Time Capsule House For Sale

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gansky1

gansky1

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O dear Lord!

I can smell the house from looking at the pictures!  

BTW, that's a 1942 design Frigidaire range in the basement kitchen (that design was available from Sept. 1941 until Jan. 1942 and then postwar from late 1945 until the 1947 model came out in the fall of 1946.
 
Unfortunately, what's likely to happen is some idiot will buy the house and rip all of that "ugly old crap" out and "upgrade" the entire thing with the latest and greatest, thereby stripping the house entirely of its character and charm. I've seen it happen countless times here in L.A., and it's always sad.
 
I can smell the house from looking at the pictures!

Yes, so can I!

Well it does appear that the owners kept it in good shape, look at the woodwork. No scratches or anything. And while crowded, it does appear to be clean.
 
Those pictures are a m a z i n g ! !

My favorites are the planter that separates the living room and the dining room. Also love those wooden cabinets.

I'm surprised that there is no console stereo or console TV in those rooms. Can't you just hear the music?
 
Wow... The kitchen looks as if it had been used in one of those Better Homes and Gardens 'Kitchen Ideas' magazines. It's in wonderful condition too. So sad that some over-mortgaged thirty-somethings will rip it all out and replace it to "add value" to the house!
 
"I can smell that house from here".

Yup. Me too.

I am certainly not a fan of all that wall to wall and drapery. The dust alone on all the chachkas would drive me nuts.

However, I'm reminded of the basement kitchens in New Jersey.

There were many homes that had the living room wrapped up in Clear Vinyl Slip Covers, Lampshades and plastic runners over the carpeting that could generate enough static electricity to power a small town. The upstairs kitchen complete with dishwasher would only be used on Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving when relatives came in from out of town.

In the basement was a "Family Room" type set up. Most of the time it was a large open room with a Stove, Fridge, Washer and Dryer. Set up like a regular kitchen but no dishwasher. It made no sense to me that everyday living didn't involve a dishwasher downstairs when you had one upstairs only to use when "Company was coming".

However the price is nice on that house.

I would like to see if there are hardwood floors under that W to W. I wouldn't change too much but those Valances and Drapes would just have to go. ( Of course in my opinion). Yup and I'm with ya on that Red Carpeting in the basement.
 
'Tis A Pity:

It's almost guaranteed that whoever buys that house will rip out every last single thing that makes it special and wonderful.

The current decors are not doing the house any favors, but that's all that really needs to change. Some Heywood-Wakefield furnishings, some Russel Wright dishes, and some Towle Contour sterling on the dining table would put that house where it needs to be.
 
There's quite a few untouched Mid Century ranchers

in Upstate NY... much of which has been in slow economic decline since the '70s. That led to many '50/60s houses that were never modified or "upgraded" due to economic concerns. Our area was very prosperous and ranchers and capes of all sizes proliferated up until the late '60s when IBM, which started here, began leaving and Endicott-Johnson shoes, once the world's largest shoemaker, imploded, both shedding over 20,000 decent jobs ,just in this county. We own 2 little ranchers, one 900 sq ft, one we live in 1100 ft, not counting basements, with most, or all, of the original details, the smaller one being completely untouched with some cool features like glass blocks, knotty pine kitchen, original wood swing out horizontal windows, all wood floors etc. etc.

But they didn't leave any old appliances, except a '70s Westy FL I stupidly got rid of (I was very unenlightened back then!)
 
Ok I have to ask....

Would it be possible that you could live entirely downstairs and have the other kitchen etc made into more bedrooms?

Only reason for my enquiry is I do not understand why there are 2 kitchens/living rooms???

Austin
 
It reminds me so much of moms house although she had the kitchen redone a few years back. There's still a few around here, like our elderly back door neighbor who has kept her house pretty original. Our current house originally had two of those planters on either side of the stairs from the foyer up to the livingroom but the previous owner told me she got rid of them because they were dusty of all things.. There's a 3rd one at the top of the stairs to the bedrooms still there. I'm hoping that the two by the foyer are just covered up but I haven't seen her around to ask.

Austin.. basement kitchens aren't common but they're not uncommon either. Moms house had one.. they were called summer kitchens. Polish/Ukranian immigrants tended to put them in their houses. At least every Polish family I knew growing up had one and the people that built moms house and the one next door to her were Polish and both houses had them. Most houses in the US/Canada have full basements and back in the day 1950's/60's they were generally unfinished cement floors and concrete walls which the new homeowner would eventually get around to finishing themselves when time and money allowed. Putting down floor tiles and fake wood panelling, drop ceiling tiles, maybe some carpeting and the requisite ping pong table and bar and an extra bathroom if it didn't come with one when built.. Mostly though they were finished off for all the kids there were at the time, baby boom etc. When my cousin and his wife came over for a first time visit a few years ago he was shocked when he saw her basement. He couldn't believe all the space[this post was last edited: 11/8/2013-12:26]
 
2 kitchens

There are several reasons for two kitchens.
My Aunt has two and uses the downstairs for canning and overflow cooking on holidays.
It is also handy if you are entertaining using the basement as your area the kitchen can be used to prepare the snacks and Horderves etc. Entertainment aside, it is also nice to have snacks while watching TV without having to trapse upstairs to the kitchen.
 
Unfortunately, there isn't much of a market for original mid-century-modern interiors in most of the country. (An exception might be architect-designed, high-end one-offs.) If resale value is important, you will maximize it by replacing the kitchens and baths.

Otherwise, you'll have to sell your home for less than comparable homes that have had updates, and your home will sit unsold longer.

I agree this particular house is charming, with some decorating changes.
 

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