There’s a Sears Vallonia in Washington, DC that’s on the market – kind of – but according to local Realtors, they’re having a tough time getting inside the house to show it. I thought I’d help them out by providing a few interior photos of a *real* Vallonia!
These are amongst my favorite photos (slides, actually), because they show a 1928-built Sears Vallonia in original condition – as of 2001. That’s when Rebecca Hunter and I had a chance to tour the inside of this remarkable house in Columbia, Illinois.
As of 2001, one of the home’s original owners and builders (yep, that’s right), had passed on a couple years prior.
Sadly, I’ve forgotten the name of the original homeowner, but she and her husband built the house in 1928, and years after the husband passed on, his widow lived there until her death. When we saw the house, not only was it in original condition, but it was in beautiful shape – as the pictures will show.
So if those folks in DC want to know what their Vallonia looks like on the inside, they can just scroll on down to see the interior of the Vallonia in Columbia, Illinois.
If you want to buy a Sears Vallonia in DC (or any Sears House), click here.
To learn more about kit homes in DC, click here.
From the 1925 Sears Modern Homes Catalog: The Vallonia
*
Check out the interiors, as shown in the 1928 catalog.
*
Close-up of the original Vallonia bathroom
*
And here it is, as of 2001. Notice the floor tile, which is probably original to the house. I wish I'd gotten a photo of that medicine chest! But these are the original plumbing fixtures. And see what a good match they are to the 1928 image above!!
*
And the Vallonia bath tub
*
And the original "pedestal" tub.
*
The kitchen, as seen in 1928.
*
And here's the kitchen in 2001. The sink is a spot-on match.
*
The original dining room.
*
The dining room in the Columbia Vallonia
*
And original light fixtures throughout.
*
The living room - as seen in 1928.
*
And the bedroom.
*
The folks in Columbia loved their Sears Homes so much, they turned the risers and treads wrong-side-out (with numbers exposed), so people would always remember, theirs was a Sears kit home. Each riser and tread - all the way up - showed the marked lumber.
*
The Sears Vallonia
*
And here it is in 2001.
*
Side by side comparison
*
To learn more about kit homes, click here.
* * *
Wow, Rose, this is amazing!! Thank you! Not sure why it took me so long to discover this cool post here, but I’ll sure send it around now. (Believe it or not, we’re still working on it! 🙂 ).
LOVE this post!! I think the kitchen sink is my favorite picture.
Hello. I’m really glad I found this website. I recently moved into an amazing house. I rent the downstairs half.
I’ve discovered that the house was built in 1920 and although I don’t believe it is a kit house, I do believe it was based on the Sears Vallonia.
The interior layout downstairs matches except for it has been flipped and the hall is where the stairs are.
I would love to send you pictures of this wonderful house if you’d like.
Hello,
About the Vallonia you refer to in Washington DC, is it actually in McLean Virginia (a DC suburb)?
If so, then it is an actual Vallonia. I know because My Grandfather (and grandmother) built it.
I have construction pictures of them building the house. It was constructed 1936-1938.
Let me know, I’d be happy to share them.
Yes, the current owners built an addition on the back (2013 I think), but the house is valued at approximately $1.3 million on today’s market.