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.

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Kathryn M.

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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.

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. — 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.

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.

Materials and features along the floors, walls, and ceilings were all painstakingly matched and seamlessly replicated to convincingly integrate old and new halves.

Another view of the sunken area looks back toward the entryway and the original living room.

A central column of built-in cabinetry and shelving divides the living room, which also features a wall of French doors—just a few of the 30 sets throughout the home.

The living room also features a large fireplace and built-in seating. A half wall provides separation between kitchen and dining room.

In total, the home now offers four bedrooms, along with three-and-a-half bathrooms, spread out across 2,973 square feet of interior space. Outside, a spacious, three-acre lot provides ample privacy and borders a nature preserve, as well as an additional three-acre lot that can be purchased separately. Keep scrolling to see more of the home, currently listed for $1,695,000.