Experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s Still Bend in Wisconsin
Two Rivers, Wisconsin, a small vacation town on the shores of Lake Michigan, hides a unique treasure: one of designer Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces. This architectural gem is available to rent.
The Masterpiece: Still Bend
The home, known as Still Bend, ranks among the 11 Wright homes open for overnight stays across the United States, as reported by the Post Crescent.
The Vision Behind the Design
According to the home’s website, in 1938, Life Magazine teamed with The Architectural Forum to challenge Wright to design a dream house for an average American family. The homes had to accommodate income levels from $2,000 to $10,000 a year. (For frame of reference, a dentist earned about $5,000 annually during that era.) Wright crafted his modern design for the Blackbourn family of Minneapolis.
“American (I prefer to say Usonian) family life is unlike any other in the world and I think this plan recognizes it for pretty much what it is — a little private club — with special privacies, ultra conveniences and style all the while,” Wright reflected in his letter to the Blackbourns.
Construction and Modifications
Although the Blackbourns never built their dream house, Bernard Schwartz, a businessman from Two Rivers, realized the project. Schwartz collaborated with Wright to create the house known as “Dream House” with minor modifications, including changes in building materials and a second-floor balcony above the living room. Moreover, Wright designed custom accessories for the space, such as tables, chairs, and built-in bookshelves.
Modern Day Availability
Currently, the dream home is under the ownership of brothers Gary and Michael Ditmer, who offer it to the public for tours and overnight stays.
With 131 positive Airbnb reviews, visitors find the $450 per night price tag well worth it.
Accommodations and Amenities
The home boasts four bedrooms and four bathrooms, comfortably accommodating up to eight guests. The listing also highlights that the home features “two fireplaces in the main living area where you can relax with a good book, watch one of the many DVDs about Frank Lloyd Wright, or enjoy the local wildlife as birds gather around the feeders.”
However, one potential downside is that your own home may feel rather ordinary after experiencing such an extraordinary dwelling. Nevertheless, renting Still Bend can undoubtedly inspire your interior design endeavors.
