Designed to Sell? The Purple Angel House
January 26, 2008
This may look like a fairly normal house on the outside, but that purple door hints that there are surprises in store when you step inside.
Discovering this house on the MLS (selling for $316,900) made my day. Why? Because, thanks to a proliferation of TV shows like “Designed to Sell,” “Sell This House,” and “Get It Sold,” most sellers paint everything beige and scrub all traces of their personality before putting a house on the market these days. This homeowner has defied the trend toward depersonalization, however. And I have to say it’s almost refreshing to see decorating that is so . . . exuberant.
The real estate agent describes it as being “exquisitely decorated & each room is uniquely themed.” Let’s just say, if you like purple and believe in unicorns, you’ll love this house.
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If You’re Hooked on Houses with Unique Decorating Styles:
Entry Filed under: Rooms That Need Rehab. Tags: angels, Decorating, design, House and Garden, MLS, murals, paint, purple, Real Estate, Style, trompe l'oeil.
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1.
J-Dawg | January 26, 2008 at 5:11 pm
? I only count 6 angels…
2.
hookedonhouses | January 26, 2008 at 5:15 pm
J-Dawg, look closely on the windowsill and you’ll see two little angels on either side of the big one. Those were the ones I didn’t notice at first.
3.
J-Dawg | January 26, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Ah. I saw those… They just looked like clothespins or something… Like part of the window.
4.
CindyK | January 26, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Oh. My.
5.
Mary Chandler | January 27, 2008 at 12:36 am
You HAD BETTER check the liens on this house with the register. I am finding all kinds of hits for the owners of this house!
6.
Tracey | January 27, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Can you imagine if the person who decorated that place was a friend, and asked for your opinion on say……the twenty seven angels? Would you tell her the truth?
7.
hookedonhouses | January 27, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hmmm. Good question, Tracey. I have a feeling that people who decorate extensively with angels may take offense by being told to weed a few out. However, I might suggest that they’d look better in…a bedroom? Although they might not really go with the Caribbean theme!
8.
Liz | January 27, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I’m showing my age here, but this house made me have flashbacks to “True Stories” and the woman John Goodman’s character dated whose house was nothing but a sea of pink, lace, and rainbows and, maybe, teddy bears.
9.
hookedonhouses | January 27, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I somehow managed to get through the ’80s without seeing that movie. I wonder if it’s on DVD yet?
10.
GrooviGirl | January 29, 2008 at 9:31 am
Whoa, dude! So about $250,000 for the actual house and about $70,000 for 900 cans of various shades of purple and lavendar paint, 23 wall murals, and the rest is for the Ouija boards that are hidden strategically about the rooms that, yes, are included.
This is a prime example of why you should paint over colors with beige. I counted 8 angels.
11.
Melinda Jenkins Jones | January 29, 2008 at 10:21 am
Wow!
I know they spent lots of time & $ but all the prospective buyer sees (assuming they aren’t blinded by purple) is how much it will cost them to remove all the personalization.
12.
hookedonhouses | January 29, 2008 at 1:04 pm
GrooviGirl–your “Ouija board” comment is cracking me up.
Melinda–I think their only hope of selling at this price is to find someone else who really, really loves 1) purple, 2) angels, and 3) the Caribbean, because I just can’t imagine anyone taking on the monumental task of removing them all.
You’ve both been entered for the book giveaway. Thanks for stopping by! -Julia
13.
Amanda | January 29, 2008 at 10:33 pm
There is nothing refreshing about this house. As I matter of fact it makes me feel quite nauseous! Bring on the beige!!!
14.
Real Estacia | January 31, 2008 at 6:24 pm
A few years back I as a Realtor, I previewed a home that I was trying to list in a neighborhood of similar nice homes. Ofcourse, she wanted TOP Dollar, even though HER house had an unfinished basement and no Fenced-in Back Yard, unlike the others for sale in her neighborhood..
