Welcome to the 70s – ashtrays not included. Photo: wearelouka.
For about the same price as a house in Wollongong, you could own your very own time machine.
The time machine does come with some limitations – it can only take you to the late 1960s/early 1970s, and you won’t find any people.
But when you walk in the door of 175 Mt Keira Road, Mt Keira, you’ll be hard pressed to find any evidence of the past 50 years.
Bright wallpaper and linoleum gleams in groovy patterns, with an abundance of browns, oranges and yellows throughout.
Timber veneer cabinetry abounds, and the ceiling boasts intricate moulded cornices.
It’s all styled with furniture that was the height of fashion at the time, including a velvet, mustard-coloured lounge suite and bedhead with built in bedside tables and radio.
It’s a million miles away from the grey and beige colour palettes of new builds – and agent for the property, Nelson Bowler said that point of difference had drawn plenty of people in to view the property ahead of auction.
Wake up in the morning to the sound of your favourite radio station, brought to you directly from your bedhead. Photo: wearelouka.
“It’s one of a kind,” he said.
“Our vendors didn’t have any children, they didn’t have any grandchildren, so it was just them living in the home and they took excellent care of it.
“It’s spotless; I’ve never in my career seen anything that looks like this in this good of a condition.
“Usually properties this age are a bit more run-down and haven’t had that tender love and care poured into them.
“This feels like you’re opening the door into a TV set or movie, like you’re walking into the 70s. Every time I walk in I’m amazed; it hasn’t got old yet.”
Forty-two groups came to the first inspection of the property, although they weren’t all looking to buy.
Nelson said some viewers had come looking for inspiration, because the home is such a pristine example of the period.
He said buyers keen to keep the home’s vintage vibe while giving it a bit of an update would have plenty of options.
“There are so many features that give it that vintage feel,” he said.
“Not everyone is looking for a cookie-cutter new build; some people want something unique and to put their own flair on a property that already has so much character and history.
“So you could keep certain wallpaper and flooring or the intricate cornices all along the roofing, you don’t see that in modern homes anymore, throughout the house; you can keep elements like that and preserve the history of the property while giving it a bit of an update.
The decorative cornices are a feature typical of their time – just like the love of all things yellow and brown. Photo: wearelouka.
“A number of buyers have asked what furniture they can and can’t keep, and unfortunately the furniture is not included in the sale of the home, although there may be some pieces you could negotiate for.
“A couple of people have come in not even looking to buy, they’ve just seen it and are really interested in this vintage style and needed to see it for themselves.
“Even the oven, it’s in perfect condition and it’s an old one that the whole thing swings open; every element is just perfectly set in its time.”
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Number 175 Mt Keira Road, Mt Keira goes to auction on Friday, 8 March, through MMJ Real Estate. For more information contact Nelson Bowler on 0432 543 194.
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