![]() His superior must have asked who the architect was, because the young man was heard to say, "Some guy by the name of Wright." His boss arrived within the hour to grant approval. When the building was completed, a young county inspector took exception to the low ceilings and called his office. Gold leaf covers the tall, slanted ceiling of the living room, as well as the lower ceiling of the dining room.Ī hallmark of Wright architecture is the varying heights of rooms and hallways. The dining table was assembled in triangles, and the chairs have low curved backs to ensure an unimpeded view of the garden for people seated in the living room. Wright designed the banquette and coffee tables, as well as the dining room furniture visible through the open end of the living room. In the entry hall, a turn to the right leads to a large curved living room with a long upholstered banquette against tall windows. The front door of the handsome redwood house is reached by a walkway under a low overhang. Maynard Buehler received the bill for all three meals. The suite was lovely, and the breakfast good. The Buehlers usually breakfasted later on Saturdays, so Katie asked, "7:30?" Wright said, "I can easily make it 6:30." They were there at 7:30. Francis Hotel and invited them for a 7:30 Saturday breakfast. Buehler remembers another "This is your architect" call. He also told the Buehlers, "You do not build down to please your clients."Īs the building progressed, a Wright representative remained on site to monitor the day-to-day work. The kitchen was well designed and worked efficiently. His comment, Buehler said, was, "Madam, you don't seem to understand that all women have been emancipated from the kitchen." As it turned out, he was correct about the size, she said. "He was supremely tickled with his talent confidence oozed from every pore."Įverything had to be the way Wright decreed, including a small kitchen rather than the larger one she suggested. His manner could be described as arrogant, she said. He carried a cane with which he tapped and tested every board in the building. The house went up in a year.Īccording to the widowed Buehler, who still lives in her mostly unchanged home, the architect always wore his signature wide-brimmed hat, cape, long chain, fob and watch. Wright came to inspect the property before he began the plans. Weeks passed without an acknowledgement then one day the telephone rang and a voice said, "This is your architect." Thus began an interesting, and frequently trying, relationship. After having admired pictures of Frank Lloyd Wright homes, Katie wrote to ask if Wright would build for them. Their first acre cost $1,850, the second acre $5,000, and the third, $7,500, as they purchased more land to provide privacy and space for a large garden. In 1948 Katie and Maynard Buehler decided to build a home on their Orinda property. City:� on 08/29/05 by LEA SUZUKI LEA SUZUKI Show More Show Less ![]() The garden was designed by a famous Japanese landscape architect and includes a Japanese-style guest house. Wright intentionally made the kitchen small, overriding Katie's instructions.Īccording to the story, it is the only single family home in the Bay Area designed by Wright who did the bulk of his work in the Midwest. The story has a number of anecdotes about Wright and his eccentricities and the house has a lot of famous Wright touches, including variations in ceiling heights, particularly in the living room. ![]() Katie and her late husband commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design the home back in 1948. We need some shots of the home and garden of Katie Buehler in Orinda. ![]()
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