Lessons Learned From Frank Lloyd Wright
/If you’ve not been to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Spring Green estate, Taliesin, you’re in for a treat. The drive out is beautiful, the Taliesin Preservation & restaurant overlooks the Wisconsin River, the Taliesin grounds & building are truly inspiring. The history & stories you’ll hear on the tour are equally fascinating. If you head out there, check out all the things that Spring Green has to offer.
You may be surprised to know that some of the iconic FLW features have lost their significance in today’s real estate market & are actually considered “dated” by many buyers & homeowners. I wanted to shed a little light on these material choices in hopes that others would re-recognize them for what they signified to Wisconsin’s beloved architect.
Frank Lloyd Wright focused on bringing nature into his designs, which translated into large windows & an abundance of natural wood & field stone.
Here are the top two FLW inspired features that buyers & homeowners struggle with:
1. Natural wood trim, doors, wall treatments & beamed ceilings. They can feel dated to some, but can be remarkable if you know how to work with them.
2. Old stone fireplaces are another feature that buyers & homeowners struggle with. Before writing off a stone fireplace as outdated, brainstorm ways to make it work with your style. (And if it’s dingy, clean & seal the stone.)
Turn these features into focal points by:
Get the colors right. Choosing the color palette that compliments your home’s inherent features. Purchase a color deck (or borrow ours) to nail down your top contenders, then buy samples. Paint each sample near the trim, floor, stone, in different lighting, etc to find the one that will best compliment your home.
Choose color coordinating accessories & furnishings. You can use your paint deck or peruse color schemes online.
This is a great article about how to tweak color schemes to fit your room & its specific characteristics.
Experiment with textures, colors, shapes, prints & transparency. Consider using bead board, shiplap, wicker, jute, earthy accents, botanical or stone inspired art, live plants, minerals & a monochromatic color scheme with a few pops of color. This article has a couple fireplaces that look awesome, but could easily look dated with the wrong decor.
As with much in life, it’s all about working with what you have. Look for ways to turn your home home’s unique, quirky or “dated” features into focal points. And if you need help, we're always here to give you a few pointers!
