Strange & Unusual Houses

[Livilla]

We live in a close of 60s houses, and our immediate neighbours have done a brilliant job of keeping their 60s interior refreshed, but still 60s in its vibe (unlike the other houses on the street which never got touched at all). Anyway, now, 50 years on since they bought it, it looks absolutely fabulous, well-decorated and filed with their original, but now achingly trendy, 1960s furniture. Their granddaughter, who lives on Shoreditch and is a music student, brings all her friends round to see it because she thinks it's so cool. And I have seen some gorgeous Art Deco houses too.

I think it takes quite an art though, to figure out how to balance the contemporary with the period features to make it all look good. I certainly never managed it with our 60s fireplace - in the end we just ripped it out. :lol:

[Rebel Pebble]

I went to house just last month with a 30's fireplace and she'd kept it and liked it, but her husband really wanted them to rip it out and put in a reck-yard thing.

My friends took both original fireplaces out of their late 20s semi in SE London. One was replaced with one of those modern pile of stones gas flame doodahs and other just became an alcove with the TV hung above it.

[Rebel Pebble]

And I have seen some gorgeous Art Deco houses too.

I think it's easier when it's an obvious style like Art Deco, or Moderne or whatever and people definitely go out of their way to preserve that kind of thing. But when it's just a more basic brown-tiled fireplace from your standard 30s suburban semi it doesn't command the same level of respect.

We've finally pulled up the laminate in our hallway and have full sight of the original 60s parquet underneath. It's in good nick but very dark - why our vendor covered it up allegedly - but that's down to whatever idiot stained it last. When we're back from holiday it's going to get properly sanded, a lighter colour stain/varnish and back to its glory hopefully. Then the dining room and lounge...... But the hall is the test site. :))

[smalex]

My friends took both original fireplaces out of their late 20s semi in SE London. One was replaced with one of those modern pile of stones gas flame doodahs and other just became an alcove with the TV hung above it.

:cry: That's just the worst.

[Rebel Pebble]

Unless I am missing something, this flat has only one window/door to the outside. in the bedroom. The lounge has no direct natural daylight.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for ... 61949.html

And I love the EA's description of this flat in a tower block in East Ham

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for ... miumA=true

As you stroll to the end of the road the world opens up. Here you will find High Road shops. Iceland and Lidls are your convenience stores!

It probably took you five minutes or so to get to the station for your commute to work but the real pleasure is jumping on a bus from the end of your road where you can take a trip to Asda in Beckton, Wanstead Flats in Forest Gate, Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford and even Tower Bridge!

East Ham must be one of the convenient places in East London. It is not just the area. As you open the door to your flat, you feel the warmth cascade over you as you step over the mat into your home! First you escape into the kitchen to prepare a culinary feast and after satisfying your hunger you run a large bubble bath to wash away the strains for the day.

Nothing could have prepared you for how fulfilled you would be by owning your own home in such a great location.

[Texaco Shirley]

Isn't that a door to the outside in the hallway?

[Rebel Pebble]

Isn't that a door to the outside in the hallway?

It's a basement flat so given that the entrance door is kind of in the middle of everything I get the feeling that's the entrance to the flat but not a source of daylight. The floor plan and photos are hard to interpret though.

[absley]

We've finally pulled up the laminate in our hallway and have full sight of the original 60s parquet underneath. It's in good nick but very dark - why our vendor covered it up allegedly - but that's down to whatever idiot stained it last. When we're back from holiday it's going to get properly sanded, a lighter colour stain/varnish and back to its glory hopefully. Then the dining room and lounge...... But the hall is the test site. :))

OT but: that's exciting rebs - I remember doing the same in my old flat and loved the end result.

[smalex]

That first one is hard to interpret. I can see what you mean though, it certainly doesn't seem to have many windows.

My in laws own an investment flat, it's a purpose built place (built about 8yrs ago), it's got a big window/entrance door at the front which leads to a living /kitchen. Then the 'bedroom' is beyond this, it's got no proper door and no window. There's this sort of square window in it which is a fire escape hatch thing, I believe it leads onto a special corridor. It's pretty crap, if you ask me.

[Derek Nimmo]

If you read the more info tab and the description of each room, it does indeed have one external window only. Although you can look into the bedroom from the kitchen which is one hell of a selling point.

[Rebel Pebble]

We've finally pulled up the laminate in our hallway and have full sight of the original 60s parquet underneath. It's in good nick but very dark - why our vendor covered it up allegedly - but that's down to whatever idiot stained it last. When we're back from holiday it's going to get properly sanded, a lighter colour stain/varnish and back to its glory hopefully. Then the dining room and lounge...... But the hall is the test site. :))

OT but: that's exciting rebs - I remember doing the same in my old flat and loved the end result.

It is! We've had a few quotes and for all three rooms it's not bad. The chap we'll probably go with also confirmed it's oak so there's absolutely no good reason for it to be stained the colour of flipping ebony. I think we'll definitely go for it in September.

Derek - yeah, quite. It really is a hideous flat.

[Hazey_Jane]

This seems the best place for this. It's very cool... http://www.buzzfeed.com/laurenstrapagie ... .muy2Xmyqd

[sally maclennane]

My house is 1930s and has very little in the way of original features, apart from the doors upstairs. I have major envy of my neighbours who have the original stained glass.

[brown pony]

Look at this incredible bathroom suite! It's actually quite a modern, up to date looking house [in Sweden] apart from this.

[cluefree]

That made me do a little internal scream, BroPo. :lol:

[Mayday]

That looks like it should be in a museum - I saw one similar to that recently!

[Squirrel]

That's amazing.

[Squirrel]

I wish I'd taken a photo of my mum's bathroom before it was renovated, it wasn't far off that.

[smalex]

Hello blue!

My house when I was a child had a yellow suite. The houses on our estate had alternating yellow, pink, blue and green bathrooms.

[smartiecat]

There's something I find strangely appealing about that blue suite. I think my eyes would explode after about 10 minutes in there though and I'd realise I was very mistaken.