KGUN 9 , the local station, reports the Tucson couple built the original house out of rock, mortar, and thousands of glass bottles in 1965. The property sits on 2.5 acres and includes 2,700 square feet, three bedrooms, and three bathrooms. When the media covered the property, it was listed for $432,500.
Most of us toss an empty bottle without a second thought. Ted and Mel Bryson saw something else: walls. Architectural Digest (AD), which also covered the listing, noted the house was finished in the late 1960s.
KGUN 9 reports it is located just a short drive west of the Tucson Mountains. Listing agent Holly Greenhalgh told KGUN 9 that the Brysons gathered them over time, and that Coca-Cola donated thousands of bottles to the family. She said the indoor temperature has not passed 83 degrees on Tucson’s hottest days, even with no air conditioning. On a recent tour, KGUN 9 was shown a secret room that even the current owner didn’t know existed.
One bottle house won’t fix that problem, but it shows what creative reuse can look like. The story started small. The Brysons started with a carport made of bottles and mortar, and the project grew into a full home. AD reports that the couple kept expanding until the entire house was done. Collecting thousands of bottles was a major undertaking. AD, citing Robb Report, reports that the couple collected bottles from landfills, roadsides, and a Pepsi unit. Together, the accounts point to a mix of donated and salvaged glass. The Brysons also built with the landscape in mind. Ted’s interest in ancient cultures shows up in Mayan and Native American design influences throughout the home. The property has more than a main house. Outside, there is a bath house, a guest house that is used as an Airbnb , storage space, and a workshop. AD also mentions an outdoor kitchen. And then there’s the pool table with human legs and feet. It’s the kind of detail that makes you stop and look again, and that’s part of the charm. Winters are handled with two working fireplaces, though the floors can get cold. It’s a nice reminder that an old home can still hold surprises, even for its owner. It is not easy to price a house like this. That makes the listing seem less like a regular sale and more like a puzzle. It’s part home and part art project. Some of us would happily trade a plain white wall for a wall made of bottles, while others might find the colorful glow too much for the living room.
Greenhalgh told AD they wanted to preserve the desert, so they built around the ocotillos, saguaros, and other plants. Despite the unusual construction, Greenhalgh told AD the house stays comfortable. Greenhalgh said one of the Brysons’ granddaughters called to say the room is still there, and that the family has peeked inside and seen more artwork. KGUN 9 quoted Greenhalgh as saying there is “really no comparison,” so the best option is to compare its square footage with that of other homes.
Environmental Protection Agency says in 2018, the United States recycled 3.1 million tons of glass containers, for a recycling rate of 31.3 percent. The agency also reported that landfills received about 7.6 million tons of glass from municipal solid waste that year. In 2018, glass represented 4.2 percent of the total municipal solid waste generated.
Old bottles often seem like trash. This house shows another way. Still, it helps to see the bigger picture. The U.S. Most of that data pertains to glass containers, though it also includes glass in items such as furniture and appliances.
KGUN 9 reported that the home looks like it is straight out of The Flintstones. Step inside, and you might think you’ve stumbled into a cartoon . It adds that Fred and Wilma would enjoy relaxing in front of the large stone fireplace or bathing in the waterfall shower. AD compared the colorful walls to an oversized Lite-Brite, with the bottles acting much like bricks set in mortar. Bottles line the western walls, so the setting sun shines through them and the colored glass glows, with the light changing as the sun moves. The materials vary from room to room. AD notes that some areas, like the dining room, use local rock and stone, while the floors are concrete and flagstone. Greenhalgh described the feel to AD as cavern-like, with colorful bottles lit up at certain times of day.
