The Smith House / Frank Lloyd Wright
The Smith House by Frank Lloyd Wright (1950)
Located in Bloomfield Hills, this Usonian was commissioned by two school teachers, Sara Stein Smith and Melvyn Maxwell Smith.
In 1939, during a graduate art history class at Wayne State University, Melvyn was inspired by a presentation on Wright's Fallingwater. Immediately in class, he declared his intention to have a house designed by Wright. Sarah and Melvyn were married in 1940. The Smiths went to meet with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin in 1941 and he agrred to design a home for them. The project was delayed when Melvyn was drafted into the Army. He served from 1942 to 1945.
The couple used their entire saving to purchase the site in 1946 and Wright delivered the plans in 1947. Melvyn acted as the general contractor to save on costs. The Smiths must have been the most likeable couple because all the trades people and suppliers gave them generous deals. Even the notoriously arrogant and abrasive Wright was smitten by them. Architect William Wesley Peters, president of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, said Wright "never had clients who were greater in the sense of love and appreciation than Melvyn Maxwell and Sara Smith. Wright visited the house himself for the first time in 1951, and called it "my little gem".
The front door is on the left and the dining room is on the right.
It was quite a surprise that the house was filled with a lot of craft geek stuff. A lot of the work came from Cranbrook Academy exhibitions. In addition, they purchased pieces from local galleries and shows, including the Yaw Gallery, the Robert Kidd Gallery, and America House in Birmingham, the Detroit Artists’ Market, and from the Somerset Mall show. More about the collection can be found in this article by Kevin Adkisson.
Weaving by Carole Donna (1982), who I'm unfamiliar with.
Myhaven dining set designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1951, shortly before the first anniversary of the Smiths moving into their home, furniture based on Wright’s plans were given to them as a housewarming gift by Irvin Goldberg (the husband of Melvyn’s sister). Carpenters from Goldberg’s company, Cadillac Showcase & Manufacturing built them. This was the case for most of the Wright-designed furniture in the house.
Bi-fold doors added in 1968. Designed by Taliesin Associated Architects.
The Smith house is also known as the Myhaven house
I love a good original kitchen.
Edith Heath
A classic Kurt Versen wall lamp, with Arthur Umanoff and maybe Tropi-Cal?
The large floor vase in Hans Hammer.
That's a John Glick on the top right.
Is that Doug Ayers?
According the house notebook, it is.
There's also a Donald Saxby in the living room.
This room, between the dining room and living room, was added later.
Looking out from the main living room.
The entrance.
The view of the rear of the house. The living room is on the left.
Soleri spotting
When Mr. Smith received the official Frank Lloyd Wright tile, he was so excited to hang it that he dropped it. Cracked but not broken, as they say.
The under the stewardship of the Cranbrook Educational Community. Book a tour here.