Pasadena has a Frank Lloyd Wright house. Just one. And it's on the market.It's called "La Miniatura," and it's considered one of Wright's masterpieces, according to this article. That can be good or bad for me, should I decide to buy it. For instance, I wouldn't want tourists lining up in my driveway and peeking around my fence every day. But the house is tucked away in a ravine above the Arroyo Seco. It looks lovely and quiet from the street, and unless you're willing to trespass, you can only peek onto the grounds. Click the article link above and scroll to the bottom for more photos.
Alice Millard, one of Pasadena's early arbiters of taste, paid $17,000 for the house when it was built for her in 1923. It was an expensive home in its day.
The house is called "La Miniatura," but I think I'll have room for all my stuff in 4,000 square feet. Maybe not. You know how things accumulate.
24 comments:
That spackle job is a bit questionable. Don't let the restoration police see it!
4,000 square feet -- how quaint.
I hear the maintenance required on the Wright buildings is frequent and expensive. Lovely stuff but he hadn't worked out all the kinks.
Which is to say, go for it Petrea, but be prepared! ;^)
What a cool house. I must be jaded because that price seems low for LA. There are 7.5 million McMansions in Beverly Hills, right? This is like buying the architectural version of a Van Gogh.
That said, is it just me or do the stone square tiles in the pictures you linked look out of place? I could have sworn Wright would have used plank floors to offset all those concrete blocks in the walls.
Overall I find the house a bit too cold for me (too much stone). Interesting to see some interior photos, which confirms my suspicion that this would be like living in a concrete museum. I'd much prefer any of the other beautiful houses in this neighborhood! I really like your detail photo, which highlights something other than all that stone. Let us know if anyone actually buys it!
NUH!
But I got $7.73!
Okay, I have, like, $25 or $26 (went to the bank today). If we pool our money, we could do this. Who's next?
I'm with you, Palm. Care must be taken with a treasure, and that was looking iffy to me. Then again, I'm not the restoration police.
Altadenahiker, it is a *cute* little spot. Makes me want to put smiley faces here, but not enough to actually do it.
I hear the same, usE. I don't think one buys a Wright unless one can afford staff.
Laurie, not being the restoration police I can't be sure, but if a person restores a Wright they can't just slap down linoleum. There are rules. If your house is on the National Register you're limited as to what you can do.
Katie, as you know I got other shots (Katie was with me when I took this), but I liked this one because of the spiderweb, and because the shots in the newspaper article are so good, so why compete? I hope someone buys it and loves it. I'll let you know if I hear anything.
Freefalling: What'll $7.73 get me in Ararat?
Jeez, I just paid rent. I'm going to have to take a pass this time.
Woah! Hi P.!
Whoa! Hi Bernie, hi usE!
With freefalling's 7.73 and Bernie's $25, we've got 32.73 ($33.73 if he's got $26). I got $100 at the atm today, so that's $132.73. We are on our way.
Elaine, I've sent you two emails but I don't think you got them. I'm going to try sending to you from a different mailbox. Nice to see you!
uselaine, feeling guilty, starts looking under couch cushions and coat pockets...
Don't worry, usE. There's probably a guest room.
I can't even spell 'whoa'. So much for my great new writing career.
Nah. Your secretary will do the spelling for you.
I found a dollar in my dictionary. It's been there since college. It was between pages 1191 and 1192 ("insubstantial" to "intransigent"). So that's another dollar. When's the house closing, anybody know?
Why does this look so... what would I say, familiar?
Petrea! How delightful to see you again! I would buy it if they would just go down to 7 million! That's my last offer:)
Don't even know if there's a bid, Bernie. Or maybe it's already closed.
Gary! I love that shot. (Katie took it.) Now look on the bricks in the b.g., and note the little round things stuck on with...I don't know, silicone? Should those have been stuck on there? What's their purpose? I wonder if the restoration police will issue a ticket.
Careful Marie, in this market you might be the winner!
Check this out. If you go through Floyd's photostream on the Ennis-Brown house, you get a sense of the amount of restoration involved in FLW's caste concrete block homes.
Floyde
http://bigorangelandmarks.blogspot.com/
Well, to be fair, Palm, I think the Ennis-Brown is on a pretty steep hillside... oh. As is La Miniatura.
Yeah, someone had better marry a contractor or an engineer if we're going to afford this one!
Wow, enjoyed Floyd's photostream. Also impressed he knew where to find Paul Revere Williams' house. I blogged about Williams here. I think he's every bit as fascinating as Wright, if not moreso.
I couldn't tell if La Miniatura was on a steep hillside, elizabeth. From the street it looks like it's on flat land. So perhaps you're being fair after all.
Those Frank Lloyd Wright brick houses have not held up very well at all. La Miniatura has had a tarp over the roof for many years. Only now is it being fixed up. I love to go over and look it it from time to time.
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