Bethesda's Mushroom House, a Brightening Up of the Boring Architecture of a Stiff Suburb (19 photos)

Imagine a quiet street in a wealthy suburb of the American capital. Everything here is decent, trimmed, and painted in calm tones. Neighbors shake hands, children play proper games. And in the middle of this perfect world stands… a mushroom.





Not a small mushroom, but a huge fairytale tower, as if it had escaped from the pages of Tolkien or a cartoon. This is Bethesda, Maryland, and it is the location of the Mushroom House.



Located just a stone's throw from the Washington border, Bethesda is considered one of the most respectable neighborhoods. People usually look for good schools or convenient parking, not architectural madness. However, on Allan Road, common sense takes a break. The house seems to bend, melt, and flow, as if molded from a giant piece of Play-Doh.





The story of this marvel began in the late 1960s. Owners Edward and Frances Garfinkle hired architect Roy Mason, a man famous for his futuristic homes. The task was clear, simple, and insane: transform an ordinary home into something magical.



Mason took polyurethane foam, added a huge dose of creative courage, and the Mushroom was born. Later, the Garfinkles slightly regretted the money spent, calling their impulse youthful folly. But their folly proved fruitful: in 2018, they sold their house for a handsome profit.



Few know what lies inside a mushroom cap. Real estate listings promise interiors that are just as bizarre as the exterior. Smooth, flowing walls, not a single right angle, light pouring from round windows. But seeing it with your own eyes is nearly impossible. Only on rare open houses are the curious allowed to peer inside this hobbit-like madness.



Still from the TV series "The Flintstones"

The house has several nicknames among locals. "The Flintstone House" for its prehistoric roundness. "The Smurf House" for its obvious mushroom theme and the blue color used in the decor.



Still from "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012)

And finally, "Hobbit House," for the feeling that Bilbo, smoking a pipe, was about to emerge from the round door. Whatever its name, this place is definitely worth a visit. If only because it's so cool to encounter a mushroom in a world of identical boxes.





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