Nineteen done ... 33 to go...

What: #99 Sleep overnight in a Frank Lloyd Wright house

When: June 13-15
Where: The Palmer House, Ann Arbor

Notice my FLW bookmark, too!

Why: I've been fascinated by Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture even since I saw the Plymouth "Snowflake House" when I was very young. I remember thinking that it was unlike any home I'd ever seen in the way it was laid out, which of course is an understatement. I've made it a point to see other homes and buildings of his throughout the years, many in Michigan, those in Chicago, in the LA area, and of course Falling Water and Kentuck Knob - both in Pennsylvania. After reading "Loving Frank" last year, I have an even keener desire to see Taliesin in Wisconsin, and hope to visit it one day soon. In the meantime, I took all this touring up a notch by actually living in an FLW home for a weekend. The idea started about 6 years ago when this particular home went up for sale for the first time, and I watched with interest to see what became of it. Much to my surprise, the owners converted it into a rental property, and after finding a few friends to make it possible, my dream of living in an FLW home finally came true!

The original Origami chairs, and gorgeous vaulted ceilings!

The immediate reaction when you enter is the openness of the living area; not just in sheer space, but how open it feels to the outside, and when the surroundings are as beautiful as they are in Ann Arbor, it's a pleasure to feel so connected to the outdoors. Despite protests from our friends who stayed with us or visited, I could definitely see myself living in this home. I like that the bedrooms are small because I spend limited time there versus in the living room; I love that the windows are left without curtains or coverings; and I like how the lights are seamlessly blended into the ceilings, the walls, and the original furnishings. Even the kitchen - a room that, let's be honest, I spend less time in than my bedroom - was a great space, with a wonderful skylight, practical counters, two sinks, and ample room to move around in it.

It blends in with the landscape...

Throughout the home, the abstract bird blocks were repeated, giving a very unique view outside and around corners. The whole use of glass (walls), concrete (floors) and wood (ceilings) is just beautiful, and seeing the intricate puzzle of fitting together rooms and hallways and built-in furniture with rarely a right angle gave me a lot to discover.

Another building on the property, the tea house, was constructed in a similar style of the same materials, by design of Wright's apprentice. It, too, uses the equilateral triangle as its foundation and brings the outside in with incredible sliding window walls. This is where the Palmer's daughter would practice her yoga, so I paid tribute.

Yoga in the tea house, as was intended!