Must-see houses
WowHaus Top 40 of 2013: The most popular properties of the year (numbers 20 – 11)
Ok, if you have missed it so far, we have covered numbers 40 – 31 and numbers 30 -21 in the Top 40 most popular house finds on WowHaus in 2013. Now we are up to 20 through to 11.
20. 1960s three-bedroom modernist property in Bath, Somerset
Another untouched modernist gem (pictured above). This one was featured in Ideal Hone in 1965 and we would guess there would be little difference between the shots in that magazine and the images on the agent’s listing.
Some lovely little touches too, including a feature stone and slate fireplace, a period kitchen and a recessed cocktail area. On the downside, it’s a sought after location, so the land might have more value than the design.
As for price, it was up for £900,000.
19. 1950s Fello Atkinson and Brenda Walker-designed grade II-listed midcentury modern property in Leicester, Leicestershire
As the title says, this is a grade II-listed midcentury modern property in Leicester, Leicestershire – and for good reason.
Also known as the Goddard House (after the original owners), this Bauhaus-inspired property was described as ‘one of Britain’s finest post-war architect-designed homes’. It’s also incredibly well preserved both inside and out, including the separate garden studio, which should be perfect for a home office or workshop.
£515,000 was the price, which seemed reasonable in light of its pedigree.
18. Three-bedroom 1930s art deco property in Carmarthen, South Wales
We always keep an eye on eBay for property as every now and again, something interesting pops up. Like this art deco place in Carmarthen, South Wales.
Not many photos of this 1934 build on the listing, but it looked like a private sale and a house in need of renovation. Although the listing did point to plenty of originality too.
But we think the biggest pull of this place was perhaps the price. It was listed on eBay for jut £130,000.
17. Two-bedroom apartment in the 1950s Eric Lyons-designed Span estate at Parkleys, Ham, Richmond, Surrey
Can a kitchen sell a house? It seemed to be the basis of the interest in this apartment in the 1950s Eric Lyons-designed Span estate at Parkleys, Ham, Richmond, Surrey.
Like all of the block, this was an example of affordable modernism, but someone had gone to a great deal of trouble to maintain the original look and where possible, put it back in. That included the original kitchen.
It was also one of the more affordable ‘finished’ properties in the top 40, up for £289,950.
16. 1960s John Winter-designed grade II-listed modernist property in London N6
Now this really was something. But this John Winter-designed grade II-listed modernist property in London N6 came with a massive price tag.
Pitched as ‘one of London’s most architecturally significant modernist houses’, it was built by the architect for his own use and looks pretty much untouched over the decades – right down to the old TV. The downside was the construction itself, which was in need of some work (especially the windows), which could prove a significant job.
That would be an added cost on top of the £3,200,000 asking price.
15. 16th century Inchdrewer Castle in Banff, Aberdeenshire – sold with a baronial title
Fancy being lord of the manor? You’ll be just that with this 16th century Inchdrewer Castle in Banff, Aberdeenshire, which was sold with its own baronial title.
The latter is perhaps more appealing than the former, which is in a fairly ruinous state, although not a completely lost cause. Work was done in the 1970s to keep in weatherproofed.
Sadly, not a lot of work has been done since, although it’s perhaps the ideal place for your own Grand Designs project. Just think, you’ll get a castle and the title of ‘Baron of Inchdrewer’ for £400,000 (plus the renovation costs, obviously).
14. Two-bedroom low-energy modernist property in Clapham Park, London SW2
Talking of Grand Designs, this is a property that featured in that very show. In fact, its popularity is perhaps because of that starring TV role.
A minimalist house described as a ‘giant stack of glass cubes’, it has won awards for its bold architecture and should save you some cash with its eco-friendly features such as the triple glazing, rain harvesting and solar panels.
However, it is one you’ll love or hate. If you loved it, the price was £1,495,000.
13. Four-bedroom semi-detached 1930s art deco property in London N2
Another of the art deco houses in the Hampstead Garden Suburb, this 1930s art deco property in London N2 is a very stylish statement.
However, it isn’t the period property you might expect. This is a heavily renovated house. The frame is very much of the era, but the finish is very much contemporary living, from the cutting edge kitchen to the stunning roof terrace space (with what looks like artificial turf).
It all comes at a price – and that price is £1,675,000.
12. 1950s Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired three-bedroom property in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
Two things sold this 1950s Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired three-bedroom property in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA to you. Authenticity and price.
First up, the originality of this 1954 build, which we think is down to being pretty much untouched rather than renovated. We can’t see someone putting the kitchen on show here back in. It also benefits from lots of land too, sitting in one and a half acres.
But the thing that really clinches the deal here is the price. It works out at the equivalent of £98,200. What could you get for that in the UK? Certainly not a midcentury modern gem like this.
11. 1930s grade II-listed Walter Gropius-designed modernist property in London SW3
We’re finishing this latest select with a Walter Gropius-design which went on the market for the first time in more than 40 years.
Walter Gropius, the founder of The Bauhaus School, escaped Germany in 1934 and moved to Britain before heading to the US. In his time in the UK, he worked on only a few projects, with this house in Chelsea being the only large scale residential project he completed in the United Kingdom. So a serious pedigree.
It’s a huge property and one that looks pretty well maintained from the 1930s. Just look at the the staircases inside and out, the balconies, full-height windows, wooden room dividers and the wood-clad walls for example. Some work to update is required though, which might not be easy or cheap in light of the listing.
There was another issue too. The asking price was a mind-boggling £45,000,000.
Look out for the all-important top 10 tomorrow!
