Skip to main content

You’ll Soon Be Able to See a Rare Frank Lloyd Wright Home

There’s been a sharp increase in Frank Lloyd Wright homes coming up for sale recently. Some sell lightning fast while others linger on the market for years before finding the right buyer. Luckily for one rare Wright home, the perfect buyer came along just in time, ensuring it will forever be preserved for all to enjoy.

Paula Martin Group at Keller Williams

Hitting the market in October, Kalil House sold in just 13 days. There was plenty of buzz around this home not just because it is a Wright design, but because it is one of the most rare types: a Usonian Automatic. While the famed architect designed many Usonian homes during the latter part of his career, the Usonian Automatic was something a bit different. Only seven of these homes were ever built and Kalil House was one of the last projects Wright personally oversaw before his death in 1959.

Related Videos
Paula Martin Group at Keller Williams

Located in the mill town of Manchester, New Hampshire, Kalil House was built in 1955. Wright was asked to build the home by Dr. Toufic H. Kalil and his wife. Above all, they wanted a home that was simple, functional, and streamlined, making the Usonian Automatic style a perfect fit for the professional pair. 

Paula Martin Group at Keller Williams

Usonian Automatics stand out because they were intended to be the most cost-effective way of building a home and Wright intended for owners to build the structures themselves. The simple floor plans were easy to understand and the structure was made from 12-inch by 24-inch concrete blocks. The blocks stacked together vertically and were secured in place with rebar and cement. Because the blocks did not need mortar, it was thought that anyone, even those without any construction experience, could piece together these designs. It turned out Usonian Automatics were more of a challenge than Wright anticipated, hence only seven ever being built. And that’s what makes Kalil House so special.

Perfectly preserved, right down to the furnishings, Kalil House offers a one-of-a-kind experience for anyone stepping inside. The home has stayed in the Kalil family since it was built and has been lovingly maintained for the past 64 years. Many classic elements of Wright designs can be found throughout the home, including built-in furnishings, changing ceiling heights, and plenty of windows that frame beautiful views to the outside. Outside, the classic low flat roofline combined with the unique Usonian Automatic concrete blocks creates the strong horizontal visual plane that Wright pioneered. 

For lovers of all things Frank Lloyd Wright, Kalil House would be at the top of their must-see bucket list. Unfortunately, the family has never allowed public viewings. Luckily the sale of the home comes with a new opportunity. The Currier Museum of Art is now the owner and plans are already in place to open it to the public. Combined with the museum’s other property, the Zimmerman House (also a Wright design), it seems Manchester will soon be playing host to an influx of Wright enthusiasts.

Editors' Recommendations

Cool Invisible Houses You’ll Wish You Could Disappear To
coolest invisible houses 23 rg846c 1540

Like a secret hatch in nature, invisible houses allow residents to perform a disappearing act with architecture that hides its roof, walls, and doors. Not only that, but these houses are often built with an environmentally sustainable lynchpin, either tapping solar energy, minimizing the structure’s construction footprint, maintaining the pure aesthetic of nature, and even helping to rebuild formerly destroyed land. We rounded up a few of our favorite invisible houses from around the world for your viewing (or lack thereof) pleasure.

Come on in … if you can find the door.
Edgeland House

Read more
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Final Home is Up for Sale
frank lloyd wright norman lykes house 13

Image courtesy of The Agency

Frank Lloyd Wright’s final home, the Norman Lykes House, has hit the market. Though the famed architect passed away before the design could be completed, his style can clearly be seen throughout the home.

Read more
Coodo is the Modern Mobile Home You’ll Want to Live in
coodo36_prototype1

Less veneer, more german design savvy.

German innovation at its finest, Coodo is the lovechild of RV campers, sleek modern architecture, and tiny homes. Manufactured by LTG Lofts to go GmbH & Co. KG of Hamburg, these mobile living/working modules can be placed anywhere in the world, from urban environments to middle-of-nowhere nature.

Read more