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Untouched midcentury time capsule asks $200K

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With a terrazzo-floored lanai and an original kitchen

By Megan Barber
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A red and beige midcentury house in front of a long driveway, yard, with trees in the background. Photos by Robert Pearson Architectural Photography

Midcentury modern homes may have certain architectural elements in common, but they hit the real estate market in varying states. Some have been modernized and revamped, sometimes to great effect, while other homes have suffered from subpar tweaks in the 1980s or ’90s.

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But the most revered midcentury listing is the time capsule house. The time capsule house hasn’t been touched—or tampered with, in some people’s opinions—by contemporary sensibilities. The latest to cross our desk is this four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath in Joliet, Illinois, about an hour southwest of Chicago.

Built in 1953, the house has been left intact with no cosmetic changes and only a handful of owners. Horizontal lines and a low slung roof welcome you to the home, while inside a great room and stone fireplace are a focal point. Vaulted ceilings, birch paneling, and exposed beams add to the charm, and a stunning terrazzo-floored lanai with padded bar and paneling show the home’s authenticity.

On the other side of the great room is the home’s kitchen: A gorgeous white and blue gem with metal-edge formica countertops, metal cabinets with original fixtures, and colored glass panel walls. The spacious bedrooms boast hardwood peg floors, and the master bedroom features built-in cabinets—one with an amoeba-like shape as drawer pulls. The master bath is equally impressive, featuring more colored glass paneling, vintage tile, and a triple medicine cabinet with fluorescent light tubes.

Ready to own a piece of untouched 1950s style? 409 North Larkin Avenue is on the market now for $199,900.

A living room with vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, worn carpet, a stone fireplace, and windows out to a four-season sunroom.
The great room features a stone fireplace, vaulted ceilings, and birch paneling.
A long sunroom has terrazzo floors, clerestory windows that look out onto a green yard, and a bar at one end with four bar chairs.
The four-season sunroom boasts terrazzo floors and an authentic midcentury bar.
A living room with worn carpet, wood pwnling, and an organ in a nook at the rear.
Another angle of the great room, with an organ on the far side.
A kitchen has white cabinets, blue glass paneled walls, a fluorescent light in the center, and a window over the sink.
The white and blue kitchen features metal-edge formica countertops, metal cabinets with original fixtures, and colored glass panel walls.
A master bedroom with hardwood floors, an empty bed frame, windows looking to the yard, and a dresser with an amoeba-like shape for drawer pulls.
The four bedrooms are quite spacious and have hardwood peg floors
A vintage bathroom with black and white tile, two sinks, a three-piece medicine cabinet, and black glass paneling.
The vintage bathroom has been untouched.

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