Fixer-Upper Friday: A Retro Ranch in Holbrook

This vibrant, vintage abode is begging for a midcentury modern makeover.

By Madeline Bilis· 3/23/2018, 12:10 p.m.

Photo via Engel & Volkers

55 Marion Street, Holbrook
Price: $250,000
Size: 1,312 square feet
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 1

At first glance, you can probably guess the decade this house was built. The very vibrant, very retro, very ’50s abode dates back to 1955, and retains plenty of its dated features. That’s why it needs a few updates—to bring the place back to its original midcentury splendor.

Listed for $250,000, the bright blue fixer-upper in Holbrook spreads out to about 1,300 square feet across one level. An oversized floor-to-ceiling window in the living room floods it in light, and the space’s white brick partition makes it feel bright and spacious. There’s also a rear entry that leads to a reasonably large backyard, complete with a screened-in porch and a small potting shed.

While the wood paneling in some rooms adds a charming vintage touch, the dingy carpet and linoleum do not. Our advice? Ditch the features that can’t be saved, like the aging floors and drop ceilings, and preserve the kitschy details, like the kitchen’s floral wallpaper, the wood, and other retro finishes.

Because really, the potential is there. With a modern wood sideboard, an Eames chair, and maybe a starburst clock, the ranch could become the midcentury modern house of your wildest Pinterest board dreams.

For information, contact Michael Woolf, Engel & Volkers, evusa.com.