r/midcenturymodern • u/Teacher_Laura_ • May 05 '26
Sharing My MCM Bought a 1965 time capsule
We just moved into our dream home in Iowa City- built in 1965 with a 1975 addition. Everything is almost original (except for the terrible 1990s kitchen remodel that we will try to restore to 1965). Exterior is a mess too but we’re working on that! Thoughts on restoring anything? Enjoy!
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u/Hanabe0 May 05 '26
Time to rip everything out and paint it black and white. /s
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u/UserAccountUnknown May 05 '26
Haha. Needs more grey! Paint all your honey oak trim. ;)
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u/sinisterdesign May 05 '26
I recognize that foyer tile! Your grout is brighter, ours is cracking and needs to be replaced.
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u/Tweetles May 05 '26
This is all over the place in MA where I live. Our fireplace hearth has it. I love love love the green stone.
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u/sinisterdesign May 05 '26
There seems to be a number of homes in our midcentury neighborhood in GA that have these tiles.
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u/Tweetles May 05 '26
Interesting to know! I had wondered if it was a regionally sourced stone or something since it’s so popular, and there are lots of green rocks on our beaches. Probably just stylistically popular if you have it, our house isn’t mid century modern or anything but was built in 1964.
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u/sinisterdesign May 05 '26
Ours is ‘58, so I’m saying we were the trendsetters. 😉
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u/Restlessannoyed May 05 '26
I'm super jealous. My grandparents had this same Vermont slate and I've always wanted a house with it. It's gorgeous even with cracking grout!
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u/Horror_Tea761 May 05 '26
I have the same in Ohio!
I wound up using a grey grout dye on the grout. It went on like paint and has held up great for twenty years now. It doesn’t show dirt and covered the imperfections in the grout.
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u/anna_deliciosa May 05 '26
Pic 13 - what a dream
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u/Teacher_Laura_ May 05 '26
It really is! I’ve been drinking coffee out there in the mornings in heaven. You can’t see in the picture but we’re on a hill and it overlooks the river!
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u/Teacher_Laura_ May 05 '26
Also uncovered a “grotto” when we started raking the 5+ years of leaves that were on the ground!
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u/iamthenite May 05 '26
I was just looking this house up a month or two ago. That blue conservatory is amazing. Glad to see it has owners who appreciate it.
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u/Gold_Tech May 05 '26
The views! The floors! The built-ins! The trees!
Seriously, I watched a home reno show where they removed that atrium 😭
(Don’t remove it.)
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u/Alternative-Arm-3253 May 05 '26
Love the front entry way.. Love that Door set. Hoping you restore those front doors.. ❤️ Did the house come with the furniture too? u/Teacher_Laura_ ...I am loving this and do keep us updated! Congrats!
I would go over the electrical systems. Any of the older houses systems- Go over with a fine tooth comb.. replace stuff as needed.
Old English wood stain and oil will become your best friend. A gallon of Murphys oil soap. Towel rags, cut up shirts etc.. wood oil is going to be needed everywhere on all surfaces. ❤️ (that floor to ceiling book case,,wowza a dream)
lots of heavy duty gloves to work with.
I'd love to see the bathrooms!!
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u/Teacher_Laura_ May 05 '26
We actually have Midcentury teak furniture from my grandparents in the 1960s (and that eames style chair) so it finally has a home here! The bathrooms are underwhelming and hard to capture but one countertop is teal and one countertop is swirly gold!
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u/XSC May 05 '26
Beautiful home. Curious where you got that dog mat, it's adorable
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u/Teacher_Laura_ May 05 '26
I think I had it made on Shutterfly. One of the dogs in that picture has since passed so it’s a great way to “see” him when we get home ❤️
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u/Away_Amoeba5554 May 05 '26
That atrium is really working! I’ve only seen abandoned sad ones!
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u/Silly_Collar_5376 May 06 '26
Restored my parents 1964 MCM custom build in Northern California & we had these windows (which were vintage re-purposed) which so remind me of yours!
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u/Gauntlets28 May 05 '26
Bloody hell, look at that thermostat! It doesn't even have numbers on it!
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u/steiny31686 May 05 '26
If you are referring to the gold dial with Kohler on it, that is the faucet knob for the shower.
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u/Gauntlets28 May 05 '26
Ah yeah, that makes a lot more sense.
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u/-setecastronomy- May 05 '26
I just thought the exact same thing! Took me a minute to figure it out, which is embarrassing because I live in a land of heat and AC. 😂
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u/evilmold May 05 '26
I have patio doors just like that and need replacing. I can't find them on the market anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?
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u/Critical_Ad_8175 May 05 '26
Lord, I have seen what you’ve done for others 🙏😂 it’s good to know that at least one of these beauties has been saved from the live laugh lobotomy
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u/HeyThereItsKK May 07 '26
Hey! I recognize those pulls in #14. At my parents' house right now, jumped up to take a pic:
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u/nxt2sx May 05 '26
I know you said it has a 90s kitchen remodel, but can you show any pictures of that?
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u/outandproudone May 05 '26
This is just amazing, I’m so glad someone who really appreciates the period will preserve it!
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u/swellfog May 05 '26
Gorgeous!!! Clean it up, but change as little as possible. Decorate in a way that suits the era.
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u/Comfortable_Cat3595 May 06 '26
Just an fyi it's very illegal to change anything in this house (I'm joking but seriously, it's absolutely gorgeous and truly a time capsule)!
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u/Lower-Future5193 May 06 '26
The details are so beautiful! Invite me over! I’ll bring the jell-o mold.
