From the outside, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about the two-bedroom terraced home in Hampshire on the market for a modestly-priced £325,000.
Estate agents Morris Dibben in Southampton describe the property in Richmond Road, Shirley, as a ‘rare gem’ that has been looked after by the same owner since the mid-70s.
And aside from the outdated decor and carpeted bathrooms, there’s not too much to raise eyebrows among potential buyers.
But on second glance, there’s one very incongruous and ‘shocking’ feature inside the ‘welcoming’ hallway that has set the internet alight.
As visitors reach the stairwell, they are sure to be immediately struck by a vibrant mural of ethereal female figures.
Painted against a turquoise background and outlined in striking yellow, the faces of each figure transform from smiling to terrifying.
Quite what it is meant to represent has left social media users scratching their heads, while opinion is sharply divided between those who like it – and others who simply find it ‘truly baffling’.
One Reddit user simply wrote that the artwork ‘made me jump’.
From the outside, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about the two-bedroom terraced home in Hampshire on the market for a modestly-priced £325,000
As visitors reach the stairwell of the property in Richmond Road, Shirley, Southampton, they are sure to be immediately struck by a vibrant mural of ethereal female figures
Artist Natalie Tate completed the unusual design in 1979 and it has adorned the walls of the ‘character’ property ever since
Another joked that the home would be more suited for the likes of Mulder and Scully rather than first-time buyers.
‘I think there’s an otherworldly entity residing on the top floor,’ they wrote.
A third said the hall was ‘so distracting’ that they did not notice the carpets in the property’s bathrooms.
Another wrote: ‘What in the A Level Art Project is going on here???!’
However, one impressed viewer said: ‘I love the off-beat artistry. I’d keep it!’
According to the estate agents, there is actually some history behind the mural.
Artist Natalie Tate completed the design in 1979 and it has adorned the walls of the ‘character’ property ever since.
Other features at the ‘well-proportioned’ home for sale on Rightmove include driveway parking, an oversized detached garage, two double-sized bedrooms, a well-established rear garden and bright reception rooms with ‘a charming bay window and neutral décor.’
