's located on (which I have driven several times before and never noticed it) to make sure it's really there.
There are several discrepancies in the listing I have noticed. The street is in the zipcode that ends in 1 and the county that starts with F. But they're listing it as my zipcode that ends in 2 and my county that starts with L. Umm...
The listing also states that it has a basement, but there only a very brief mention in the description and it's listed in the bulleted section... and there are no photo's. Does it really have a basement? Is it a creepy basement? Hrmm... The bulleted aspects of the listing also says "Bathrooms: 0" The photo's show me three bathrooms. The listing title actually says, "3 br, 3 ba 1 1/2 ba", which makes me confused. Are they trying to say 3 and a 1/2 baths? Because they've written 3 baths and 1 bath and a 1/2 bath.
Then the listing goes onto say, "3BR/3.5BA on main level & 1BR/2BA basement/pool house" That contradicts the listing title completely. This would mean it's a 4 bedroom house with 5 and a 1/2 baths. Why is this listing not adding up, I ask?
If they have an open house (and this house really exists here) I'm totally going. I'll have to see this house for myself. Because this realtor either can't do math, has poor listing skills, she's upselling it by a lot, or all three.
Besides, from the pictures alone and how awesome it looks I just want to see it in person.
I will make a post, at a later date, if I'm able to tour the house.
But last night, that is exactly what I found. I was sighing and oohing and in complete disbelief that this home was to be found in my very own city! It was so perfect, in fact, in my personal opinion, that I became verklempt a few times while viewing the photo's. I have uploaded some of them to show everything that is wonderful, and also so I can come back to this post and say, 'Oh... that's right. The perfect house. *sigh*' Also note, that none of these are my photo's.
To start, my city is not a major city. It is for my state, but it is tiny in comparison to most places in the US. Around here, there are not many facades that are unique. Most everything is the same old thing one see's every day. The one's I do find here in my city, upon further inspection, they've been gutted of anything original for that modern, bland gated community home.
This is a home, for sale in my city, of about the same age as my dream home. When you see a lot of this as a for sale listing, or simply just driving around, you don't really take much notice. But when you see THIS
Then you sort of take notice. "Hey... what's this here? This is interesting!" I was already digging this house, with the two tiered level of the front yard, the stone work, and the roof. I was also very interested in all of that grey/blue facade work that is too far away to really study properly.
This... this is just amazingly awesome. The stone work, those eaves, those shutters. Not to mention the intricate lattice work of windows on either side of the door. And they're skinny windows! And even though the door is simple, it's fabulous. My thoughts at this point were, 'Oh god, they've probably updated the interior... oh please no!'
My next thought was, "The stone work continues indoors?!?' and I'll admit I let out a slight girlish squeal of delight. The floor is gorgeous. And I can not express how much I love the curtains between the stone work, or that they touch the ceiling. Great lines, very posh 60s, very wonderful.
"Oh... my... god... it has a POOL!!!" For a climate that is perfect for pools, there are not a lot of houses around here with them. And all that glass and the same horizontal latticed window from the other side of the room. Just striking.
Oh god! This kitchen. I could cry! I ADORE this simple wood for cabinets and the simple pulls. And the white to make the kitchen not so heavy. The windows over the sink that open sideways. The light fixtures, encased in the same wood, running the length of the kitchen. This is pretty much the most beautiful, perfect kitchen ever (except for Louis Armstrong's state of the art white and blue sixties kitchen. It is fabulous, but this one is more my speed).
I don't even know why there is a second sink on the other side of the kitchen, but I don't even care. It's beautiful. You pass through from one room to the next with that on one side of you. It's the same wood and pulls. And those windows! Three gloriously large sideways opening windows. *sigh*
Perfect, perfect, perfect! I love the niche this makes between the stone pillars. I love the large windows. I love that you can see other interesting windows from this window; the tall skinny one, and the glass business-type door with the glass overhead in the immediate corner.
My eyes teared up a little at this point, "It's beautiful....". It's such a beautiful hallway, with the cabinetry in that beautiful wood, drawers, walls, again the stone. Just amazingly beautiful.
Ugh! Look at all that wonderful stone! And I love vintage business style doors like this. It's what you could see from the previous window picture. This house just keeps getting better & better. All the architectural elements I've ever seen and adored are all in this one house. I had to keep asking myself if this really existed... and in this town!
