1960s modern house and time capsule in Plymouth, Devon

A dream of a renovation opportunity, this 1960s modern house and time capsule in Plymouth, Devon, is just up for sale.

It is a dream because, from experience, it has everything that buyers of this style of property are looking for: the character, the original touches, the potential for modern-day living, and a price that, whilst not cheap, is affordable for many people.

The fact that this is so untouched is the key selling point for me. If you want a house that screams the 1960s, this is for you. Very little, if anything, has changed in over half a century, and that’s harder to find these days.

The architecture is very much of its time. An angular build that mixed brick and slate, with some stone detailing and a flat roof. I presume it was built to an individual design, but I’m not certain. There isn’t a lot of detail about its past, but I can’t imagine houses like this being built in large numbers. Other houses in the area don’t bear any similarity.

I know it’s a look that doesn’t appeal universally, but as a fan of the era and its architecture, it certainly appeals to me. It’s a striking house amongst all of the greenery.

And that would be enough. But this one offers more. Not least an interior that matches the outside in terms of period authenticity.

Again, personal taste will come into play here, and I’m pretty sure even the biggest fan of 1960s interior design wouldn’t want to keep things exactly as they are. But there are touches I would look to keep as part of any renovation work.

The wood ceilings, of course, and the internal stone detailing—that’s the blueprint for a 1960s modern/midcentury modern home right there. Plenty of glazing boosts the natural light, too.

Note also the rather interesting built-in units, the open-tread staircase, the built-in fittings in the bedrooms, original bathrooms, what look like original kitchen units, some vintage lighting, and a rather nice covered area that takes you outside without being outside (if that makes sense).

Ok, some of the decor would need to go, the carpets are showing their age, and some of the units might not have aged as well as others. A viewing might well reveal more work required, too. But that’s the case for any house. Also, everyone reworks an interior when they get in, so that’s not a big issue.

The positives far outweigh the negatives. This is a cool 1960s house that lends itself to modern-day living and looks like a fantastic prospect for someone looking for something distinctive as a project. As I said earlier, it screams potential, and this kind of house rarely comes up for sale these days.

The space on offer, both inside the main house and beyond, is also a big selling point here, along with the location, which is said to be in a ‘prestigious residential setting’ and on ‘one of Plymouth’s finest roads’

The house has two driveways leading to the two separate integral garages. That’s right, car lovers, two garages here and, as you can see from the images, sizeable garage spaces too. If you love your cars (or hoarding lots of junk), then that’s another plus point.

Off the entrance hallway, there is a utility room and a door into one of the garages. The staircase (which might need adapting in some way) takes you to the first-floor landing and the bedroom space.

There are three bedrooms, all listed as doubles, with the main bedroom having an en-suite shower room. Plenty of vintage built-in units, too, some of which could be repurposed, are on this floor. The family bathroom, also on this floor, is fitted with a bath.

The kitchen/breakfast room is described as being a good size with a range of fitted units and a large window. I like the idea of keeping the kitchen, but a close inspection will be needed before you make that decision.

The living room is described as a ‘fabulous big room’ with two large windows looking out across the road and neighbouring rooftops towards the Cornish hills in the distance. In the middle of the property, there is a separate dining room that opens into the living room. That’s pretty much it for the internal space.

The gardens are mostly to the side, with an area of lawn and numerous shrubs and bushes. The garden leads up the side to the rear garden area, which has a further area of garden and patio on the other.

There are also those two integral garages, with a good-sized workshop/store area off one of the garages. As the photos hopefully show, there is storage or workspace aplenty here.

Up for sale with no chain, the house is just on the market for £375,000, which doesn’t sound a lot in light of what you get.
Images and details courtesy of Falcon Property. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.

