A Frank Lloyd Wright-Inspired Home Near Chicago Hits the Market at $777K
Crafted to embrace indoor/outdoor living, this beautiful midcentury home features Frank Lloyd Wright’s influences throughout. However, the renowned architect’s connection to the residence goes far beyond design inspiration.
The covered approach, a common element in Wright's works, is flanked by Japanese stone lanterns.
Designed and built in 1966 by Richard and Rosemary Libby, the house traces its ties to Wright through Rosemary’s parents, who had made custom cabinetry, drapes, and upholstery for the celebrated architect and other high-profile clients.
A vaulted ceiling and full-height glazing placed on the opposite end of the entrance gives the home an airy and spacious feel upon stepping inside.
Full-height glazing erases the boundaries between indoors and out, while large overhangs minimize solar gain.
The couple—he an engineer and she an artist—applied Wright-inspired design throughout the house, from the seamless connection to the outdoors to the luxurious soaking tubs. Richard and his father-in-law also custom-built many of the home furnishings.
A long, wood-paneled corridor leads to the bedrooms and overlooks views of the 1.42-acre wooded lot.
A look inside the master bedroom, the largest of the six bedrooms, which features exterior access, built-in desks, and an immersive connection with the outdoors.
Moreover, the Libbys ensured the six-bedroom, three-bath home’s long-term sustainability with a design that emphasized energy efficiency and low maintenance.
The house is organized around the great room's 53-foot-long ceiling beam, "the largest beam that a truck can haul on the highway," says the current owner.
"‘Maintenance free’ was a main theme in the design of the house, which is why they picked the materials they did—materials that would hold up to the test of time," say the owners.
"They were also green before green was in by using repurposed materials like clinker brick and marble," they continue. "Since Richard was a mechanical engineer, energy efficiency was a major design criterion for them, and they included a zoned HVAC floor outlet."
The double-sided fireplace was built of clinker brick, partially vitrified bricks with a distinctive, dark-colored coating.
Richard and his father-in-law designed and built custom furnishings for the home, including the sofa seen here and the console placed on the opposite side of the fireplace.
A boomerang countertop offers ample dining space for family and friends. The Libbys raised their six children in this house, which was "always the neighborhood hangout."
Unlike many of Wright's homes, the Libby's residence features a spacious kitchen that's sunken yet connected with the great room.
All three bathrooms were designed with soaking tubs.
The beautiful bathroom floors were made from a mix of terrazzo and marble salvaged from the broken pieces of the John Hancock Building. This material was also used for the kitchen table and the flooring for the kitchen and foyer.
Steel framing allowed for floor-to-ceiling windows and an open floor plate.
Designed for entertaining, the home features a variety of gathering spaces, including this spacious outdoor terrace.
Redwood was used throughout the home and was selected for its natural resistance to pests and rot.
One of three fireplaces are located on the lower level. Each fireplace had individual flues so that three fires could burn simultaneously.
The Libbys, who were world travelers, brought a piece of the UK back home in their bar room, which is modeled after an old English pub.
A hand-drawn floor plan of the upper level
65 Timberlake Parkway, Barrington, Illinois, is now being listed by Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty through Heidi Seagren for $777,000. See the full listing here.
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