For the First Time Ever, This Winsome Illinois Home by Frank Lloyd Wright Is on the Market
The John O. Carr House, built in 1950, has been expanded by its architect resident, who took painstaking care to preserve its original character.
The John O. Carr House, built in 1950, has been expanded by its architect resident, who took painstaking care to preserve its original character.
Never before listed publicly, the John O. Carr House by Frank Lloyd Wright is now for sale in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Originally completed in 1950, it’s been owned by the family of local architect Edward S. Busche since the 1960s, during which time Busche led several thoughtful expansions to the residence. Today, spaces designed by Wright stand alongside the additions—one largely indistinguishable from the other.
Available for the first time in decades, the 1950 John O. Carr house by Frank Lloyd Wright sits on an idyllic three-acre lot about 25 miles northwest of Chicago. Wright's original design heavily informed architect-resident Edward S. Busche’s structural expansion in the 1980s.
Photo by Matara Media for Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty
Busche & Markson. Here, the original entryway features a unique version of Wright's pierced block designs allows sunlight from multiple skylights and the exterior to penetrate adjacent rooms. ">Original sections of the residence blend in with those added by Busche’s now-dissolved firm, Busche & Markson. Here, the original entryway features unique pierced-concrete blocks that Wright designed to allow sunlight to penetrate the front facade and adjacent spaces.
Photo by Matara Media for Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty
During renovations, Busche’s team retained the original floor plan while adding several hundred square feet to the ends of different wings. Among the newer spaces is a sunken seating area opposite the living room, a principal bedroom suite, an expanded dining area, and a family room overlooking the backyard pool.
Throughout the interior, Wright's Usonian features—including exposed brick walls, mahogany board-and-batten ceilings, flagstone floors, and distinct fenestration—were also replicated to seamlessly connect old and new sections. The finished product was featured in an 1982 edition of House Beautiful.
A sunken seating area is located just off of the entrance. Decoratively hanging above the fireplace are mahogany block templates that Busche and his team used to replicate Wright’s original block design throughout the new rooms.
Photo by Matara Media for Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty
See the full story on Dwell.com: For the First Time Ever, This Winsome Illinois Home by Frank Lloyd Wright Is on the Market
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