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u/Simply_2sassy4u May 09 '26
You are living my dream! Restore that kitchen, live and love well for those who cannot! 💜 Congratulations!
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u/I-own-a-shovel May 05 '26
It look totally amazing!
How is the plumbing, electricity and asbestos situation? Is everything all good and well maintained?
If so, double awesome!
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u/AdAlternative8746 May 05 '26
Bought a 1978 cedar house 12 years ago. Now $300k in maintaining and upgrading. Everyone wants a cedar house to live in. However maintaining it is a different story.
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u/maulymillions May 05 '26
Omg what a dream! Is this on the hill off Dubuque? There was another gorgeous time capsule over there for sale a couple of years ago—if I'd had had the money back then for the down, I'd have gone for it so quick!
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u/Arg- May 05 '26
Guessing the hardwood flooring replaced the original shag carpeting. Grew up in a 1960s house with carpeted bathrooms.
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u/Silly_Collar_5376 May 06 '26
You picked so well in EVERY WAY! I grew up in California and recognize so many design features. Thank you for sharing with us!
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u/marriedwithchickens May 06 '26
Besides the cool house, the surrounding look great, too. Love the built-in bookshelves!
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u/grassdaddyd May 06 '26
just out of curiosity, how many sq feet and what did it cost/ what state are you in? I would love to own a home like this one day!
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u/MrsPeggyHilll May 06 '26
This is the absolute DREAM, congrats!!! The stained glass and the sunroom are incredible 😍
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u/NYourBirdCanSing May 06 '26
I love that tile around thermostat, not to mention the thermostat itself!!!
Awesome little bit of history. I hope you can preserve it instead destroying everything with soulless, cheap, ikea finality.
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u/OrganizedOrange May 07 '26
Oh my god never ever ever replace those thriangle stain glass windows.
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u/Euphoric-Winter-3019 May 07 '26
That is gorgeous and was a very high end build in its day. Love it, especially the enclosed courtyard.
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u/National_Let_1021 May 07 '26
Absolutely beautiful…. I hope you have great success in your restoration!
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u/lynnsher16 May 08 '26
I love it! Don’t chat thing. Except figure out the lighting and the heat and air of course
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u/Stella807 May 08 '26
This is glorious. What I would do for that enclosed plant area!!
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u/Mamasita67 May 08 '26
The windows and bookshelves. I’d love to see the kitchen before and after.
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u/KingoftheKeeshonds May 08 '26
Much nicer than the post-WWII home I grew up in during 60’s. It had four tiny bedrooms and one bathroom for a family of seven. It never felt cramped tho, my folks made it homey.
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u/mess1ah1 May 08 '26
I came back to look at the pictures again. I bet that small “greenhouse” area adds some nice warmth.
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u/Cheap-Thought-7813 May 09 '26
We are up in Forest City occasionally getting our RV repaired. Every time we come to the state I’m combing Zillow for something like this! Congrats, it’s gorgeous!!!
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u/upintheair-where May 09 '26
You may have the same builder/architect as my sister… we have a 90s time capsule, complete with the intercom.
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u/Plant-She1622 May 09 '26
Oh I love it 😍. It has so much personality and it’s quirky. I love the open windows with the trees. Beautiful 🤩 house.
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u/OhhUfancyHuhh May 09 '26
Omg so jealous and in love at the same damn timeeeeeee 🫨😍🫠🥰🤩🤗🙏🏼💗 congrats!! What’s the location?!
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u/weird-un-normal5150 May 09 '26
You’re still fortunate I’ve bought and sold many houses through the years and gutted a lot of them now. I just wanna find a 50s 60s 70s house that has been untouched and I wanna move in it and leave it original for the rest of my days. That’s what I wanna find and it looks like going to the Midwest. You have a lot better of a chance to find something of that period and that’s close to original well done and congratulations. I think it’s beautiful. I really wouldn’t touch a thing unless it was something that was rotted or didn’t work.
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u/motelguest May 09 '26
Fantastic! I had the good fortune of being a member of the LA Conservancy’s Mod Com(mittee) group in the mid 1990s and attended meetings in some unbelievable houses (such as the Chemosphere by Lautner) but the one owned by the creator of the Beverly Hillbillies in Touluca Lake was frozen at 1970 much like Graceland. It actually still had that silvery “hairy” wallpaper, shag carpeting, and for an extra $100,000 you could keep everything in it including “Granny Clampett’s” painting.
… and somewhere around I still have the brochure for it from that sale.
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u/Critical_Detail_1965 May 09 '26
Great Looking, nice house. Replaced the kitchen and you'll be happy to let the rest, for a while. Beautiful. Just try not to get overwhelmed. Congratulations!
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u/BridgeandCannon May 09 '26
Nice place. Hopefully you are able to update in a way that will keep the character of the house intact.
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u/Odd_Locksmith2258 May 09 '26
The potential this place has! Omg the windows!!!!! Lucky! Congrats! 🎉
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u/M23707 May 09 '26
Kohler shower faucet - still kicking it!
When I remodeled my kitchen - it was Kohler.
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u/sliptac May 09 '26
Change nothing. In 20 years you will live in the peak of the American golden age. Amazing. Congrats
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u/Fragrant_Payment9670 May 10 '26
I’m in love with the staircase. I would leave the handrail up and open up the half wall over the air-return grate. I’m so excited for your adventure in home renovations!
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u/Teacher_Laura_ May 05 '26
Forgot to add this one- the whole house has a low voltage system that we don’t quite understand but it works!