My biggest hurdle, however, was that she was offended by my suggestion that she repaint her PURPLE living room with more nuetral colors, and she also refused to get rid of the Crystals hanging over tthe Front Door and strewn about the front entry. Needless to say, I didn’t get the listing–but I noticed that the house was for sale for a LOOOONNNGGG time. *sigh*
Hey, great website idea for people like me (us, really), who can’t get enough of the Real Estate Reality Shows, love to tour open houses, and can spend literally hours “touring” homes on the MLS/internet!!!!
P.S. My absolute Favorite RE shows are about “HOUSE Flipping”, and those were left off of your poll.
Love seeing what those people do, and how sucessful (or not) they are later.
Also love the show about why “my” house won’t sell. Boy, would I have loved to be that frank with some of my clients!!!!
Love Interior Design and Landscaping, too!!!
15.
Judy | January 31, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I love GOOD trompe l’oell–some is just breathtaking it’s so real, but this, well, not so much. The bedroom’s ocean scene is pretty good, but not the rest. Is there such a category as “fake trompe l’oell?” If there’s a fake window, I want to feel as if I could fall out and get a concussion if I stand too close. Nothing against this artist–it’s good for a picture book or somedthing, but it just doesn’t look the way I would want it to look in my house if I went to all of that trouble.
16.
hookedonhouses | January 31, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Real Estacia–Love your name! Also enjoyed your tale from the Front Lines of real estate. Feel free to regale us with more in the future! I also have to tell you we watch those house-flipping shows all the time, too. My husband’s always got one on because he likes to learn how to do various construction and home-improvement jobs. It was so hard for me to narrow it down to five shows for that poll, but I tried to pick the ones with the highest ratings or that were the best known. Hope to see you here again soon!
Judy–loved your take on “fake trompe l’oeil” and how it should look like you’re in danger of falling and getting a concussion if you lean too close. Totally agree! Still, you can tell someone worked really, REALLY hard on that house. And I’m sure they were very happy there. Maybe a little too happy? Hmmm.
17.
Real Estacia | February 2, 2008 at 2:04 pm
We are constantly told that we need to decorate with bland and nuetral colors, or we will offend too many people. While bland has it’s benefits, HEY FOLKS, IT”S BORING!!!!
Just spend a little time on line on the MLS touring home interiors, and you will soon fall asleep. Not that I advocate WILD or LOUD colors, mind you….
(see my post above)
But I really relate to your desire to view homes that have some personality!!!! AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!
That’s why staging is becoming so popular.
I say, play up your focal points,
stay away from the extremes of both wild AND bland,
and select comfortable, interesting colors.
While decorating schemes that are neutral are probably better for sale than wild or loud ones, it doesn’t hurt to introduce some intense color on one wall or focal point area. And you can always accent with bolder colored pillows and other accessories. Make it creative and interesting.
Surprise me!!
18.
Emma :] | February 4, 2008 at 10:39 am
Ahhh i see the angels. Wow, of all the colors to choose why purple?? U-G-L-Y!
19.
JLB | March 26, 2008 at 12:05 am
OMG!!!! This site is like crack. I am so addicted after my partner told me about it. I love the rooms that need re-hab. As an Interior Designer I love to see what people get up to on their own and decorate to their own taste (or complete lack of reserve) The color scheme of this house is so vile and the terrible little “extras” like the angels and the too cheap murals are “too precious” as my Mother would say. (That’s code for sooooo tacky I almost fell out of my chair.)
20.
hookedonhouses | March 26, 2008 at 8:35 am
I’m so glad it’s keeping you entertained, JLB, because your comments are keeping ME entertained. Hope to see you again!
21.
JLB | March 26, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I Love,Love, Love your site!!!! I hope you enjoy Gatlinburg. I have spent many vacations there with my family as a kid. It is the “redneck aspen”. don’t miss Dollywood in Pigeon Forge.
22.
hookedonhouses | March 27, 2008 at 8:19 am
Thanks, JLB! Redneck Aspen? Ha. We went to Dixie Stampede last night–kids loved it–and are off to Dollywood today.
23.
Jill | April 25, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Yikes. Just…yikes.