8 remarkably retro "time capsule" homes
Photo courtesy of HomeFinder Canada
Did you install colorful carpeting in the 1960s, mix wallpaper patterns in the '70s and sponge-paint your walls in the '80s?
Traditional real estate wisdom says you should gradually update your retro décor if you ever plan on selling your home. But preserving a design scheme can turn its own retro aesthetic, turning a home into a kind of time capsule worthy of historic preservation -- and plenty of ogling.
Indeed, with architectural styles like "mid-century modern" and new vintage trends now in vogue, some realtors are advising homeowners to leave properties in their original condition. Jeffrey Hogue, owner of Weichert Realtors Neighborhood One in Reading, Pennsylvania, recently told CNN that while there can be "unique challenges" to selling a time-capsule property, that nostalgic appeal can also be a draw for potential buyers.
Most homes in which the original features remain intact have one thing in common: Few people have lived there. Take a look at these eight homes that have been left largely untouched by time or new furnishings.
1955 Harold B. Zook mid-century home
Photo courtesy of i-Tech MLS
Architect Harold Zook, known for his work with Albert Frey and John Porter Clark in the 1940s, built this four-bedroom, four-bathroom San Marino, California, home in 1955. After that, it had just one owner until it went on the market this past January. It sold in February for $3.325 million, passing on its mid-century modern flare to the next generation of owners.
Zook's signature teak paneling is visible throughout the home, and so are many of its appliances and furniture pieces. It has steel-framed glass walls, interior and exterior terrazzo flooring, a stone fireplace, and a patio leading to a pool and cabana.
1955 Harold B. Zook mid-century home
Photo courtesy of i-Tech MLS
Zook's signature teak paneling remains intact throughout the home, and so are many of its appliances and furniture pieces. It has steel-framed glass walls, interior and exterior terrazzo flooring, a stone fireplace, and a patio leading to a pool and cabana.
1955 Texas ranch house
Photo courtesy of Zillow
Knotty pine, tiled floors, pastel hues, big windows: This three-bedroom, three-bathroom ranch house in Seguin, Texas, strongly evokes the mid-1950s. The home went on the market in November of 2013 for $239,000, and after several price reductions was sold this month at a price close to $170,000. Until now, only one family has lived on the property.
1955 Texas ranch house
Photo courtesy of Zillow
It's clear where the owners updated the home's décor over the years. While the living area features furniture in a more modern Scandinavian style, the bedroom's furniture and upholstery are truly representative of the period.
1950s-60s décor in Toronto
Photo courtesy of HomeFinder Canada
When the 96-year-old owner of this Toronto home put her furnished property on the market for $699,000 in April, she hadn't changed much since the 1950s and '60s. It's a charmingly colorful and baroque spin on the design trends that dominated those years, with plenty of pink, purple, sea-foam green, metallic wallpaper, ruffles, velvet and flowers to go around.
1950s-60s décor in Toronto
Photo courtesy of HomeFinder Canada
The owner, who lived in the home for more than 70 years, and her husband disagreed over the girly décor, according to HGTV. When her husband said no to pink in the master bedroom, the owner responded by creating an all-pink guest room, complete with matching wallpaper and carpeting.
1962 Arthur Elrod mid-century home
Photo courtesy of Paul Kaplan Modern Real Estate Group
This four-bedroom, three-bathroom mid-century modern property in Palm Springs, Calif., used to be the home of interior designer Arthur Elrod. Elrod was famous for his rich use of color, primarily in Palm Springs houses during the 1960s and '70s. According to Realtor.com, he used this place as his working design lab. It was recently on sale for $2.195 million, with the interior completely untouched, and sold in June.
1962 Arthur Elrod mid-century home
Photo courtesy of Paul Kaplan Modern Real Estate Group
The home features many details that characterized 1960s design, such as orange and pea-green furniture, geometric lines, natural materials, and a covered outdoor space that integrates the home into the outdoors.
1972 contemporary home
Photo courtesy of San Antonio Board of Realtors
If you ever yearned to live in the "Brady Bunch" house, admire this four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom contemporary-style home in San Antonio. It was listed in November 2013 at $335,000 and sold in May for an undisclosed price.
1972 contemporary home
Photo courtesy of San Antonio Board of Realtors
The similarities to the home of the popular 1970s TV family are uncanny: It has exposed stone, a fireplace, orange kitchen countertops, pattern mixing, and plenty of avocado green and harvest gold. The house also features a decorative front gate, attached garage, back patio and several skylights.
1975 modern home
Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty
In the 1970s, people really liked bold lines, open floor plans, large windows and sunken living areas. This modern, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Palmetto Bay, Florida, has all four types of features. The house has gone through several changes since 1975, most notably in 1995 when original architect William Schumy designed an addition, but it remains very true to its era. It's currently on the market for just under $1.5 million.
1975 modern home
Photo courtesy of Sotheby's International Realty
The property sits on almost 1.5 acres of land and features a gated entrance, Zen garden, pool, hot tub, large kitchen and spiral staircase.
1980 townhome
Photo courtesy of Northstar MLS
This five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom townhome in Shorewood, Minnesota, is on the market for $648,900. The home's bright orange and green carpets, matching wallpaper, overstuffed furniture, glass table tops, and track lighting fairly scream 1980, when the property was first built.
1980 townhome
Photo courtesy of Northstar MLS
The house sits at the end of a cul-de-sac in the Amesbury, Massachusetts, subdivision, which grants owners access to amenities such as a tennis court, pool, pond and several acres of private woods. It features a second-story wraparound deck, sauna and "amusement room."
1984 Casa Vista contemporary home
Photo courtesy of Michael Saunders and Company Real Estate
For $4.5 million, you can own a contemporary-style home that was built in 1984 and stayed true to its design roots. The three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom waterfront property in Nokomis, Florida, has been reconfigured to have an open floor plan, but otherwise it's similar to what buyers would've seen 30 years ago. Dated design details include floral wallpaper, salmon-colored sponge paint, hunter green furniture and white cabinetry.
1984 Casa Vista contemporary home
Photo courtesy of Michael Saunders and Co. Real Estate
Fortunately for the seller, many of the home's other features are timeless: It has a pool and hot tub, two-car garage, three walk-in closets, boat dock, private patio and fireplace.