A glam vintage lover has forked out a whopping $50,000 transforming her ‘horrible fixer-upper’ home into a 1950s time-warp gem – complete with black and white TV and a replica of Elvis Presley’s sit-in sauna.
Rochelle Anvik, 25, grew up antique shopping with her mom Kathy Marks and has now transformed her suburban home into a vintage treasure trove of 1950s decor.
Alongside classic mid-century furniture and knick-knacks, Rochelle has created her very own slice of Polynesian paradise with a dedicated tiki lounge complete with a bamboo cocktail bar.
The pink-haired property owner, who even rents out her home to filmmakers seeking period sets, loves to bag a bargain and believes she’s spent tens of thousands of dollars re-vamping the house.
Fan girl: Vintage lover Rochelle Anvik, 25, has revealed how she transformed her ‘fixer-upper’ home into a stunning 1950s time capsule, spending more than $50,000 on perfecting the property
No stone unturned: Even the exterior of their home got a 1950s makeover, with Rochelle and her husband Matt painting it a bright turquoise color and filling their yard with vintage pieces
Throwback: The property was built in 1957 and when Rochelle and Matt purchased it, it looked very much like the typical suburban home – however they soon changed that
Cool cat: The Arizona resident and her husband purchased the home in 2018, and knew that they would have to put a fair amount of work into its interior – however they loved that it was built in 1957 and had the original architecture
Old becomes new: The interior of the property is now unrecognizable after being filled with Rochelle’s many vintage pieces
Dedicated Rochelle has collected thousands of items from the time period – including a sit-in sauna so rare that only Elvis Presley had an exact replica of it.
The exterior looks like something off the set of I Love Lucy, with the walls painted bright turquoise with her house numbers painted in giant pink lettering, model flamingos, and a $9,000 baby blue 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer car.
‘When me and my husband found this house in 2018 it was in horrible shape, it was definitely a fixer-upper,’ she explained.
‘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.
‘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.
‘From there it just exploded. I’d head into antique shops and thrift shops to pick stuff up and it became a crazy hobby.
‘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.’
Details: Rochelle grew up going to antique stores with her mother and had always had a passion for vintage items, so she knew exactly where to look when it came to finding pieces for her new home
Every element: Stepping into the couple’s home is meant to feel like you are going back in time, with the pair ensuring that almost every aspect of the property is as authentic as possible
Exotic: The couple even installed a bamboo tiki-themed bar area in the property – a style that was very popular in the 1950s
Young at heart: They also have a Walt Disney-inspired office space that is filled with retro toys, Mickey Mouse memorabilia, and a vintage popcorn machine
Before: When Rochelle and Matt bought the home in 2018, they said it was ‘in horrible shape’ – with a run-down interior and fairly boring white walls
The futuristic visuals of the Space Race era, the bright colors and flamboyant style are what inspires Rochelle most.
Rochelle, who shares her home with her husband Matt Anvik, 30, said: ‘I enjoy all types of antiques, but what I love about the 1950s is that there were so many bright colors.
‘It was the era of the Space Race, when they were dreaming of what the future would look like.
‘It’s really cool seeing what they thought the future would look like, compared to what we now think the future will look like. It’s very different.
‘Everything in the 1950s was so colorful. I love 1950s fashion too. The cut of women’s dresses was so classy and elegant. In that era, you always dressed up and I love that.’
Rochelle’s fascination with the 1950s stems from a childhood spent venturing to local antique shops to bag a bargain.
‘My mom was a kid during that time, and she was able to tell me stories about the era,’ she explained. ‘It just seemed like something I wished I could have been a part of. I feel like I missed out in a way.
Mix and match: One of the first items that Rochelle installed in the home was her antique TV – however the couple replaced the screen with something more modern so they don’t have to sacrifice their viewing quality
Bargain hunter: Rochelle prides herself on being able to find antique details, but admits that she will splurge on a piece if it is particularly special or rare
Sweat it out: One of the more unique pieces in the home is Rochelle’s vintage sit-in sauna (seen back right), which is a remake of a version that Elvis Presley once owned
Wow: ‘When me and my husband found this house in 2018 it was in horrible shape, it was definitely a fixer-upper,’ Rochelle – who now rents out her home for photoshoots and film sets, explained
Cruisin’! The couple, pictured on their wedding day, also purchased a vintage $9,000 baby blue 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer car
‘When I was growing up, my mom would take me to antique stores. That was pretty much our hobby – we’d go whenever I got my allowance. It’s all I knew, we didn’t go to malls.
‘As I grew older, my appreciation for them increased but I think when I turned 22, I really narrowed my appreciation down to the 1950s.’
Thrifty Rochelle doesn’t like to spend too much on the house and its interior, although she does occasionally splash out on rarer items.
‘I like to find deals, I don’t like paying full price for antiques as they can be really expensive,’ she said. ‘My relationship is a little like [TV sitcom] I Love Lucy.
‘[Lucy was] the spender and her husband was always like “Lucy, what did you buy now?” That’s me and my husband. I’m the spender and he’s the saver.’
Rochelle’s extravagant taste is something she enjoys sharing with her husband and visitors.
‘My husband appreciates the 1950s. He was brought up listening to the music, whilst I was more into fashion and decor,’ she said.
‘It was cool that we could mesh the two sides of the era together. When people come over it’s really fun, people are just blown away.
Goals: Rochelle says she plans to keep the 1950s theme in her home, but would ideally love to purchase more properties that she can renovate to represent other time periods, including the 60s and 70s
‘I try to put a lot of detail into the space and when people come over I’ll light scented candles and have some coffee ready.
‘I rent out the house for music videos or photoshoots, or any kind of film projects. I’ve even had rap music videos made here, which I never expected.
Hot hot heat: This vintage sauna is one of the most unique pieces in Rochelle’s home
‘We had a college come over to film a noir murder mystery film here. It’s really cool to see how people use the space.
‘At the moment, it’s the up-and-coming artists who use the house. They’re part of the music scene here in Arizona.
Rochelle rents out her house online, charging $85 per hour.
On the website, she proudly boasts that ‘every piece of furniture’ in her home is vintage, writing: ‘Every piece of furniture in the home is vintage, styled to look as if it is still 1957.
‘Believe it or not, our TV cabinet can connect to WiFi for YouTube/Green Screens, or vintage clips in the background.
‘We have an Enchanted Tiki Room with a faux rain window so it can rain whenever you please. If you have a love for the 1930’s style, there is a boudoir room for you to feel and look glamorous and for you Disney lovers, we have a Walt Disney Office space with some fun twists and surprises.
Looking ahead to the future, Rochelle says she is planning to maintain her 50s-themed home, but says she hopes to one day purchase more properties that she can remodel in the style of other eras.
‘I definitely think I’ll keep to the style of the 1950s. I’m always going to be wanting to collect antiques, but it will come to a point where I can’t stuff the house anymore,’ she joked.
‘The ultimate goal is to own more locations. Maybe if I had a different location, I could put stuff from the 1960s and 1970s in.’