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Nab this Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian in an upcoming auction

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Once described by Wright as a “little gem,” the home will be sold at a no-reserve auction

The Sondern-Adler house features clerestory windows, recessed lighting, and red cedar.
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions

The iconic American architect Frank Lloyd Wright may be most famous for Fallingwater, Taliesin West, the Hollyhock House, or any of these 42 other essential works, but he also built hundreds of lesser known homes. Some of these have become vacation rentals, and every so often, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home hits the market for sale.

The latest is the Sondern-Adler House in Kansas City, Missouri, located on one-and-a-half acres in the historic Roanoke neighborhood near downtown. Once described by Wright as a “little gem,” the three-bedroom, three-bath home will be sold at a no-reserve auction by Heritage Auctions on August 12.

Originally designed in 1939 as a 900-square-foot home, the home features three squares that form the classic Usonian L-shape. In 1948 the home’s second owners hired Wright to expand the property to its current 2,965 square feet, adding a great room, a third bedroom, a carport, and two additional bathrooms.

The Usonian style seeks to connects visitors to nature with a single cantilevered roof and walls of glass. The tidewater red cypress and brick exterior are a Wright trademark, and large patios provide plentiful space for indoor-outdoor entertaining.

Inside, a sunken living room is anchored by a fireplace and the home’s expanded footprint provides ample living space not often found in smaller Usonians. Clerestory windows abound, and other perks include built-in furniture, glass light screens, and in-floor heating.

Listed for $1,650,000 in 2018, the home will have no minimum starting bid, but potential buyers do need to register prior to the August 12 sale.

The rear terrace provides ample space for outdoor entertaining.
Currently used as a lounge, this room was a bedroom in the original design.
Clerestory windows and recessed lighting allow the warmth of the red cedar to glow.
The dining room features the original banquette, an original dining table, and a second one built to match.
A kitchen boasts long counters and overlooks the pond and fountain.
A pond was part of the original landscape design.