WowHaus

This 1950s Gordon Ryder modern house in Newcastle Upon Tyne could be a dream of a renovation project.

It’s not that there’s anything substantially wrong with it—far from it. This is the kind of house I love. It’s interesting architecturally, with period features still in place, but with the potential to be updated for modern-era living.

The house actually dates back to 1954, which surprises me as it looks more like a decade later than that. It must have been quite a bold statement 70 years ago.

That statement, known as the Walker House, was the work of renowned architect Gordon Ryder. It was one of the first domestic dwellings created by the Ryder Yeats practice in the 1950s.

According to the agent (who knows the area better than me), this is one of ‘only a handful of original 1950s homes within the northeast of England’, especially ones still in something approaching original condition. That condition, for me, is the selling point.

Midcentury modern is still a popular style and looks to be so for many years to come. You can add any number of fixtures and fittings, especially with so many available as design reissues or high-street copies. But you can’t quite replicate the original details, particularly regarding an individual design like this one.

Let’s start with the architecture itself, which sits on a large plot (unusual these days) in the ‘prestigious’ Woolsington Park South, Woolsington.

It’s an angular build that sits in the corner of the plot, with a rear intended to take full advantage of the view over the garden. It’s an interesting house from the front, but it’s from the rear elevation that this one comes to life.

I love how the bedrooms have balcony space overlooking the garden, too, and the expanse of glass boosts the natural light. It has a large garden, why not enjoy it?

Once inside, you’ll appreciate just how original this one is. It’s not a complete time capsule—the bathrooms look to have been updated in the fairly recent past. But beyond that, very little seems to have changed over the years.

Not everything will stay as ever, but some details offer a great starting point for any renovation. I love the living room with its wall of glazing and sharp angles, as well as the fireplace and flooring. A special mention of that ‘UFO’ light fitting, too.

The kitchen looks pretty much as it always was, the bedrooms are of a good size (and again dotted with original touches and storage), and the staircase in the hallway, whilst needing some updating, certainly adds in some 1950s charm.

As always, a viewing is necessary to determine just what is needed here. But at first glance, this looks like a blank canvas for anyone looking to create something with midcentury modern charm.

You might want to rework the bathrooms, update the kitchen, or rethink the living room fireplace. Like any house, you will also want to put your stamp on it when it comes to design and decor.

But a good eye will see that and know that maintaining the charm of this one is all about keeping as many of those original touches as possible. Because once they are gone, there’s no way you can put most of them back.

The house has another selling point: the space inside and out. I’ll get to the garden in a moment, but you can see plots of this size with modern-day houses. But the inside space is perhaps more plentiful than you might think.

Access is into an entrance hall that also hosts that wonderful staircase and something you might not expect – the original furnace, which is now disconnected (you may or may not be pleased to know).

The hallway then leads through to the wonderful, open-plan lounge/dining room, which faces the rear garden. It has that original feature fireplace plus sliding doors that open out onto the rear terrace and garden, very much bringing the outside in.

A door from the lounge then leads into a kitchen/breakfast room, with a secondary door providing access to the front.

The ground floor space also has a second reception room/ground floor bedroom (bedroom four) with fitted storage and a further storeroom with access to a ground floor WC and into the garage.

Head up the staircase for the majority of the bedrooms. There are three ‘good sized’ bedrooms, all of which have direct access to the private sun terrace/balcony if you want to take in the garden or grab some fresh air first thing in the morning. There is also a modern family bathroom with a three-piece suite.

Yes, there is all that outside space too, which extends to over half an acre. The agent rightly points out that the ‘substantial site’ is ‘a clear opportunity to extend the property or for further development’, but that will be subject to the correct planning consents. Or just enjoy the bonus of a large garden. It’s a rare thing these days.

There is also a driveway providing off-street parking, which in turn leads up to an ‘extensive multi-car garage’ and workshop with further storage to the rear.

It is just on the market for offers over £695,000.

Images and details courtesy of Brunton Residential. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.