Thursday, 10 October 2019

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Christie House Up for Sale in New Jersey for $1.5M

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The first of only three homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in New Jersey just hit the market. Located in Bernardsvillle, NJ, and known as “The Christie House,” it’s listed for $1,495,000.

Built in 1940, the three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom Usonian-style home has been beautifully preserved, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. Elements that have stood the test of time include the original building materials of cypress, brick, and glass. The built-in seating, table, and chairs in the dining room are also all original.

The conservancy noted that the main bedroom suite originally conceived of by Wright—not part of the original build—was added in 2003, under the direction of Tarantino Architect, a firm that specializes in Wright preservation.

Other recent updates to the home include a new roof, new windows, and new air conditioning. Wright’s philosophy of bringing the outdoors inside is demonstrated by the multitude of windows throughout the home.

The extraordinary home sits on a private, wooded lot of over 7 acres, and includes a garage, as well as a 700-square-foot artist’s studio with fireplace.

Family room and fireplace
Fireplace

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Family room in Frank Lloyd Wright house in NJ
Family room

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Kitchen in Frank Lloyd Wright house in NJ
Kitchen

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Main bedroom suite
Main bedroom

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Sitting area
Sitting area

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Studio at Frank Lloyd Wright house in NJ
Studio

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Other Usonian homes built by Wright in New Jersey include the Stuart Richardson House in Glen Ridge, NJ, which was built in 1951 and recently sold to a new owner. There’s also the Bachman-Wilson House at Crystal Bridges, which was built in 1956. In 2013, the home was acquired by the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas. The museum then moved the home piece by piece to Bentonville, AR, where it was painstakingly reconstructed in 2015. It is now open to public tours.

Wright’s vision of a more democratic way of building homes and cities, cheaply and with universally available materials, was realized in homes like the Christie House.

Usonia was the word Wright used to describe a futuristic version of the United States—one built efficiently, beautifully, in harmony with nature and geared toward improving the lives of the rising American middle class. Usonian design is described by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation as a “democratic, American architecture,” where even modest homes would be designed with aesthetic beauty in mind.

Of course, today there’s nothing middle-class or modest about this gorgeous (and rare) piece of American architectural history. This L-shaped home is spectacular, filled with natural light, built from natural elements, and elegant in its simplicity. It’s a chance to own a piece of art you can live in—and thrive in.

The post Frank Lloyd Wright’s Christie House Up for Sale in New Jersey for $1.5M appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.



source https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/frank-lloyd-wright-new-jersey-christie-house/

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