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Woman buys fixer-upper house and turns it into her 1950s dream home
Walking into Rochelle's home is like opening a time capsule from the 1950s. It's incredible to see everything she's done with it.
Rozzette Cabrera
09.24.21

Your home is a reflection of who you are and what you do. It could also reflect your passion. For a woman from Phoenix, Arizona, it’s about her dream in life.

When Rochelle Anvik and her husband bought a home, she already had an idea of how it should look.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

She even came up with a list of things the home needed to have before they purchased it. One of her conditions was that the house should be from the 50s – and that’s exactly what she got.

According to the Mirror, she shared:

“When me and my husband found this house in 2018 it was in horrible shape, it was definitely a fixer-upper. It was originally built in 1957 but it got a remake in the 1970s. You could tell the original 1950s architecture was still in place though.”

To turn the house into the home of her dreams, Rochelle and Matt started stripping the home of most of its modern elements when they had it remodeled.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

Then, they filled it with tons of vintage items. In the same interview, she shared:

“When we bought the house I didn’t really have that many antiques. The first antique I had going into the home was my 1950s TV, which we took the tube out of and put a flat-screen on.”

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

Their oven and stove are from the 50s, too. However, even though they’re old, they still work perfectly. And in Rochelle’s opinion, they work better than modern stoves and ovens.

From there, Rochelle’s collection grew.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

She went to different antique shops to collect vintage items. Slowly, it became a hobby for her.

Most of the items she has are rare.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

She has this nice sit-in sauna in her living room. According to the Daily Mail, she shared:

“A lot of the items are really rare. I have a sit-in sauna in my living room and Elvis is the only person who had the exact same one. It’s definitely a conversational piece. People are always asking what it is, some people think it came off a rollercoaster.”

Apart from the interior, Rochelle made sure that the exterior of her house looks retro too. She even got a 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer car to go with it.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

The house is the fulfillment of her dream.

She told Fox 10 News:

“It’s surreal. Sometimes I wake up and realize ‘oh my gosh, I have actually fulfilled my dream that I dreamt about for so long.”

Rochelle’s love for the 50s started when she was young.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

Her grandpa, and her trips to different antique stores with her mom, were her inspiration. As a news journalist, her grandfather had interviewed old Hollywood stars. Her mom would share stories about their lives. Hearing her tales, Rochelle felt that she’s missed out. She wanted to be born in that era.

Since that’s not possible, she decided to make up for it.

YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix
Source:
YouTube Screenshot-Fox 10 Phoenix

Rochelle’s vintage home isn’t open to the public. However, she does rent it out for photo and video shoots.

Watch how Rochelle took a step back in time with her house in the video below!

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