The four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom Bloomington, Indiana, property was listed in May for $880,000 by Kristi Gibbs of 21st Century Real Estate. It is currently in pending sale status.

The 2,584-square-foot home, completed in 1970, was designed by modernist architect Earl Flansburgh, who designed Cornell University's campus store and was a university trustee.

The seller, the third owner of the home, bought the place in 2020 for $550,000. They let it go before relocating to Europe.

Music conductor Leonard Bernstein may even have ties to the house, which sits on a 0.67-acre wooded lot.

"People say he did his last masterpiece in his office," Gibbs said.

The property could certainly inspire creativity, as it is a "true work of art" in its own right, the listing information notes.

"The sellers were excited about the next chapter of their lives," Gibbs says, "but this house was very special to them." When they bought it, everything was original. The previous owners managed it as a mid-century modern and kept the house intact by not doing any crazy renovations."

That said, the 2020 renovation helped bring the home up to modern standards while retaining its architectural character. A new roof, insulation and flooring (oak and terrazzo) were added, along with an expanded back deck and custom kitchen cabinets. All bathrooms were kept original to the home.

"The kitchen was previously enclosed and separate from the dining space," Gibbs says." To modernize it and keep the design in the vein, they still have a kitchen, but were able to open it up to the dining space."

The home's next owners may also want to replace the original windows to improve energy efficiency.

Among the promising buyers, Gibbs notes, are those associated with Indiana University. The complete original design helps drive interest.

"People have taken very good care of the home," she said.