1950s midcentury modern Erickson House in Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Looking for something unique? You can’t get more interesting than the 1950s midcentury modern Erickson House in Duluth, Minnesota, USA.
Not so much a tree house as much as a house amongst the trees. Hovering above a creek that works through the Congdon Estate towards Lake Superior, this is a dream of a midcentury modern house dating back to 1959.
So construction was around 64 years ago. With that in mind, you would expect plenty of changes. Spoiler alert. Very little – if anything – has changed with this house.
I suppose it wouldn’t be easy (or indeed sensible) to alter the architecture. It would lose so much of its appeal if anything were done to ‘modernise’ this one. But you might expect someone to have updated the interior in six or so decades. I’ll be honest, I’m not seeing much of note that doesn’t sit well with the original design. But we’ll get to the interior in a moment.
First off, the architecture itself, which is described by the agent as a house sitting on top of a steel bridge spanning a creek And that’s about right.
It’s the work of engineer Lewis Erickson (hence the name), who apparently built the home on stilts for his wife, who suffered from polio. Presumably, so she could be amongst nature. Because that’s what you are when you get up there. Among the greenery of its forest location.
The engineering prowess of Erickson is one thing, but the design itself is also worth talking about. A wonderful angular design of steel, concrete and slate, with plenty of glazing to take in the scenery, a balcony to get amongst it, and that lovely mosaic frontage. This is a house that appeals to the eye long before you step in through the front door.
But once you do, you’ll be wowed some more. This is quite the time capsule of the late 1950s, give or take the occasional appliance.
The agent indicates that there is a ‘need for some cosmetic changes’ within, and I would agree. Something to turn this into a home rather than a museum. Nothing too radical, though, because you really would want to maintain pretty much every original detail here.
Yes, I know it might be difficult to keep the balance of 21st-century living with a 20th-century look and feel, but it’s not impossible. It just needs careful consideration. The main living space and bedrooms should be more straightforward to update. The kitchen area and bathrooms, perhaps less so.
But many have done it, and with so many specialist companies focusing on the midcentury modern era (especially in the US), you should be able to negotiate around it.
It will be worth it too. Just look at that space. The entrance hall and its feature walls and slate floor hint at something special, but the house really takes off when you enter the ‘great room’.
Open-plan living isn’t a modern-day concept. It was pioneered half a century or more back. And this room has it all going on. Slate floors, wood-clad walls, framed views, and a subtle break-up of the space for a dining area just beyond.
And an open kitchen too, which was likely a bold concept back in the 1950s. This one is pretty much freestanding and, although a little dated in functionality, could be reworked for modern cooking purposes.
The clean finishes continue throughout the house, with more great views from the primary bedroom, as well as balcony access. There are two more bedrooms too, and three bathrooms that are very much of the era, across the single floor.
You might not be keen on the carpets, but almost everything else appeals to these eyes. As I said, some subtle updating and this will be your dream midcentury modern pad.
There’s another little bonus, too, in the form of an indoor pool and shower room. Likely to need some work to bring it back to its best, it is something you perhaps didn’t expect at first glance, being hidden away under the garage. A refresh, and this will be the perfect place to relax.
As you probably worked out from that, there is a sizeable garage space too, plus some land around, covering something like 0.34 acres.
The agent describes this as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’, which I can’t disagree with. If a move to Minnesota works for you, the Erickson House in Duluth is on the market for $675,000. If you want the conversion, that works out to around £555,000.
Images and details courtesy of Karen Rue at Edina Realty. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website. Photography courtesy of Ben Clasen.
