Don’t you just wish you could go jump waaay back in time? Back when things were simpler, the neighbors dressed stylishly, and the interior design looked unique instead of mass-produced? Well, teachers turned entrepreneurs Alysha and Nate Jackson perfectly captured that sentiment by buying a time-capsule home that looks like it was lifted straight from the 70s.
The Jacksons’ second home, which is 2,476 square feet (230 square meters) in size, has been going viral everywhere: on the news, in the media, on social networks, and it’s no wonder! The photos of their new home are absolutely stunning and their 70s-themed photoshoot is as authentic as things can get.
The pièce de résistance of the entire building is none other than the purple carpet adorning it. It simply screams retro and it’s making the internet go crazy for it. Be sure to follow the Jacksons’ Instagram and Facebook accounts for some more updates about their new house. They’re part of the F.I.R.E. (financial independence, retire early) movement, so look out for some awesome financial tips from them, too! But now, let’s take a tour inside.
Alysha told Bored Panda all about how they bought their new home, so scroll down for her insights and the full interview!
The Jacksons bought a 70s home in Indiana that looks iconic and has been going viral online
Image credits: thejacksonfi
Alysha said that she and her husband, Nate, thought about buying another home in the future, but they weren't in the market for a second home until Nate saw the 70s home in several real estate Facebook groups.
"On Saturday evening he showed me the photos, and said, 'Don't shoot this idea down immediately, but what if we bought this house?' To his surprise, I agreed. Sunday morning we were able to get a hold of a local Fort Wayne real estate agent, she gave us a Zoom tour of the home since we were in Orlando, and we put in our offer. By Monday morning it was accepted, so within the span of a weekend we went from not looking to purchase a home, to having an offer accepted for a house that was multiple states away."
She revealed that they just couldn't wait to get inside the home once they bought it. "We had the opportunity to close remotely from our home in Florida, but we decided to pack up everything and drive up so we could get in the home as soon as possible. Usually, when both my husband and I have a gut feeling about something and go for it, it usually works out. However, we had just made a massively impulsive decision. However, when we walked into the home, we just got so excited because it's everything we imagined and more. Absolutely zero buyer's remorse."
They even had a vintage photoshoot that looks so retro, we can't handle it!
Image credits: thejacksonfi
The house has been untouched since 1975 and it's no wonder that some things need to be repaired and restored. "However, it's pretty incredible what good shape it's in. The first walkthrough was unreal... we had seen this house online and had poured over pictures, but nothing compares to actually being here. We're still discovering fun details about the home."
Alysha told us that even though the purple shag carpet is striking and the original owners took "great care of their home," the carpet is "well past" its expiration date and needs to be changed.
"It looks perfect in pictures, but there are a lot of faded areas and some mold issues in the bathrooms/bedrooms. With two toddlers and a pup, I feel like I'm always vacuuming and losing things in it! We'll be replacing it with era-appropriate Forbo Marmoleum. Something that's easier to clean and more durable," she explained.
The purple carpet goes up the walls in some places. But don't celebrate yet because it's going to be replaced pretty soon
Image credits: thejacksonfi
"However, because the carpet is such an iconic part of the home, we're planning on keeping a bit of each color and commissioning a textile artist to make an art piece to hang on the wall. We'll be mindfully updating things like flooring, but are going to keep as much of the original features as possible, while still making the home suitable for a modern family. For example, we're keeping the original cabinets but adding new countertops and cabinet knobs," Alysha said that the family will try to strike a balance between upgrading the home and keeping its most iconic parts.
The home and the 70s photoshoot going viral surprised the Jacksons. According to Alysha, they're all "honored and thrilled that so many people want to follow along and love the home like we do." Some people are, of course, upset that the family's planning to change a few things, however, as Alysha pointed out, "They aren't the ones that would have to potty train their toddlers on 40-year-old bathroom shag."
The Jacksons plan to spend part of their time living in the house in Indiana and the other part back home in Florida
Image credits: thejacksonfi
The Jacksons really do plan to remove the carpet as part of the renovation and they confirmed it not just to us, but to the entire internet as well.
“This house is so much more than the carpet. I'll admit, it's what caught my eye first too, and certainly a reason why it took the internet by storm. But, when we replace it, this home will still be special, still be unique, still be ‘itself’. Look at those architectural lines, the staircase, the cabinets! All of these pillars of the home will remain,” the couple wrote on their Instagram.
They plan to replace the iconic carpet with click-and-lock Marmoleum which they call “era-appropriate, environmentally friendly, gorgeous, and ridiculously durable. Totally suited for life with toddlers, a pup, and future Airbnb guests. Oh, and we'll bring that color. It's all coming together, and I can't wait to share the journey with you,” the Jacksons promised.
The listing for the 1975 house in Fort Wayne, Indiana was getting lots of attention on real-estate-investment groups on Facebook in December of last year because of its purple, teal, and crimson shag carpeting. And while some adored the home and others were dismissive, the Florida-based Jackson family was seriously considering buying it.
The house has been going absolutely viral online and people are loving how unique and quirky it is
Image credits: thejacksonfi
The gorgeous purple carpeting immediately draws the eye, however, it's getting old and it's time to replace it
Image credits: thejacksonfi
Rich-colored carpeting can be found pretty much in the entire home and it adds a lot of character to the place
The house is in the woods, so it's perfect for nature-lovers
Stairs with purple carpet? Stairs with purple carpet! Sign us up!
Probably the calmest-looking place, design-wise, is the bathroom (and even that's got so many colors it's making our eyes water)
The couple is part of the F.I.R.E. movement and aims to retire early by creating lots of small, varied, passive income streams. So they saw this as a potentially great investment into their future. What’s more, they both have relatives living in Indiana, so having a second home in the state sounded wonderful.
Their idea was simple: they could rent out their Orlando home through Airbnb when they stayed at the time-capsule house in Fort Wayne, and vice versa. This way, they could get some income from short-term tourists and travelers while also keeping life fresh and adventurous for themselves and their two children, Eva and Elias.
The Jacksons bought the home for 161k dollars a mere two days after seeing the offer online. That’s how serious they were about the architecturally iconic home.
Unfortunately, the house wasn’t as pristine as the photos. The carpet was seeing some wear and tear and had a definite smell to it. That’s why it has to go even if it looks pure 70s. Alysha and Nate also plan to install a deck and revamp access to the dining room with 70k dollars that they’ve earmarked for renovations. It’ll be tough going for a while, but it’ll be a labor of love. And we’re sure the end result will be worth it.
Besides the carpet, the other main draws of the home are the high ceilings and the beautifully carved credenza that was built by designers Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman.
One thing’s for sure, we can’t wait to see how things will turn out and we’ll be following the journey with keen eyes. We’re not the only ones, though. At the time of writing, the couple’s Instagram page has 40.8k followers. And we’re darn sure that they’ll be drawing even more fans pretty soon.
Here's how some people reacted when they saw the house
What do you think of the Jacksons’ new home, dear Pandas? Did you fall in love with the purple carpet just like we did? Would you like to live in a time-capsule home like this one? If so, what decade’s decor would you like to be surrounded by every moment of every day? Share your thoughts with us and your fellow readers in the comment section below.