Elevated above the banks of the Garonne River in Toulouse, a 1950s house by the architects Bernard Calley and Georges Alet could now be yours. Designed in 1953, the home, now listed for €1,450,000, is brimming with bold colours and modernist architecture curves and layers, which make it stand out in its sleepy suburban context.
Tour this French 1950s house for sale
Situated on stilts on a 615 sq m plot, the house stretches over three levels. It features two interlocking volumes. The first defines its brick façade, with a ship as its obvious inspiration. Two porthole windows add to the composition's maritime references, which continue inside, in the second floor's cabin doors, for example.
The second volume is crisp and white – a nod to the surrounding buildings of Toulouse, a city defined by its ‘O’-shaped layout. With its offset space-age roof, the structure displays influences of the International Style, as the movement pushed the avant-garde away from art deco and towards the familiar midcentury modernism found across France.
The building feels eclectic and intriguing. Across a gangplank-like walkway, the house opens into a spacious entrance that leads to a bright living area with a decorative fireplace. Some original details remain, including a fitted canary-yellow kitchen and an office that overlooks the Garonne River.
A grand marble staircase sits at the core of the house, taking visitors up to a library area and lounge. Also on this level are three bedrooms and a bathroom with a large dressing room.
Venturing away from the marble staircase, another – this time bright red and almost pop-art-inspired – one leads up to the remaining levels. Here, visitors will find a reading nook and two attic bedrooms with porthole openings and skylights.
A ground level that hosts an additional bedroom, a laundry room, and a double garage completes the residence. There is also a motorhome garage leading to a separate, private terrace.
It all comes together to form a striking 1950s house – a finely tuned example of French 20th-century architecture.
Fifties House by Bernard Calley and Georges Alet is listed for €1,450,000. To find out more, visit architecturedecollection.fr