3200 Floral Lane - La Crosse $289,900- FOR SALE

A 1950s Original, Kept Like a Gallery

Some homes are built quickly and sold quickly. This one was planned carefully, line by line, on a yellow legal pad, by an owner who meant to stay. He did stay, for a lifetime, and that care shows in every room.

It starts with the land: over half an acre, with the lower tax rate of the Town of Shelby. There's room to run in the yard, to plant a garden, to toss a ball, or simply to let the grass stretch out under an open sky. A lot this size is hard to find this close to everything.

The one-owner ranch was built to last. The exterior is redwood, the walls are solid plaster (the kind that feels cool and substantial under your hand), and the footings are an extra-wide 24 inches. Inside, the Mid-Century details are still here as they were first installed. The original built-ins and light fixtures have soft, honest lines that designers try hard to recreate today.

A photographer's home, and walls that tell on him

The previous owner was an award-winning photographer who won competitions judged by Ansel Adams himself. Because he displayed his work on easels instead of hanging it, there is exactly one nail hole in the whole house. Think about that for a moment. After decades of living with art, the walls are practically untouched and ready for the next owner's pictures and paint colors.

Rooms designed around the people living in them

The three main-level bedrooms have generous closets, unusually generous for their era. The windows are set high on the walls, so your bed, dresser or reading chair can go wherever you like. Hardwood floors wait under the carpet in the bedrooms and living room, ready to be rediscovered. The walls between the living and sleeping spaces are sound-insulated, so one person can watch a late movie while another sleeps.

A lower level full of possibility

Downstairs is a blank slate and an open invitation. There's a 4th non-conforming bedroom, and plumbing and electrical are already in place for your future plans. Then there's the darkroom, sink and all, where the photographer developed his prints. Keep it as a darkroom, turn it into a studio or workshop, or simply enjoy knowing what was created there.

The practical pieces

• Private well with a water softener and iron filter
• Detached 2-car garage with underground power
• Solid construction that doesn't ask much of you

This house was built with patience and cared for with the same patience, and it's ready for someone who will appreciate it.