Wednesday, Live at 5! Center curator Kevin Adkisson will be presenting from the Melvyn Maxwell and Sara Stein Smith House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Years ago as an eager college student I got a private tour of the Smith house by Melvin Maxwell Smith himself. Like many of the original owners of Wright homes Mr. Smith was endlessly enthusiastic about his home and extremely generous about sharing it with guests.
You are a brilliant storyteller! I was completely absorbed in your telling of the Smiths and the history of the house, and their relationship with Frank Lloyd Wright.
Kevin's talks are always great. Many years ago, we knocked on the door without prior notice,and recieved the full tour from Mr. S. He explained that he asked Wright for a den, and when that door opened up, he said tada !!! Yes, he adored his home. Years later, we stopped again and Mrs Smith served us Campbell's soup for lunch. Such a sweet and generous couple of people. How wonderful to know the house is cared for by Cranbrook. Years ago, you could still get lovely tours from original owners of Wright homes.
One of the best tours ever of a FLW home! You know your home and your history! The story of how you found proof of the landscape design plans and the visit of the planner is a classic! Thank you so much! The house is in good hands!
I'm over a year late to this presentation but I'm very happy the YT algorithm brought it to my attention. It's the happiest I've felt in a long time. Like other commenters, I genuinely appreciate the delightful stories that are the soul of this beautiful FLW home. Thank you so much for the tour!
I’ve watched a number of presentations on Frank Lloyd Wright houses. You’ve woken the story of the family as they built the house and at the same time given the technical details of the building. Your presentation is one of the best.
Thank you for your wonderful presentation; every step of your tour of the Smith house has been illuminating, educating and 100% charming. Cranbrook has in you a truly professional curator.
Wow. Thank you so much for the tour and explanation of the features. My dad, James W. Matthews, was an architect and architectural engineer and I believe that he designed the house he and my mom lived in from 1957 till they passed away, Dad in 2012 and Mom in 2014. Our house had many Frank Lloyd Wright influenced features, such as a brick, sandstone and slate exterior with a carport and storage off of the carport. The living room and dining room was generally L-shaped with blue-stained paneling and a sandstone/slate fireplace, builtin couch, and sandstone planter with geometric accents. There were builtin pieces in almost every room, but also large windows. I sat here talking to my dad as I watched the video. I hate that he is not here to watch it with me. Thanks again for the lovely tour.
I enjoy your explanation! Love FLW and you summarized it impeccably. There are so many things I heard the first time in this video. What an amazing video with the explanation goes hand-in-hand simultaneously by the details of this property
Excellently done! I’ve been to over 70 FLW building including all of the 3 you first mentioned! Thank you for bringing this important knowledge forward!
Greetings from Toledo....I first toured Cranbrook in the early 60s when my family did not move to Mexico City and enroll me in the Univ. of Mexico School of Architecture. Major kudos for one of the best Wright tours of my 70 plus years of touring American houses...starting with the witch houses in Salem, MA at age 4! I enjoyed every story including the saga of the Church landscape drawings. An architecture professor of mine at Miami Universtity once wrote a complimentary letter to Alexander Calder who unexpectedly sent him about a 4 foot diameter mobile. He fell in love with it and then a bill came from Calder about a month later for over $2,000! He scraped the money together and installed it in his office. It is now worth about $100-200,000. I have a tidbit regarding the Russel Wright dinnerware.....which I have collected....but I need to verify a point...so in another comment. Hope to visit the house after Covid. Thanks again!
Grey walk through and explanation of the history and love that style of FLW at that given time. One day I will be inside and call a FLW home for me. Great job. Hopefully more to come.
Everything amazing of course. I picked up on all of the piano hinges. Even on the interior doors. I understand that FLW purchased piano hinges for years from Amerock Mfg here in my hometown of Rockford,IL and he designed a home for one of their employees here locally, The Laurent House. The only home ever designed for a person with special needs. Mr Laurent was bound to a wheelchair. Open for tours now owned, restored, and run by The Rockford park district.
Wright got on to the Cypress wood after a big Florida storm put a lot of it on the market. He bought it up and sold it to clients. By the time of this house, I suppose it was all gone
I would sure like to hear you talk about Ronchamp some time. Some of Corbu's ideas were harmful obviously, but then Broadacre City was misguided also. I'am trying to grapple with Ronchamp. It breaks some of my "rules" but I can't deny it's seductive poetry. If they let you, give it a go.
Grant Hildebrandt once explained to an interviewer that Wright's houses grab you. After he said it, he grabbed the man's arm for emphasis. If you understand the house you'll be seduced.
yr on camera too much....you ruin the video. it's not about you. ugh cant believe cranbrook allowed you to do this? redo this w a professional please!!
