The Original Homeowners of a Frank Lloyd Wright-Designed House Ask $1.3 Million
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect a price drop from $1,395,00 to $1,295,000.
Located on 3.77 acres in Minnesota’s Lake Forest neighborhood is a 2,647-square-foot, three-bedroom home that was designed by Wright in the late-1950s. When Paul and Helen Olfelt commissioned Wright to design a home for their family in 1957, he worked on the project until he passed away in 1959. After moving into the final result by 1960, they settled in, and ended up raising four children there over the years.
Now in their 90s, the Olfelts are asking $1,295,000 and have it listed for sale by BERG LARSEN GROUP of Coldwell Banker Burnet. Made up almost entirely of brick, glass, and stone, the home sits on a quiet cul-de-sac close to downtown Minneapolis and includes numerous custom furnishings, lights, and built-in storage elements that Wright designed specifically for the project. It also houses a partially-furnished basement, which the Olfelts requested in order to fit their large family.
Take a tour of this rare find, which is one of just nine surviving homes in Minnesota that were designed by Wright. You'll find the full listing here.
Though 2206 Parklands Lane is located near downtown Minneapolis, it sits on a quiet 3.77-acre piece of land. When you approach the brick home, its wing-like shape and Cherokee Red-painted steps practically scream Frank Lloyd Wright.
The open living space is surrounded by large, angular pieces of glass and sits on a Colorundum floor painted in Cherokee Red—a material and color that Wright often used in his work. This space also includes a brick wood-burning fireplace.
The home includes multiple furnishings and lights designed by Wright, including this dining set and hanging pendant light.
Along with vaulted ceilings and meticulous woodworking, the home includes multiple custom built-in storage elements, including bookshelves that line this living space.
In the kitchen, the same materials and shapes used throughout the house are echoed, including the custom barstools that surround the kitchen island—which bear a resemblance to the seating pieces he designed for the living room.
In one of the three bedrooms, Wright designed this built-in desk and chair. The angular windows and skylights are continued into the bedrooms.
Like most of Wright’s designs, the house is completely integrated into the landscape and was designed to bring the outside in.
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