This is too much. I can not express how much I adore mint green tile bathrooms, with this type of sink paired with what you know is that same light coloured wood from the rest of the house as the bathroom door. I never see mint green tile bathrooms! And a fabulous double slide medicine cabinet? And such fantastic lines on the front of the tub? Too much! (I will admit I'm confused by that apparent E shaped out in... is that crab claws? But that is a small price to pay for 95% perfect bathroom!)
A box window overhang!?! These people are killing me! And it's simply the perfect placement, tucked into a little corner like this. I didn't think I could handle much more of this absolutely perfect dream home, but I forced my heart forward.
Joined corner windows too!?! Look at that chrome detailing, and it might be hard to see but the tiny track just inside the windows for the curtain hardware! I was seriously beginning to think I was somehow in the Twilight Zone, or that somehow the builders encountered this future post and made the house look this way off of things that I liked in some weird time travel space continuum alternate reality thing? Because honestly, all the hodepodgy things that I love... can they really magically all be in one house?
Look at this entrance! The low wall in the same gorgeous stone. The square light fixture. The Japanese style rock garden complete with Japanese Maple?!?! This entrance is sublime. This is the type of thing you never see here. How is this here? How is this a perfect thing for me and one in a series of perfect things all wrapped up in one house?! How?!?!
That's it! I've officially died and gone to house heaven. It is an original outdoor kitchen. A stove, oven and fridge... original... outside... with tiny 60s tile-work for the counter and backsplash. I bet it still works. It's quaint and lovely and adorable.
How cute is this, I ask you? The large windows of differing sizes (wide over kitchen and long to the right. Small steps to the left and larger steps to the right. The beautiful stone work, the beautiful I don't even know, slate, tile, hell it could be marble... for the flooring. The tiny 60s tile for the steps). And those original glass globes in the windows for the kitchen... beautiful. This is such a great look. To the extreme left is the pool and further back you see black railing next to the small stair case? That's the three car garage. Very 60's California how you drive in through your garage door and there is no wall in front of you, but railing and beyond that your pool. How divine!
The great windows/sliding glass doors from the earlier den picture. There's a sky light above them. I love that that stone wall comes out a bit, giving a nice separation line from the rest of the house and more fabulous windows.
This is the second of the three bathrooms. I'm not fond of the counter top, but do like the actual cabinetry and that it is a vanity to sit down to. They may not be fancy, but this home has pocket doors in the bathrooms. Of course you know I'm going to say that I adore pocket doors... and it is true. I also like the overhead lighting. The other bathroom had a double wide counter, one sink on the left with cabinets underneath and on the right an area for a chair so that portion is intended as a vanity. I love that element and it is not something you see a lot even in older homes, much less newer ones.
I save the best for last; the pooooooool!!! The house is built around this central courtyard which most of it is taken up by this glorious pool. The rest is an area to walk all the way around the pool and the small section I showed before with the outdoor kitchen and a place for a table. I love the crazy geometric shape of the pool. I love that it is not a "normal" pool that is a perfect rectangle or the kidney bean shape. And... there is a diving board! Also, the roof is copper (surprise, surprise guess who loves copper!) and has a back yard. While I love all the stone work, as well as the central courtyard idea, I do like a bit of grass, dirt, and tree's too. Sometime this week I'm going to drive down the road it's located on (which I have driven several times before and never noticed it) to make sure it's really there.
There are several discrepancies in the listing I have noticed. The street is in the zipcode that ends in 1 and the county that starts with F. But they're listing it as my zipcode that ends in 2 and my county that starts with L. Umm...
The listing also states that it has a basement, but there only a very brief mention in the description and it's listed in the bulleted section... and there are no photo's. Does it really have a basement? Is it a creepy basement? Hrmm... The bulleted aspects of the listing also says "Bathrooms: 0" The photo's show me three bathrooms. The listing title actually says, "3 br, 3 ba 1 1/2 ba", which makes me confused. Are they trying to say 3 and a 1/2 baths? Because they've written 3 baths and 1 bath and a 1/2 bath.
Then the listing goes onto say, "3BR/3.5BA on main level & 1BR/2BA basement/pool house" That contradicts the listing title completely. This would mean it's a 4 bedroom house with 5 and a 1/2 baths. Why is this listing not adding up, I ask?
If they have an open house (and this house really exists here) I'm totally going. I'll have to see this house for myself. Because this realtor either can't do math, has poor listing skills, she's upselling it by a lot, or all three.
Besides, from the pictures alone and how awesome it looks I just want to see it in person.
I will make a post, at a later date, if I'm able to tour the house.
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