One of America’s most famous mid-century modern homes is now for sale at $2 million. The Walker Guesthouse is currently in storage. It is wrapped in heavy-duty plastic and comes in two parts. The home can be shipped from California to a buyer in the United States or overseas. The cost of shipping is not part of the price.
The guesthouse was designed by Paul Rudolph in 1953. It is a small cube that measures 24 by 24 feet. Built on Sanibel Island, Florida, the house is known for its unique design. It was once shown in a New York art exhibit. The home stayed in the same family for many years. In 2019, it sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $750,000 to a buyer near Palm Springs, a city known for mid-century style. Since then, it has been kept in storage.
Listing agent Chris Pomeroy of Brown Harris Stevens calls the guesthouse a work of architectural art. He said that anyone wanting to live in it would need to follow local building rules. The house comes with period furniture that Rudolph either chose or designed. This includes a desk, a coffee table, director’s chairs, and a bookshelf. Along with the furniture come the original plans and architectural drawings.
The sale also includes seven round weights. These weights are painted red and are known as cannonballs. Each weight is said to weigh 77 pounds. They were used to help raise and lower movable flaps on the house. The flaps could change the space, allowing the home to open up or close in. The design made the guesthouse unique and fun.
Inside, the guesthouse has areas for cooking, eating, and sleeping. There is also a bathroom and a closet. The stove and sinks are from decades past. A new refrigerator would need to be installed if the home were to be used. Dr. Walter Walker hired Paul Rudolph for this project. Walker was the grandson of lumber baron T. B. Walker. T. B. Walker was an art patron who helped start the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Over time, the guesthouse became a family legend.
Family members remember the guesthouse fondly. Stepdaughter Tian Dayton, 74, said the home was sweet, zany, and beautiful. Many relatives stayed there. Sometimes, they made beds out of parts from a Rudolph-designed sofa. The guesthouse had electricity and the family used portable heaters when needed. The home could change its layout with a system of shutters, pulleys, and weights. In about seven minutes, the house could go from a cozy shelter to an open-air pavilion. One local even called it the “Cannonball House” because of the red weights.
After Elaine Walker died in 2018, her four children decided to sell the property. The sale included a main house on 1.6 acres and the famous guesthouse. In 2020, the guesthouse was taken apart and moved to the West Coast for storage. Marina Dayton, 47, an architect and daughter of Tian Dayton, said, “I hope that it goes to someone that can enjoy it and preserve it.” She wants the new owner to care for it as the family once did.
The Walker Guesthouse is a small but important piece of American design history. Its unique design and movable features show the work of Paul Rudolph. The guesthouse is now ready to be reassembled and brought back to life. The sale is a rare chance for a new owner to own a piece of mid-century modern art. With proper care, the guesthouse can shine again as it did in its early days. The story of the Walker Guesthouse is one of design, family memories, and the hope for a new start.