The small red tile is Frank Lloyd Wright’s signature block

This amazing Usonian house is in Cedar Rock State Park in Iowa.  The house and property was donated to the state by the Walters family in a trust to support the home in the future.  It is a marvelous example of how people lived in these homes and how Wright incorporated design into every portion of the house… I can only imagine how FLW would have marveled at current materials since he was so genius, design wise, with concrete, plywood, and tile.  This house was built around 1950 on the “brow” of a hill overlooking a sweeping lawn that sloped to a pastoral river.  The picture on the right is of the boathouse, one of only 3 designed by Wright remaining standing today.  Because this house design did not include any of Wright’s beloved stain glass windows, most Usonions did not, he incorporated backlighted niches in the interior brick walls that displayed colored slag glass from Corning to add that jewel box effect that enthralled the people who are lucky enough to be invited inside.

While you may not appreciate modern architecture, there is always something to be learned from great design and Wright was a master of incorporating form and function into an ethereal cocoon for living.

The entrance waterfall, garden, and an overview of Taliesin, the home of Frank Lloyd Wright from 1911 until his death in 1959; what an architectural treasure.  It was a work in progress for the entire time that FLW lived here.  It is really beautiful even though it is in need of a great deal more restoration.  The acreage that this sits above is breathtaking.

He dammed up a creek to form the small lake and the entrance waterfall which can be heard in the main house.  The rest of the gardens were abundant with columbines, lilacs, hostas, and a variety of trees including some pines that mimic the background of his Japanese screen and can be seen through windows around the screen, enlarging the visual impact.  There is even a long, slim “bird walk” which cantilevers out into the trees on the hillside where the house sits.  Taliesin is Welsh for “shining brow” which is a good description of the house in its setting.

Also on the property is the Hillside School and Studio, where the current architectural students spend the summer and fall, a theatre, the Romeo and Juliet Windmill, and Midway Farms.  All in all, a great way to spend a day.

This was a great tour.  The house originated from Ladies Home Journal ran a series of plans by Frank Lloyd Wright for various family dwellings… this was the fire-proof plan.  The details of these plans are amazing and could be built for $5,000.  This one cost $11,000.  Black walnut woodwork and trim was parlayed by the owner from the war department; used for gun stocks, it was not available as building material.  Mr. Bach owned a brick manufacturing company, but the bricks for the house were shipped in from Ohio.

 Took a Spring trip to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to inspire the research for the first Frank Lloyd Wright Christmas and Garden Tour, inspired by our fabulous tree company, NeumanTree, through the Midwest and southern states.  So far, there are 5 Wright house tours, not including drive-by’s, countless garden centers, and lots of Christmas stores.  Can’t wait to get on the road, but there is a lot more planning to do.  Stay tuned for some great ideas and pictures from our adventure.

Wandering through the streets of Venice is enough to inspire any elf. Stores full of colorful marionettes gave me more than one idea for tree themes; the stunning colors of the architecture also conjure visions of “Buon Natale” (Merry Christmas in Italian)