Wright for Real People: A Family Restores Frank Lloyd Wright's Famed First House
(Page 3 of 4)
July/August 2009
By Judy Arginteanu
Find featured furnishings from the Willey House.
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A chat with the homeowners
What books are on your nightstands?
Steve Sikora: Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—And How it Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008); Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon, 2004), a graphic novel (since made into a movie) about growing up in Khomeini’s Iran; Rome Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the First Multinational Corporation by Stanley Bing (W.W. Norton & Co., 2007)
Lynette Sikora-Erickson: I just finished Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya (Grand Central Publishing, 1999); Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2002); and Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan (Ballantine Books, 2006). I’m about to begin The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (Ecco, 2008). The story’s set in the Chequamegon National Forest, close to our beloved Wisconsin getaway.
What was the most challenging aspect of building the house?
Steve: For the Willeys, building the house in 1934, the greatest challenge was containing costs without compromise to Wright’s design, which they respected. Wisely, when the budget came up short, they elected to postpone completing certain built-in features and furniture.
The greatest challenge to our restoration efforts was the completion of those elements that had never been made manifest, because there is always some degree of interpretation involved. So our approach to the work was to first complete the restoration of what had been built, and only after learning from that experience, completing what had been left undone.
What’s the house’s best hiding spot for clutter?
Steve: It’s surprising how much stuff you can hide in the lower cabinets in the dining area. There are a lot of cabinets and closets, which is unusual for a Wright house.
Any tips for living in small spaces?
Lynette: First, you need to really love the people you live with and have the skill to compromise and yield in matters of communal and private space. Second, small spaces demand minimalistic living. If you can’t embrace that and you’re a collector, a second home may be necessary. I guess this is a confession of sorts.
If you could invite anyone to dinner, who would it be?
Steve: Well, the Willeys had Margaret Mead to dinner. The second owners had a political rally for Hubert Humphrey. I’d love to have the Obamas. There are just enough seats. The dog would have to stay outside.
Lynette: I would invite a choir of angels. Great music, and they don’t eat much.
What about inviting Wright?
Steve: Oh, he’s always been invited.
The good stuff