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An unusual home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Manchester, NH, has landed on the market for the first time since it was built in 1955. Named after its original owner, the Toufic H. Kalil House was built for the Kalil family, and is one of two Wright-designed homes on the same street.
The other Wright home on the block—known as the Zimmerman House—is now owned by the Currier Museum of Art and is open to the public. But for any buyers who want to own their very own piece of art, the Kalil home is available for $850,000.
Known as a “Usonian Automatic,” it’s one of only seven of this type of home ever built. The Kalils commissioned it after they saw their neighbor’s home going up and wanted one of their own.
What they wound up receiving was a little different. Unlike the home down the street, the Kalil House isn’t exactly a typical Wright building made of wood and glass, like Fallingwater.
“They probably thought they were going to get a Usonian, but they loved it,” says listing agent Paula Martin. The Usonian Automatic was built with modular concrete blocks, and was meant to be a cost-effective system that Wright buyers could in theory tackle with little effort.
The reality proved otherwise. Each block weighed around 220 pounds, and contractors had to be called in to construct it. The house reportedly took about two years and $70,000 to build, which was pricey for the period. The cost paid off, though—the construction and the interiors have stood the test of time and appear lovely six decades later.
“Ours is like a time capsule,” Martin says of the space, which includes original built-in furniture and fixtures. “It’s got original furniture, original fabric, and original pillows.” Even the kitchen has its original Thermador double oven and cooktop. Only the fridge has been replaced.
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Despite the concrete used inside and out, the interior offers a certain warmth, thanks to mahogany paneling, Cherokee Red concrete floors, a sunken fireplace, built-in furniture throughout, and a wall of windows in the back of the 1,400-square-foot abode. Clerestory windows throughout the house allow light to flood into the interior.
Located on just under an acre, the space includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, a built-in dining table, living room, and an office.
A detached 264-square-foot studio or guesthouse stands in the backyard. Although the home has been owned by the family since its inception, and is well preserved, its roof has recently been replaced, and a retaining wall was recast.
The property has been described as in “remarkably good condition” by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, and the work to spruce it up was completed “just to pass on this absolutely fabulous piece of art to someone,” Martin says.
It won’t be long. On the market for under a week, Martin has received multiple offers, as well as inquiries overseas and from the Boston area. Along with its optimum condition, the artful home is conveniently located in a metropolitan area just an hour from Boston.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a house in a price point that many people could consider,” says Martin. The rare home in move-in condition certainly has our attention. If you’re tempted to make an offer, there’s still time: Martin told us that offers are due this Friday.
The post Rare Frank Lloyd Wright Home in Manchester, NH, on the Market for $850K appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
source https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/frank-lloyd-wright-home-in-manchester-new-hampshire/
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